USA > Iowa > Johnson County > History of Johnson County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, and its townships, cities and villages from 1836 to 1882 > Part 98
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ROLLA JOHNSON, fruit-grower, Clear Creek township, post-office, Tiffin; was born in the town of Lenox, Berkshire county, Massachusetts, June 3, 1815; is the son of Ira and Cyntha Johnson. His parents moved to Oswego county, New York, when he was but three years old, where he was raised on a farm until eighteen years of age, when he went to Newark, Huron county, Ohio, and clerked in the store of Mr. Kimball for three years; he then went into partnership with S. Patrick, and con- tinued until 1841; then went to Tiffin, Ohio, where he kept a store of his 54
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own until 1849, when he came to Iowa, having come previously to look at the country. He first settled in Iowa City, though he bought land in Iowa county. In 1855 he sold his land to the Amana society, purchased property in Davenport, lived there one winter, and then purchased land in this county, where he now resides, on section 28, where he owns 140 acres of splendid land. In January, 1843, he was married to Miss Helen E. Morse, of Huron county, Ohio. Of this union there are four children living: Charles M., Ira, Frank W. and Emma V. His wife died January 26, 1869, and on the 10th of October, 1871, he was married to Miss Sarah S. Youman. Mr. Johnson is now engaged in fruit growing and bee cul- ture. He is a member of the Baptist Church, a republican, and a tem- perance man in every sense of the term.
LAWRENCE B. JOHNSON, a resident of Iowa City, and engaged in the flour and feed business, on Dubuque street: was born July 19, 1847. He was married January 14, 1880, to Miss Flora Schaedler, of Iowa City. They have one child, a little boy. He was deputy sheriff of Johnson county under John Coldren. He is a member of the Legion of Honor, a member of the Baptist Church, and is a democrat in politics. He was a prominent candidate for sheriff in 1881; by force of circumstances over which he had no control the democratic leaders thought they would elect Mr. Coldren a third term, and that left Mr. Johnson free to engage in other business.
CHARLES JONES (deceased). The subject of this sketch was born in Ireland in 1800; came to America and settled in Iowa City in 1840, and worked on the capitol building. In 1843 he made a claim on section 2, township 78, near Edward R. Ricord's. He made the overland journey to California in 1850 with a team of oxen, and returned home by the Panama route in 1858, and remained four years, then returned to Califor- nia, and lived there until 1864. He died at the home of his sister, Mrs. Furlong, in 1870, on Old Man's creek in York township. He was uni- versally respected by all who knew him. Mr. Jones established a law of borrowing, and it was approved by Thomas Hansen, May 7, 1845. It was this: all property in their neighborhood should be considered public property, and people in their settlement must loan anything they had, and never carry back anything you borrow. A part of this settlement in which this law prevailed was on Old Man's creek in Washington town- ship in Johnson county.
WILLIAM JAYNE, was born January 26, 1802 in Sussex county, New Jersey; died March 30, 1880. He came to Johnson county, Iowa, in 1840, and settled in Graham township, and secured 1100 acres of land. He was married September 4, 1824, to Miss Maria Perry. They have nine children, three sons and six daughters. Mr. Jayne's father was the Rev. Ebenezer Jayne, a Baptist clergyman and a lieutenant in the revo-
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lutionary war. He was quite an able writer on religious topics, and some of his works are still preserved in the family. His father was William Jayne, also a Baptist clergyman, and was born in Bristol, England, in 1622, and fled from religious persecution to this country and settled in Long Island, New York, in 1682. There wer four- teen children in Ebenezer Jayne's family. William was the eleventh and the next younger than the late Dr. D. Jayne, of Philadelphia. Early in life William learned the trade of carpenter, and took several contracts on public works. He assisted in building the second railroad in the United States. He removed to the west in 1836, and had a contract in the construction of the Illinois Southern railroad. From Illinois he came to this county in 1840, settling on a farm near where he continued to live for twenty-five years, since which time he has lived in this city up to the day of his death. Mr. Jayne was a man of strong and sterling character, and of large intelligence. He was a great reader, a thorough student of history, and well informed on all general topics. In early days he was a whig, and immediately on its organization joined the free-soil party, and was one of the first organizers of that liberty-loving old party in this county.
JOSEPH KARBULKA, a farmer, residing in Monroe township, post- office Danforth; was born January 8, 1822, in Austria; came to America in 1864, landed in New York City, and the same year settled upon the farm upon which he now resides. He was married July 18, 1844, to Miss Theresa Novtuy. They have three children: John, Josephine and Anna. The family are members of the Catholic Church. He is a demo- crat in politics, and voted against the prohibitory constitutional amend- ment. He is a quiet, hard working, honest man, a trait characteristic of the Bohemian people.
JACOB KEIM, a resident of Iowa City, and the proprietor of the new Boston bakery, on Dubuque street; came to America in 1857, and to Iowa City in 1869. He was married in March, 1868, to Miss Elizabeth Fisher, of Germany. They have five children: Jacob, Mary F., Frederick W., Peter and Margaret. He is a democrat in politics.
MICHAEL KELLEY, a farmer and resident of West Lucas town- ship; post-office Iowa City; was born August 29, 1825, in Kings county, Ireland; came to America and landed in New York, April 1, 1852, and settled in Iowa, Aug. 17, 1856, and engaged in farming. He was mar- ried in Cincinnati, Ohio, Aug. 15, 1856, to Miss Helen Maloy. They have no children.
AMOS KEELER, farmer, post-office Lone Tree; was born in Sum- merset county, Pa., June 10, 1840. When ten years of age he went to Ohio with his father, where he spent his early life until he was twenty- two years of age. He then emigrated to Johnson county, Iowa, in 1862,
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where he has since resided, and now owns 120 acres of fine land, which he has improved from wild prairie. He was married Dec. 15, 1863, to Mrs. Catharine Henry, formerly Miss Swink. They have four children, viz: Mary J., Theodore, Amos, and Benjamin. Mr. Keeler and wife are members of the Baptist Church.
REV. FERGUS L. KENYON, the present minister of the Congrega- tional Church of Iowa City; was born December 4, 1835, in the parish of Sobly, Wigton Shire, Scotland. He graduated at Princeton College, New Jersey, in 1859, and was tutor of Greek in that college for two and one-half years; studied theology at Princeton Seminary, and graduated in 1864. He was married in April, 1865, to iss Hittie A. Squire, of Graften, Ohio. He had charge of a congregation in East Orange, New Jersey, and then in Elyria, Ohio, and labored in St. Joseph, Missouri, and in Sep- tem ber, 1878, took charge of the Congregational Church in Iowa City.
FRANK S. KESSLER. farmer, post-office, Solon; was born in Musk- inghum county, Ohio, March 3, 1846, and came to Iowa with his father, Fidel, in 1852; he has followed farming, and now owns 133 acres of well improved land. He was married September 14, 1872, to Mrs. Mary A. Stiles, nee Hoffman, a native of Germany. This union has been blessed with three children: Mary E., Harvey and Rolland R. Sabinas Stiles, Mrs. Kessler's first husband, was born in New York State, and was a son of Warner Stiles, who came to Johnson county in 1839, and married Mary A. Hoffman, November 23, 1854; he dying April 15, 1868, leaving five children: Laura A., now Mrs. Taylor; Sarah E., now Mrs. Corrigan; George L., Emma A., and Cora I.
FIDEL KESSLER, farmer, post-office, Solon; was born in Germany, March 26, 1818, and there learned the cabinet-maker trade, and emigrated to America in September, 1834, and lived in Muskinghum county, Ohio, until the fall of 1850, when he came to Iowa and settled in Big Grove township, where he has improved a farm of 125 acres. He was married February 25, 1845, to Mary Corus, a native of Ohio. This union has been blessed with eleven children: Frances and Nicholas F., (twins) Louisa C., William, Mary J., Edwin, Alice, Caroline, Mary, Charlie and Maggie, also twins. Mr. Kessler is a member of the Catholic Church.
GEORGE W. KETTLEWELL, a resident of Iowa City, a black- smith doing business on East Washington street. Was born December 30, 1821, in Washington county, Pennsylvania; came to Iowa City Sep- tember 5, 1856, and has been engaged at his trade since. He was mar- ried January 23, 1852, to Miss Hannah Jackson, of Warren, Ohio; she was born in Yorkshire, England. This union is blessed with six children: William A., Alice, Charles, George W., Eva., Eda, and an adopted daughter, Ida K. Haines, a sister's child, is a member of his family. He is a member of the M. E. Church of Iowa City; a member of the I. O. O.
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F. societies of Iowa City, and among the oldest members of that order. He is a democrat in politics, and has held several offices of honor, profit and trust at the hands of his party; he has served as member of the school board of Iowa City, and in the city council, in 1863, as a member from the third ward.
PETER KETTLES, farmer, Washington township, post-office Frank Pierce. Was born in Germany, April 29, 1839; came to America in May, 1858; landed in New York City. Settled in Johnson county, Iowa, in June, 1858, and worked in Sharon township. He enlisted in the First Wisconsin Infantry for three months, April 16, 1861; and August 23, 1861, enlisted in the Fourth Missouri Cavalry, and was discharged in November, 1865. He enlisted as a private, and was promoted from pri- vate along the grades of office from corporal to first lieutenant, in June 1863, holding all the non-commission officers' ranks. He was married March 19, 1867, to Miss Rebecca Oldacker. They have one child, Fredrick, born April 20th, 1868. Mr. Kettles is a republican in politics; has held the office of township clerk for two years, and has been re-elected.
ADAM KNIESE, a well-to-do farmer, residing in Scott county, post- office West Branch. Was born October 30, 1830, at Knehrohesser, Germany. He came to America in 1853; settled in Johnson county in 1868. He came here a poor man, and by economy and industry now owns 212 acres of land and is worth $10,000, and enjoys life. He is one of Scott township's successful farmers. He was married March 5, 1855, to Miss Katharine Hecke, of Germany. He is a democrat in politics, and voted against the prohibitory constitutional amendment; he is a member of the German Reformed Church.
JACOB KOENIG, a farmer residing in Liberty township, post-office, Bon Accord. Was born in Germany, August 24, 1834; came to Amer- ica in 1855, and settled in Iowa City in 1858, and bought the farm upon which he now resides in 1862. He was married July 4, 1862, to Miss Mary Fisher, of Iowa City. They have seven children: Gotlieb, Fritz, John, George, Frank, Mary and Louisa. He is a democrat in politics, and voted against the amendment.
J. F. KOLER, publisher Reaper, Solon: was born in Austria, Nov. 7, 1856, and emigrated to America with his parents in 1862, and settled in Iowa City and commenced the printers trade in August, 1874, on the Iowa City Republican; in 1878 he went to Marengo for a period of two years, then to Council Bluffs. In April, 1880, he was married to Miss Hattie Le- Grange, of Pleasant Valley township, Scott county, at Davenport; lived in Council Bluffs a short time, then went over to Omaha and worked in the Herald job rooms; in June, 1881, went to Des Moines and engaged with the State Fournal Printing Company, from there to Reinbeck and dited t he Reinbeck Times in company with another man; as he did not
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like the partnership, only remained there a few months. He then came to Solon and engaged in the publication of the Solon Reaper. The first number made its appearance July 28, 1882, just when there was a great demand for Reapers. The farmers now all have the Reaper once a week, sunshine or rain, cold or warm, throughout the year. The Reaper is well patronized and is a staying stone for the future in Solon.
PAUL A. KORAB, farmer and teacher, Jefferson towuship, post- office, Shueyville; was born on the 30th day of July, 1857, in Linn county, Iowa; is the son of Paul and Catharine Korab, who were born in Bohemia. In 1854 they left the old country for America, and landed in Iowa on the 10th day of August, and settled in Linn county, where they purchased land and resided until 1866, when he sold his land there and purchased 140 acres in this county in sections 9 and 16, where he lived up to his death, which occurred on February 3, 1879. He had two children: Josephine, married to Wesley Yanish, February 21, 1882, and Paul A., the subject of this sketch, who was raised on his father's farm, and now resides with his mother on the home place. He received his education at Western College, having attended four terms, aside from common schools; has taught five terms of school in his township, and is one of the present trustees. He is quite a young man, and has a promising [future before him. There is at present an old gentleman living with him named Joseph Jacobetz, 82 years old, said to be the oldest man in the township.
ALEXANDER KOSER, farmer and stock dealer; is a native of Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, where he was born Sept. 27, 1820, where he lived until 1848, he then went to Harrisburg, where he followed butchering and buying and selling stock until 1870, he then emigrated to Johnson county, and settled at Coralville, and now owns 470 acres of land and deals in stock. He has been married twice; first February 2, 1841, to Miss Hettie A. Atchley, she dying April 24, 1865; and the second time, June 15, 1869, to Mrs. Caroline Hart, her maiden name being Gould. There were seven children by the first marriage, viz: Mary, Elizabeth, Susan, Agnes, John, Charlie, and Dolly; and by the last marriage there are, Edward, Alexander, Carrie, Iowa, Minnie, Hayes, Filey and Manley. He is a member of the Lutheran Church, and also of the I. O. O. F.
JOHN KRAUS, a resident of Iowa City; born May 7, 1829, in Will- iamsburg, New York; settled in Iowa City in 1865. He lived in Wilks- barre, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, before he came to Johnson county, was engaged in farming, and farmed a while in this county, and now keeps the Sunny Side barber shop, on Iowa avenue, east of the post- office. He is a democrat in politics, and voted against the prohibitory constitutional amendment.
JACOB KRAMER, of Iowa City, in the boot and shoe business, No. 24, Dubuque street; was born Sept. 4, 1833, in Bavaria. Came to
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America in 1852, landed in New York and settled in lowa City in June, 1856. He learned the shoe maker's trade in Germany and has worked at his trade thirty-six years. He was married March 20, 1858, to Miss Scheilling of Iowa City. They have six children: Wilhelmina, wife of William Kue; John C., Emma E., wife of William Hauke; Christopher G., William F. and Jacob S. The family are members of the Lutheran Church. A member of the German Lodge No. 185, A. O. U. W.
EDWARD LANNING, a farmer residing in Lucas township, post- office, Iowa City; was born May 7, 1815, at Johnsonsburg, New Jersey, left there in 1835 and finally settled in Johnson county, in 1840. He was married January 14, 1844, to Miss Mary Johnson. They have had the following named children: Zoe, born 1847; Mollie Jane, born 1848, wife of Charles Fairall; Edward, born 1852; Harry, born 1854; Samuel, born 1856; Elizabeth, born, 1860; Orinda, born 1844, and died in 1860; John, born 1845, and died, James born in 1858, and died in 1861. He was one of the first aldermen of Iowa City.
F. H. LANE, farmer and grain buyer, post-office, Lone Tree; was born in Cedar county, Iowa, September 1, 1857, and is a son of William Lane, of West Liberty. He attended the Eastern Iowa College, and com- menced teaching school in 1878, and taught three terms. In 1878 he in partnership with his brother, H.C. Lane, under the firm name of Lane Brothers, commenced buying and shipping grain and stock at Lone Tree, which they still follow and are doing a flourishing business, running the elevator there and buying all the grain at that point. He was married February 22, 1882, to Miss Sadie Jean, a native of Muscatine county.
H. C. LANE, live stock and grain dealer, post-office, Lone Tree; was born in Cedar county, Iowa, July 18, 1854, and is a son of W. S. Lane, of West Liberty. He attended the high school at West Liberty, also the Eastern Iowa Normal at Grandview and taught school six terms, teaching the high school of Nichols in the winter of 1877-78. In April, 1878, he came to Lone Tree and commenced the business he is now engaged in, in partnership with his brother, F. H. Lane, under the firm name of Lane Bros. They also own a farm of 160 acres near town; they are doing a flourishing business, and enjoy the respect of all who have had dealings. with them; they also deal in farm machinery. H. C. was married May 18, 1881, to Miss Mary Tantlinger, a native of this county. They have one daughter: Bertha Belle. Mr. and Mrs. Lane are numbers of the M. E. Church, and he is a member of the I. O. O. F.
D. M. LANGDON, farmer, post-office, Solon; was born in Trumbull county, Ohio, March 21, 1844, and emigrated to Iowa with his parents, Luther and Sally Langdon, in February, 1855, and settled in Big Grove township, Johnson county. Here the subject of this sketch has since resided, and followed the occupation of a farmer and stock-raiser, and owns
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188 acres of land. He was married January 28, 1868, to Miss M. A. Stream, a native of Licking county, Ohio, and came to this county in 1855. She is a daughter of Elias Stream, who died February 18, 1863. They have no children.
H. W. LATHROP, a farmer, fruit grower and stock raiser of Lucas township, post-office Iowa City; was born Oct. 28, 1819, in Hawley, Mass. His parents moved to and settled in New York State in 1821, and he set- tled in Iowa City, Johnson county, in May, 1847. Has held several offices of honor, profit and trust; has been a member of the city council, mayor of the city, county superintendent of public schools, a member of the board of regents and treasurer of the State University. He was married April, 1847, to Miss Mary Welton. They have had five children, three of whom are still living: Willard A., George Fred, Zeph Welton (deceased), Mag- gie A., wife of Frank F. Luse, married in December, 1879, and died of consumption four months after marriage, and Minnie E. Mr Lathrop was editor and one of the publishers of the Iowa City Republican during the years 1854 and 1855, and editor during a portion of the year 1858. He was for two years president of the State Horticultural Society, and is now one of its directors; he is now, and has been for several years, secre- tary of the Eastern Iowa Horticultural Society. In fruit growing, he makes a specialty of grapes and apples, and in stock raising of Short-horn cattle. Imp. Grand Duke of Kirklevington 2d, and Peri Sharon, are the bulls in use at the head of his herd.
HERMAN LAUFER, a resident of Iowa City, and doing business on College street; was born Sept. 12, 1839, at Hersfeld, Hesse Cassel, Ger- many. Came to America in October 1853, and landed in New York City, and came to Iowa in 1857, and finally settled in Iowa City in 1871, and opened a saddle and harness shop. He was married Nov. 26, 1871, to Miss Matilda Feasler, of Iowa City. They have two children, Frank and Olive. He is a republican in politics.
J. WALTER LEE, a resident of Iowa City, and junior partner in the firm of Hohenschup, Cree & Lee; was born January 29, 1842, in Green county, Ills. Came to Iowa City in 1844. He was married January 1, 1868, to Miss May Parvin, daughter of Prof. T. S. Parvin. They have four children: Roy P., Arthur P., died in September, 1878, Leslie P. and Walter P. He was a faithful soldier in company F., 22d regiment Iowa volunteer infantry, enlisted Aug. 26, 1862; promoted to quartermaster sergeant, Oct. 1, 1862, and served to the close of the war. He is a mem- ber of the First Presbyterian Church at Iowa City, also a member of the Masonic bodies, A. O. U. W. and L. of H. of Iowa City. A republican in politics. He served in the city council two years, elected in 1876.
A. W. LEONARD, grocer and railroad agent, post-office, Lone Tree; was born in Mahoming county, Ohio, July 14, 1834, where he spent his
,
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early life and got a common school education. At the age of sixteen he went to learn the carpenter and joiner trade, and worked for one man seven years, and in 1856 came to Fremont township, Johnson county, and bought forty acres of land and improved it, and afterward bought eighty acres more; this, at that time was Pleasant Valley township; he has since lived here, with the exception of three years he lived at West Liberty, from 1869 to '72, where he followed contracting. He then returned to this place, and in the fall of 1872 he commenced in the lumber and grocery business, and afterward added dry goods to his grocery stock, and in May, 1874, he began work for the B., C. R. & N. R. R., as their agent, at Lone Tree, which position he has since held; he also is express agent and buys grain and sells coal, and has been postmaster since the fall of 1876, and is now serving his third year as notary public. He was married March 12, 1857, to Miss Louisa A. Hazen; she dying August 20, 1874, he was again married May 6, 1875, to Miss Sarah F. Nelson, a native of Iowa. There were no children by first marriage, but three by the last, viz: Louisa May, born April 13, 1877; Jane Alma, born June 26, 1879, and Nona Belle, born May 21, 1881. Mr. Leonard and wife are members of the Methodist Church.
VICTOR BARTA LETOVSKY, a farmer and brewer, residing in Jefferson township, post-office, Shueyville; was born September 1, 1824, in Moravia, Europe; came to America January 1, 1854, and settled in Johnson county the same year, traveling from Racine, Wisconsin, to Jefferson township by wagon and team. He built the brewery where he now resides, on section 13 in Jefferson township, in 1862; he quit brewing when the revenue laws went into effect, and then he rented the brewery, and finally the business suspended in 1874. He was married in February, 1865, to Miss Josephine Makovsky; by this wife he had one child, now six- teen years of age, a boy; his wife died in October, 1874, and he was mar- ried again Jan. 24, 1875, to Miss Katharine Trunech. This union is blessed with three children: Bohumil, Victor B. and Justia. He is a democrat in politics, and voted against the prohibitory amendment. The capacity of his brewery is about eight barrels per day; things are out of repair and he never expects to start up the brewery again. He has a stone quarry on his land that has been open about twenty years; it is on a small stream that has its source in Shueyville, and it is commonly called "Skunk's Run." There are two fine springs near the brewery. He burned lime on his place in 1864; it is limestone rock, and evidences of coal are found in several places.
CHAS. LEWIS, a grain dealer in Iowa City, on Capitol street. Was born. November 25, 1832, in Oneida county, New York; settled in Iowa in 1862. He engaged in the grain business in 1872; prior to that time was in the grocery with the firm of Lewis Bros .; he buys all kind of grain and seeds. He was married October 25, 1859, to Miss Elizabeth
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Griffith, of Racine, Wisconsin. They have five children: Lillie E., Lydia H., Kittie M., Minnie and Roscoe E. He has held several public offices; was member of city council, member of school board, three terms of three years each; trustee of the township for five years. He is a repub- lican in politics. In 1879 he shipped 98,541 bushels of grain; in 1880, 98,000 bushels; in 1881, 99,820 bushels; in 1882, 70,000 bushels. The crops of Johnson county were short in 1881 and 1882.
JOHN B. LETOVSKY, a resident of Iowa City, and one of the proprietors of the Bohemian paper, Slovan Americky. Was born Decem- ber 26, 1821, in Moravia. He was married February 4, 1845, to Miss Jenny Mrakota, of Moravia. This union is blessed with seven living chil- dren: John B., Stojslav, Libby, Jenny, Bohumil, Miroslav and Stanislav. He came to America and landed in Boston, January 4, 1854, being eighty days at sea, most of the time in a storm. He went to Racine, Wisconsin, that winter, and in the spring took his famlly in an ox team and moved to Iowa; was fourteen days on the way to Cedar Rapids. He settled in Jefferson township in the fall of 1854, and farmed until 1859, when he went to Racine, Wisconsin, and started the Slovan Amerikansky, and edited and published that paper until 1861, when he was sent by the Russian government to Amour, where he was gone eighteen months, and returned in 1862; his mission being to make a report on the feasibility of settling the province with his nationality for agricultural purposes. He came to Iowa City in 1869, and in company with J. P. Pisha started the Slo- van Americky, the only Bohemian paper published in lowa. Three of his sons, J. M. B., B. B. and S. B., bought out Mr. Pisha's interest, and the paper is owned and published by John B. Letovsky & Sons, with John M. B. Letovsky as editor. Mr. B. is quite a good writer, and the paper is highly esteemed by the Bohemian people.
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