USA > Iowa > Jefferson County > History of Jefferson County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume II > Part 8
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Vol. 11-5
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gave his attention until his death, on the 5th of September, 1879, when his son, G. A. Flinspach, was but six years of age. The mother came to America on the Ist of September, 1855, and after remaining in New York until the spring of 1856, came to Iowa and on the 14th of April of that year gave her hand in marriage to Lawrence Flinspach. "Grandma" Flinspach, as she was familiarly called, was well known in this section of the county, where she was held in the highest regard by all with whom she came in contact. She continued to reside on the old homestead until about two years prior to her demise, when she went to the home of her son Martin, where her death occurred. She long survived her husband, passing away on the Ioth of January, 1908, at the age of seventy-three years, seven months and fourteen days. In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Flinspach there were fourteen children but the two eldest died in infancy. The others are as follows: Mary, the wife of John Kann, of Buchanan township; Hannah, who married Thomas Thompson, of Bur- lington, Iowa ; Anna, who wedded John Diers, of this township; Martin C. and Fred L., also residents of Buchanan township; Lucy, the wife of Alex Gordon, of Lincoln, Nebraska; Albert, deceased; Minnie, who mar- ried P. L. Gordon, of Spokane, Washington; G. A., of this review ; Edward C., of Center township; Frank T., of Buchanan township; and Robert C., of Center township.
: Reared amid the activities of rural life, Gustavus A. Flinspach spent the period of his boyhood and youth in the usual manner of country lads, attending the district schools in the winter months and assisting in the work of the home farm during the summer seasons, early becoming fami- liar with the various phases of agriculture. Lessons concerning the value of industry, economy and determination were instilled into his mind and proved the foundation upon which his later prosperity was based. Upon attaining his majority he wisely chose the occupation to which he had been reared as a life work. He has since concentrated his time and energies upon agricultural pursuits and is now the owner of eighty acres located on section 10, Buchanan township, Jefferson county, and also forty acres of pasture land on section 17. The home place is well improved and through his close application and wise management he has been able to greatly enhance its value so that today it is one of the desirable properties of the locality.
Mr. Flinspach was married, on the 3d of October, 1906, to Miss Bertha R. Coop, who was born in Penn township, Jefferson county, on the 13th of March, 1877, a daughter of Lafayette and Cynthia (Spencer) Coop. The parents are now residents of Penn township, making their home upon the farm on which the father was born. Mrs. Flinspach holds membership in the Christian church of Penn township, the teachings of which have
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ever formed the guiding influences of her life. Mr. Flinspach gives his political support to the democratic party but he has never sought nor de- sired public office. He early learned the lesson that success must be pur- chased at the price of earnest, well defined labor, and as the years have gone by his record has been one of indefatigable effort, close application and intelligent direction. He is well known in Buchanan township, within whose borders his entire life has been spent, and the fact that he is held in high regard by all who know him is indicative of his many excellent qualities of heart and mind.
DANIEL V. CARLBORG.
Daniel V. Carlborg, who for twenty-seven years has been engaged in farming in Lockbridge township, is one of the many thrifty, enterprising citizens Sweden has furnished Iowa. His natal day was the 23d of Novem- ber, 1845, his parents being Karl and Lena Elizabeth (Peterson) Carl- borg, who passed away in their native country in 1884, the father having devoted his energies to agricultural pursuits.
The first thirty-five years of Daniel V. Carlborg's life were spent in his native land, where after completing his schooling he worked out by the month. Realizing the futility of his efforts to attain his ambition, while the best years of his life, the period of achievement, were passing, America seemed to him the only solution of the problem, so he took passage for the United States in the spring of 1880, first locating in Newton, Illinois, where he spent the summer working on the railroad. On Christmas day of the same year he came to Jefferson county and for two years thereafter he worked as a farm hand. At the expiration of that time he again started westward, Oregon being his destination on this occasion. He remained in that state for eighteen months then returned to Jefferson county where he was married and immediately thereafter began his independent career as an agriculturist. During the succeeding ten years he farmed as a renter, his energy and thrift, abetted by his wife's capable management of the house- hold affairs, enabling him to acquire the necessary capital to become a property owner. He invested his capital in forty acres of unimproved land, erecting upon it a house and barn and the necessary outbuildings. His unceasing industry and intelligence in the direction of his affairs brought him the remuneration that later made it possible for him to increase his holdings by the addition of another twenty acres. He has ever since resided upon this place, which he is still operating in connection with an additional twenty acres that he rents. Mr. Carlborg has always given his
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personal supervision to the operation of his fields and the care of his crops, his efforts being rewarded by abundant harvests.
On the 25th of June, 1884, Mr. Carlborg was married to Miss Carrie Farman, a daughter of John P. and Margaret (Peterson) Farman, also natives of Sweden. The father, who was a tailor by trade, emigrated from his native land to Iowa during the pioneer days, first locating in Henry county. In 1846 he came to Jefferson county, entering some government land in Lockbridge township, in the operation of which he assiduously ap- plied his energies until his demise on the Ioth of March, 1911. The mother passed away in 1883. To Mr. and Mrs. Carlborg there have been born four children, two of whom died in infancy. Those living are, Bertha V., who is now twenty-three years old and at home with her parents and John Clarence H., who is twenty-one years of age.
The family manifest their religious views through their affiliation with the Methodist Episcopal church, and politically Mr. Carlborg is a republi- can, but does not actively participate in township affairs, giving his un- divided attention to his own interests. During the thirty-one years of his residence in the United States, Mr. Carlborg has never had reason to re- gret the transference of his allegiance to this republic. He has encoun- tered hardships and disappointments, discouragements and misfortune, but these have been overshadowed by his successes, and today he is an inde- pendent landowner with an ample competence and enjoys the respect of the entire community in which he resides.
THOMAS S. LAUGHLIN.
Few men in Locust Grove township, Jefferson county, are more highly esteemed for the services which they have rendered their community in the interests of both its economic and educational advancement than is Thomas S. Laughlin, who resides on the farm where he was born, on sec- tion 14, of Locust Grove township, on April 9, 1843. His father, Harvey P. Laughlin, was born in Logan county, Tennessee, in the year 1809, his parents being of Irish descent. He married Eliza Catharine Newman, who was born in Knox county, Tennessee, September 9, 1817, being a descend- ant of German ancestry. Mr. and Mrs. Laughlin removed to Illinois and settled in Coles county, where they lived for seven years. In 1842 they came to Jefferson county, Iowa, establishing their home in Locust Grove township on section 14, a tract of land of three hundred and seven acres which they entered from the government. This farm the father continued to cultivate until his death, December 20, 1887. His wife survived him
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until 1901, when she passed away at the home of her daughter, Mrs. George W. Ball, of Fairfield, Iowa. Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Harvey P. Laughlin, namely: A. W., residing in Odessa, Missouri ; William M., of Oklahoma ; Thomas S .; Sarah J., the wife of W. W. Whittaker, of Fairfield, Iowa; Margaret, the wife of George W. Ball, also of Fairfield ; Mary C., the wife of James Hayden, of Eldon, Iowa; Floyd K., a farmer of Locust Grove township ; and Blanch, deceased, who was the wife of W. G. Burkhardt, of Fairfield, Iowa.
Thomas S. Laughlin acquired his education in the rural schools near his home and later attended Axline's Academy at Fairfield and followed the profession of school-teaching, securing a position as assistant professor at Brookville, Iowa, when nineteen years of age. Subsequently he taught school at Abingdon, Batavia, and other places for a period of ten years, devoting his summers to agricultural pursuits on his father's farm. At the age of thirty-one years he bought from his father a part of the old home- stead, buying the remainder of the estate at the death of his father. In 1892 he took possession of the old family residence on the place and has lived there ever since. He is an industrious worker, progressive in his methods, finding pleasure and inspiration in the invigorating life of the man who works in the fields. His farm of four hundred and five acres is situated on sections fourteen and fifteen and is one of the finest in the county. Here Mr. Laughlin and his two sons devote their efforts to the improvement of the land and also to raising a high grade of stock, making a specialty of breeding full blooded Percheron mares.
The marriage of Mr. Laughlin and Miss Elizabeth C. Warwick, daugh- ter of Samuel Scott and Nancy Gray (Brooks) Warwick, occurred on October 21, 1874. Mrs. Laughlin's parents were born near Hamilton, in Butler county, Ohio, the father being a farmer by occupation. Prior to their marriage they came west in 1846, locating in Locust Grove township, after Mr. Warwick had made a careful survey of Jefferson county, Iowa, in order to decide upon a suitable place for settling. He cultivated the soil for fourteen years, passing away in Missouri, July 25, 1860, at the age of about thirty years. His wife survived him forty years, departing this life at the home of Thomas S. Laughlin in April, 1900. The brothers and sisters of Mrs. Laughlin are: Mary J., the wife of F. E. Robb, of Girard, Kansas; William A., of Fairfield, Iowa; and Joseph, a resident of Los Angeles, California. In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Laughlin eight children were born: Grace, who married Edward Abraham, a ranchman in California, and died in March, 1899, leaving two small children, Vida and Frances; Bessie, who became the second wife of Edward Abraham and they have two children, Meta and Constance; Russell, who married Mattie Barr and operates a farm adjoining his father's, and has three
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children, Pauline, Margaret and Baby Barr; Meta, the wife of Oren Fordyce, a farmer of Des Moines township and also the twin sister of Merwin, living at home with his parents; Mary, who died at the age of one year ; Lawrence, who is attending Parson's College at Fairfield, Iowa, where he is taking the scientific course, being a member of the class of 1912; and Maurice, who is attending a business college at Burlington, Iowa.
In his political sympathies Mr. Laughlin is an ardent democrat and has served as assessor for three years. He has also acted as school direc- tor for a long continued term. He and his wife hold membership in the Presbyterian church of Locust Grove township, being among the most helpful and earnest workers of its congregation. All that Mr. Laughlin now owns has been acquired by his own unremitting efforts and in the enjoyment of a comfortable competence he finds the reward with which faithful service is crowned.
JOHN G. W. SMITH.
John G. W. Smith, deceased, up to the time of his death one of the important and substantial citizens of Jefferson county, was for many years successfully engaged in agricultural pursuits. He was born in Harrison county, Ohio, February 22, 1825, a son of Jacob Smith. After a brief education in the rural schools of his native locality, Mr. Smith learned the stone mason's trade. He lived with his parents until he attained his majority, when he left the parental roof in Ohio and came to Iowa where he made his home with Enos Ellmaker, taking up anything in the line of work that promised a fair return. At the time of his marriage he em- barked in agriculture, buying forty acres of land where the present home- stead now stands. Thereafter he made further purchases from time to time until he had increased his holdings to two hundred acres. Of Dutch descent on his father's side and Irish ancestry on his mother's, he combined the best qualities of the two nationalities-industry and thrift on the one hand and a native wit and alertness for seizing an opportunity on the other-and through his perseverance and unceasing efforts was in time well rewarded with a flourishing farm from which large profits accrued. In the spring of 1850 he set out with an ox team for the gold fields of California and after two years of unusual success in digging gold returned in 1852 and resumed his labors in the fields, sowing and reaping and developing his land. He passed away on June 4, 1900, at the age of seventy-five years, three months and a few days. Prosperous in his work
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and a man of unfaltering integrity, Mr. Smith did not only leave his family well provided for, but he also bequeathed them an honored name of which the surviving members of the family may well be proud.
ยท Mr. Smith was twice married, his first union being contracted on May 3, 1849, with Miss Hannah Brown, whose birth occurred September 17, 1829, and who passed away on January 15, 1869, at the age of thirty-nine years, three months and twenty-eight days. The children by this marriage were: George William, born March 12, 1850, who died in Oregon ; Diana Elizabeth, born June 5, 1852, the wife of Daniel Albaugh of Polk county, Iowa: Samuel Allison, born September 30, 1856, who died on the home place ; Amos Guthry, born March 19, 1858, who lives in Kansas ; Emma Cordelia, born April 2, 1866, who is the wife of William Vanausdeln, a farmer in Des Moines township, Jefferson county.
The second marriage of Mr. Smith occurred on June 29, 1869, the union being with Miss Nancy Ann Brown, a cousin of his first wife. She was born in Jefferson county, January 10, 1846, and was a daughter of George W. and Catherine (Fishel) Brown. The father, who was of German parentage and a native of Pennsylvania, was for many years a prosperous farmer. During the latter years of his life he was engaged in operating a sawmill, his wife having died November 20, 1877. He passed away at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Smith, on March 24, 1891. The children by the second marriage were: Mary Etta, deceased, born April 14, 1870 ; Marion, deceased, born May I, 1872 ; Ira, deceased, born October II, 1873: Ora, deceased, born December 21, 1874; Charles Franklin, born December 4, 1877, and now living with his mother on the home place, married to Miss Mina Goughnour, a daughter of David and Lavina (Haney) Goughnour, the father being engaged in agriculture. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Franklin Smith are the parents of two small children: Mabel Fern, aged five years, attending school district No. 2, Des Moines township ; and Lee Russell, aged two years. ' Mr. Smith is serving his first term as township clerk. The remaining children born to Mr. and Mrs. John G. W. Smith are: a daughter, born October 10, 1876, who died in infancy; Reuben Hayes, born December 22, 1880, who died in North Dakota; another daughter, born February 1, 1882, who died in infancy ; and Leonard Ross, born September 7, 1885, a farmer in Des Moines township, who is married to Miss Nellie O. Wagner, a daughter of Joseph and Augusta Wagner, and has three children: Evelyn Marie, aged six years, William Claude, aged three, and Harold Glenn, aged two.
In political circles Mr. John G. W. Smith was an enthusiastic democrat and held the office of township clerk, of trustee, of assessor and of school director of District No. I, serving in the last named position for a great many years. He was a model citizen and a devoted father, ever faithful
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in the performance of his duty. Mrs. Smith is an active worker in the Brethren church, to which her husband also belonged. She is a woman of charming personality highly esteemed throughout the county where she possesses a host of friends.
CAPTAIN BENJAMIN F. CRAIL.
Of the many volunteers that Jefferson county sent to the south during the Civil war, probably none made a more brilliant record or had more thrilling experiences than Captain Benjamin F. Crail, who despite the fact that he received a number of serious wounds, one of which the surgeons pronounced as fatal, remained at the front until the close of hostilities. He is a native of Pennsylvania, his birth having occurred in Beaver county, on March 19, 1828, and is a son of Benjamin and Nancy (Daugherty ) Crail. The father, who was a millwright by trade, was born in Pennsylvania, of Scotch extraction, his natal day being in 1793. He participated in the war of 1812, while his father John Crail fought in the Revolutionary war. He subsequently became the owner of a grist mill in Beaver county, in the ope- ration of which he actively engaged until his death in 1846. The mother was born in Ireland in 1798 and in her early childhood came to the United States, where she was reared to womanhood, marrying Mr. Crail in Beaver county. There she continued to make her home after the death of her hus- band until 1855, when together with her children she removed to Iowa, set- tling in Jefferson county. She passed away in 1886 at the home of her daugh- ter, Mrs. Ella Snodgrass, at Winterset, Madison county, Iowa. To Mr. and Mrs. Crail there were born ten sons and daughters: John, Irwin and James D., who are deceased : Benjamin F., our subject ; Milton and Mary, both of whom are deceased ; Cynthia, of Shenandoah, Iowa ; and Ella, Eliza- beth and Matilda, who are also deceased.
Reared at home, after the completion of his preliminary education which was obtained in the common schools, Benjamin F. Crail pursued a course in Debts Business College of Pittsburg. Having decided to take up civil en- gineering for his life vocation he subsequently went to New Cumberland, Virginia, now West Virginia, to study surveying and engineering under John H. Adkinson. In 1852 he took a position as carpenter in the ship yards of Pittsburg, going from there to Freedom, Pennsylvania. Later he signed on as carpenter and mate on a boat on the Ohio, but relinquished his berth in 1859 and came to Fairfield, where his mother was then residing. Soon after his arrival here he purchased an ox team and drove to Colorado, where he remained until the fall of 1860, when he returned to cast his vote
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for Abraham Lincoln for president. Mr. J. S. McKemey, then treas- urer and recorder of Jefferson county, appointed Mr. Crail his deputy, the duties of this office engaging his attention until the call came for troops when he resigned his position to go to the front. He enlisted on the 20th of August, 1861, in Company F, Third Iowa Volunteer Cavalry, at Fair- field, entering the service in the capacity of a private. His regiment was sent to Missouri, participating almost immediately in engagements and skir- mishes at Fulton and Santa Fe, that state. In the latter encounter Cap- tain Crail was thought to be mortally wounded, one bullet having passed entirely through his body in the region of the heart, while another lodged just above that organ. The surgeons pronounced his recovery as impossible, believing that wounds such as his must necessarily prove fatal. He was young, however, and possessed a fine constitution and wonderful recupera- tive powers, and after spending five months in the hospital was discharged and rejoined his command at Lebanon, Missouri. During the very early days of his enlistment he displayed the courage, resourcefulness and execu- tive ability qualifying him for a more responsible position than that of pri- vate, so he was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant, and at Paris, Mis- souri, on the Ist of April, 1862, he was made captain. He took part in many battles and skirmishes in southern Missouri, among them being that of Pilot Knob, his company seeing active service every day until they reached the Arkansas line. They were ordered to Little Rock, and driving the confederates before them after some hard fighting took the city. He next joined a raiding party through the southern part of the state, during that time attacking and capturing the towns of Arkadelphia and Mount Ida, and after driving the rebels out of Hot Springs skirmished all the way back to Benton. While at camp in Little Rock, Captain Crail went on a veteran's furlough, reenlisting for three years. During his thirty-day fur- lough he returned to Fairfield and visited his family, then went to Keokuk from there to St. Louis and on to Memphis, Tennessee. On the Ist of May, 1864, with his command he crossed the river into Arkansas, where they had some pretty sharply contested battles. He was defeated at Gunn- town, Mississippi, on the 10th of June, 1864, and on the 14th of July, that year, he participated in two days' fighting at Tupelo, Mississippi. On the 19th of December, 1864, his company joined Grierson's raid to Vicksburg, which city they reached on the 6th of January, 1865. They subsequently went to Louisville, Kentucky, from which city they departed on the 19th of March, 1865, via Paducah and up the Tennessee river, on Wilson's raid that finally lead to Atlanta. On the way they participated in the battles of Monta Vala, Oldtown Creek and Selma, as well as the siege of Mont- gomery, the latter city finally capitulating after a hard struggle. They next went to Columbus, where there was a big battle and on to Macon,
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Georgia, on April 21, 1865. At the latter point they received word of Lee's surrender, and remained in camp until April, 22, when they were advised of the assassination of Lincoln. The regiment was then ordered to At- lanta, and there they were mustered out on the 9th of August, 1865. Cap- tain Crail maintains that Wilson's raid would have been one of the biggest things of the war, had it not have happened so near the close of the strug- gle. When mustered out Captain Crail was suffering from some fresh wounds received at Oldtown Creek, Alabama, where a bullet had shat- tered the bones of his right arm, while he had also been bayoneted during the battle. He received his discharge at Davenport, Iowa, on the 23d of August, 1865, and returned to Fairfield, suffering severely for more than two years thereafter from his wounds. To conclude his war record we quote from the report of the adjutant general, vol. of Iowa: "On the 24th day of July, 1862, with one hundred men encountered the rebel Porter with his force of about four hundred men strongly posted in the dense brush on the 'Botts' farm in Monroe county. Killed one rebel and wounded many others. Our casualties were, one man killed, Captain B. F. Crail of Com- pany F and nine others wounded. Porter fled south into Callaway whither we pursued .- Also vols. II 1863 and 1867:" On the 31st of March, 1865, Captain Crail led a charge and was wounded with several of his men at Montevallo, Alabama.
Upon his return to civil life he bought a farm in Cedar township, en- deavoring to engage in agricultural pursuits. With one of his arms in a sling he hauled the timber cut from forty acres of land into Fairfield, where he sold it. In 1875, he moved into town and erected a residence on the lot where he now lives. As soon as he was able after returning from the war he again took up surveying, continuing to engage in this occupation until the Ist of January, 1911, when his last term as surveyor of Jefferson county expired. He served for several terms as assistant county surveyor and in 1883 was elected to the office of surveyor, which he held for eight years, when he resigned to go to California. Returning to Fairfield in 1898 he was again elected to the same office, continuing to serve in this capacity until his retirement from public life at the age of eighty-three years. At the expiration of his last term he again went to southern California, where he spent the winter of 1911, and has since lived in retirement. Captain Crail has always been one of the foremost figures in the public life of Jef- ferson county, and has prominently participated in promoting its develop- ment.
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