USA > Iowa > Linn County > History of Linn County Iowa : from its earliest settlement to the present time, Volume II > Part 37
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In his youthful days Abel L. Cory attended the publie schools and after- ward gave his entire attention to the work of the home farm until he had at- tained his majority when he entered Cornell College, ambitious to secure a good education. Later he engaged in teaching school through the winter months, while in the summer seasons he followed farming for ten years. In 1888 he purchased the farm on which he now resides, comprising one hundred acres of land on section 12, Marion township. For twenty-two years he has devoted his attention to its development and further improvement and upon the place are good buildings and well kept fenees that surround aeres of cultivated fields. In the feed lots and pastures are found good grades of stock, for he makes a specialty of raising and breeding Poland China hogs and other stock.
Pleasantly situated in his home life, Abel L. Cory was married in 1880 to Miss Palmyra Rundall, who was born in Kentucky on the 14th of April, 1856, and is a daughter of Silas W. and Rachel (Manly) Rundall. The father was a native of the state of New York and the mother of Ohio and at an early date in the history of Linn county they became residents of Iowa. The mother died in August, 1881, and the father is still living in Marion and has attained the age of seventy-eight years. Their family numbered five children including Mrs. Cory, who was liberally educated and after attending Cornell College, at Mt. Vernon, engaged in teaching for eight years, imparting readily and elearly to others the knowledge that she had aequired. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Cory were born four children but the eldest and the third died in infancy. Edith, who was born October 1, 1882, is the only surviving member of the family for Aliee. the fourth child, has also passed away.
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Both Mr. and Mrs. Cory hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal church and live according to its teachings, seeking at all times to follow the golden rule. Mr. Cory gives his political endorsement to the republican party and he is now serving as township trustee. He is faithful to duty, whether it be of a political or social nature, or has to do with his business affairs. He works conscientiously and energetically for the attainment of success and his well kept farm is visible evidence of his life of well directed thrift and industry. He has now lived in this county for more than half a century and deserves mention among its early settlers.
ANDREW HANNA CONN
Andrew Hanna Conn, a patent attorney and a manufacturer of hardware specialties in Cedar Rapids, attaining success in both branches of business by reason of his close application, earnest purpose and well developed powers, was born in Iowa county, Iowa, on the 3d of December, 1860, and is a son of Robert and Adeline (Hanna) Conn. The paternal grandparents were Robert and Mary Conn, who on leaving the Emerald isle brought their family to America and became residents of Wayne county, Ohio. Later they established their home at Defiance, Ohio, and in 1867 Robert Conn, Sr., arrived in Iowa, where he made his home up to the time of his death, living retired upon the farmn until called to his final rest at the very venerable age of ninety-three years. His son, Robert Conn, Jr., the father of our subject, was a native of Ireland but was of English parentage. During his active life he followed both merchandis- ing and farming and about twenty years ago he became a resident of Cedar Rapids, where he afterward retired from active life. At the time of the Civil war he joined the Twenty-fourth Iowa Infantry and served through the period of hostilities, participating in the battles of Corinth and of Vicksburg. He was also connected with the regiment in a clerical capacity and was promoted to the rank of sergeant. He now makes his home at 1537 First avenue and is num- bered among the retired men of the city, whose worth of character and record for reliability and progressiveness in business well entitle them to the high regard in which they are held.
Andrew H. Conn, spending his youthful days upon the home farm, early be- came familiar with the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist. In the summer months he worked in the fields and in the winter seasons pursued his education in the common schools. He afterward completed a commercial course at Valparaiso, Indiana, after which he went to Blairstown, Iowa, being connected with the business interests of that place until he went upon the road as a traveling salesman. In 1894 he came to Cedar Rapids and has taken up manufacturing here. In this line he has been very successful and is now con- ducting a growing and profitable business as a manufacturer of hardware specialties. He is also one of Linn county's patent attorneys and in this con- nection has made an equally good record.
On the 17th of March, 1886, Mr. Conn was married to Miss Edith Russell, a daughter of Alexander and Jeannie (Waldron) Russell. Her father came from Ohio to Iowa, having previously lived in Meigs county in the former state. He was yet a young man when he removed to Linn county and at the time of the Civil war he espoused the Union cause, enlisting in the eleventh Iowa Infantry. Following his return to the north after the cessation of hostilities he carried on merchandising in Kingston and was also appointed postmaster there. He proved a progressive citizen of the community and as a business man made a commendable record.
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Unto Mr. and Mrs. Conn have been born three children: Harold R., who is now attending college; Reina, a high-school student; and Dorothy W., who is also in sehool. The family belong to the Congregational church and take an active and helpful interest in its work. Mrs. Conn is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and is much interested in the Young Women's Christian Association and Sunshine mission work and is serving on the board of St. Luke's Hospital. Mr. Conn is a Mason and has attained high rank in the order, being now a member of the consistory. The steps in his orderly pro- gression are easily discernible. He has made advancement through the wise utilization of the opportunities that have come to him and the simple weight of his character and ability has carried him into important commercial and professional relations.
WASHINGTON BENJAMIN CARPENTER
Washington Benjamin Carpenter was for many years identified with farming interests and although now living retired, making his home in Marion, is still the owner of a valuable and productive farm of four hundred and eighty-five aeres, situated about five miles north of the city in which he lives. He was born in Delaware county, New York, and is a son of David P. and Rachel (Brownell) Carpenter. The father always resided in his native state. He was a soldier of the war of 1812, serving with the rank of captain, while two of his brothers, George and Thomas Carpenter, were soldiers in the Revolutionary war.
Washington B. Carpenter is one of a family of thirteen children but only he and his brother Caleb, a resident of Pennsylvania, now survive. He attended the common schools and worked on the home farm with his father in his youthful days but thinking that his opportunities were limited by the confines of the farm, he afterward went to New York city, where he remained for eleven years, which brought him up to the time that he was thirty-five years of age. He then left the east and, making his way to Iowa, settled at Mount Vernon, where he purchased two hundred and seventy-five aeres and began the development of a new farm. Later he located on the place which he now owns in the vieinity of Marion, in 1870. Year after year he carefully tilled the fields, bringing the place under a high state of cultivation and beeame, through judieions investment, the owner of four hun- dred and eighty-five aeres of valuable land, which he continued to eultivate with gratifying sueeess until about fifteen years ago, when he turned the active work of the farm over to others and took up his abode in Marion. He has the proud record of raising the finest steer ever prodneed in the state. it weighing thirty-six hundred pounds in Chicago when four years old.
Mr. Carpenter was married on the 21st of March, 1852, to Miss Frances Mason, and unto them were born three children. Alfred M., the eldest, is a farmer of this county, who married Aliee Simpson, and unto them were born eight children : Blanch, the wife of Robert Larry ; Florence, the wife of Lon Mattis, by whom she has one ehild, Louie; Franees, the wife of Andrew Falcon, and the mother of two children, Gladys and Norman ; Emily, the wife of Alfred Busenbark; one child, a boy, who died in infaney ; Pearl, the wife of Marion Owen, by whom she has a daughter, Aliee; Cora, the wife of Sumner Jordan and the mother of a daughter, Isabel ; and Donald. After the death of his first wife, Alfred M. Carpenter wedded Marjorie Goodlove, and their children are Dorothy and Charlotte. Claud C. Carpenter, the second son of W. B. Carpenter, married Miss Elizabeth Beall, and their children are : W. B., at home ; Belle, the wife of Joseph Napier ; Clinton C., attending college in Ames, Iowa; and Ralph, at home. For his second wife Claud C. Carpenter ehose Stella Stinson and they have four children, Franees,
W. B. CARPENTER
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Mary, Howard and Irene. Cora, the third ehild of W. B. Carpenter, is the wife of Charles Herr. They had a daughter, Louise, now deceased. After losing his first wife Mr. Carpenter of this review wedded Elizabeth Cooper, a native of County Down, Ireland.
In his fraternal relations Mr. Carpenter is a Mason and has attained the Knight Templar degree. IIe has always been interested in the welfare of the community and has aided in promoting its moral progress as a member of the Methodist church. He was one of the organizers of the Farmers & Merchants State Bank at Marion and is still one of its directors. He belongs to the Old Set- tlers Association and takes an active interest in its meetings and in recalling the early days when this was a pioneer distriet in which the work of improvement and development had scarcely begun. Through his business life he took an active part in promoting the agricultural progress of the county and he has been an interested witness of its growth along many lines since coming to the county more than four decades ago.
JACOB SHADLE
For more than a half century Jacob Shadle has made his home in Linn county, so that he well deserves mention among the pioneer citizens in a history of this character. He was born in Center county, Pennsylvania, October 18, 1831, the youngest and the only surviving member in a family of fourteen children born unto Jonathan and Mary Shadle, who were likewise natives of the Keystone state, where they lived and died.
Jacob Shadle was thrown upon his own resources at the early age of seven years and from that time on he has depended upon his own labor for a liveli- hood. He managed, however, to acquire a common-school education and in early life learned the blacksmith's trade, which he has followed during the greater part of his life. At the age of twenty-four years he sought a home in the middle west, journeying as far as Illinois in 1855, and spending two years in the Prairie state. In 1857 he made a permanent location in Linn county, Iowa, and purchased his present farm of one hundred and five aeres, situated on section 12, Marion township. He made all of the improvements on the place and for many years was actively identified with its cultivation, while he also followed the blacksmith's trade. Ile still makes his home on his farm and al- though he has reached the advanced age of seventy-nine years, he still gives supervision to his farm work.
It was after locating in Linn county, that Mr. Shadle was married, in 1860, to Miss Mary G. Patterson, who was born in Ohio in 1841, a daughter of Joseph and Grace (Beck) Patterson, who were likewise natives of the Buckeye state. where they lived until called to their final rest. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Shadle have been born three daughters, namely: Sarah E., the wife of L. F. Emmons, of Linn county ; Rachel E., the wife of O. H. Winchel, their home being in the state of Washington ; and Nettie, the wife of L. F. Marshall, a resident of Spring- ville, Linn county.
Sinee age conferred upon him the right of franchise Mr. Shadle has voted for the candidates of the republican party but he has never been aetive as an office seeker. Ile was reared in the faith of the Methodist church, while Mrs. Shadle was reared in the faith of the Friends Society. Mr. Shadle is well known as a pioneer of the county and is a most industrious and useful man, whose probity is an unquestioned element in his career. In daily life he is genial and affable, intelligence and goodness are his decisions of merit and neither love nor
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power can make him oblivious to principles of right and duty. He stands today crowned with honors and years, respected by young and old, and now in the evening of his days he ean look back over a life well spent, feeling that he has not lived in vain.
WILLIAM A. BLACK
William A. Black, whose demise occurred on the 11th of February, 1904, came to this state after the close of the Civil war and continued to reside in Linn county until called to his final rest. He worked at both carpentering and farming and became the owner of three valuable and well improved farms, from which he derived a gratifying annual income. His birth occurred in Hunting- don county, Pennsylvania, his parents being John and Susan (Hoffman) Black. The father, who was an agriculturist by occupation, died of typhoid fever in com- paratively early manhood. Mr. Black of this review followed farming and carpentering until the outbreak of hostilities between the north and south, when he enlisted in defense of the Union as a private of Company E. Twenty-first Pennsylvania Cavalry, with which he served for about three years. His colonel was a member of Grant's staff and a very prominent officer of the Civil war. After the supremacy of the Union had been established Mr. Black came to Iowa and throughout the remainder of his life here devoted his attention to general agricultural pursuits, also working at his trade to some extent. Alert, enterprising and energetic, he won a gratifying measure of prosperity in his undertakings and eventually became the owner of three productive farms. " Up- right and honorable in all of his dealings, he gained the respect and esteem of those with whom business or social relations brought him in contact and was widely recognized as a substantial and representative citizen of his community.
As a companion and helpmate on the journey of life Mr. Black chose Miss Margaret Brown, a daughter of Jesse and Clarissa (Catt) Brown. Her father, a farmer by occupation, came to this state from South Carolina, locating first in Benton county, where he owned two hundred and forty acres of land and became a prominent citizen. Mr. and Mrs. Black were the parents of four chil- dren, as follows: Clara, who gave her hand in marriage to Charles Richardson, of Glenburn, North Dakota; Jesse Samuel Ayres, who is married and has four- teen children; Harry A., residing in San Antonio, Texas; and Maud, who is de- ceased, as is also her husband. Elmer Jamison. Mr. and Mrs. Jamison had a daughter, Verona, who became the wife of Calvin Littlepage, by whom she has one child, Duane.
Fraternally Mr. Black was identified with the Masons, while his religious faith was indicated by his membership in the Methodist Episcopal church. His widow now makes her home in Kenwood Park and has an extensive circle of friends throughout the community, her many excellent traits of heart and mind having endeared her to all who knew her.
R. D. TAYLOR
One of the energetic and progressive business men of Cedar Rapids is R. D. Taylor, who is now so efficiently serving as secretary of the Fraternal Bankers' Reserve Society. He is a native of Mantorville, Minnesota, his natal day being September 9, 1868. His father, Robert Taylor. is an attorney of Kasson, Min- nesota, who in early manhood married Miss Pamelia Lord, a native of Pennsyl- vania, who became the mother of our subject.
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The preliminary education of R. D. Taylor was acquired in the public schools and later he entered Carleton College at Northfield, Minnesota, from which he was graduated in 1893. Previous to taking up his college work, however, he had engaged in teaching school for a time and after his graduation resumed that profession, following it for seven years thereafter. In 1900 he began prepara- tion for the legal profession by entering the law school of the University of Minnesota at Minneapolis and on the completion of the course was admitted to the bar. For five years he engaged in practice in Minnesota and at the end of that period came to Cedar Rapids to accept his present position as secretary of the Fraternal Bankers' Reserve Society. This society was organized in 1901 by some of the leading citizens of Cedar Rapids, it being a fraternal benefit association operating on the lodge system, and now has a membership of seven thousand, the local lodge in Cedar Rapids having six hundred members. It is largely through his untiring efforts that the society has attained to its present prosperous condition, for he is a man of keen insight, progressive and energetic, who usually carries to successful completion whatever he undertakes. Religious- ly he is an earnest member of the First Presbyterian church.
Mr. Taylor was married on the 26th of June, 1895, to Miss Alfaretta Jenkins, a daughter of Rev. W. M. Jenkins, a Congregational minister of Cannon Falls, Minnesota. They now have three children, namely: Robert Harmon, in his fourteenth year; Lawrence L., ten years of age; and Eleanor, three years old. During their residence in Cedar Rapids the family has become widely and favor- ably known.
JOSEPH R. KERNS
Joseph R. Kerns, identified with farming interests in Marion township, his farm comprising a good tract of land of one hundred and twenty acres, was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, on the 12th of November, 1848. His father, Josiah Kerns, was also a native of the Keystone state, but the mother, Mrs. Jane (Brown) Kerns, was born in Scotland. For a few years after their marriage they continued residents of Pennsylvania and in 1849 removed to Indiana where the death of Mrs. Kerns occurred in 1854. The following year the father came with his family to Iowa and settled in Linn county where he purchased land and spent the remainder of his life but died while on a visit to Arkansas in 1888. He was long remembered as among the euergetic and rep- resentative farmers of this part of the state. The family numbered eight chil- dren, but only two are now living, the younger being James Kerns, a resident of Fargo, North Dakota.
J. R. Kerns whose name introduces this review was a lad of only seven years when the family home was established in Linn county. He resided on his father's farm until he had attained his majority, during which period he acquired a good common school education. He afterward worked as a farm hand until twenty-six years of age and then was married and began farming on his own account. For six years he rented land, during which time he care- fully saved his earnings until his capital was sufficient to enable him to purchase the farm of one hundred and twenty acres upon which he now resides. He at once began its further development and improvement and soon was gathering rich crops as a reward for his care and industry. Later he bought a piece of timber land which he has also cleared and developed. Ile is engaged quite ex- tensively in raising and feeding stock and has met with substantial success in that branch of his business. He is practical in all that he does and earnest, un- tiring effort is the basis of his prosperity.
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On January 13, 1875, Mr. Kerns was united in marriage to Miss Mercy Lacock, who was born in this county in 1855 and is a daughter of Joab and Elizabeth (Bassett) Laeock, both of whom were natives of Indiana, whence they eame to Iowa in 1854, continuing their residence here up to the time when they were ealled to their final home. They were the parents of four children. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Kerns have been born a daughter and a son : Minnie M., a graduate of the Marion high school, after which she engaged in teaching for two years, is now the wife of Claude C. Scott and has two children,- Clifford H. and Helen L. Clifford, the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Kerns, was born February 8, 1881, and died October 16, 1900, his remains being laid to rest in Oak Shade cemetery. His death was an irreparable blow to his parents and a matter of deepest regret to many friends.
Mr. and Mrs. Kerns hold membership in the Presbyterian church and are loyal to its teachings and its principles. He exercises his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the republican party and is at present serving as township trustee and for eight years held the office of trustce. He belongs to the Odd Fellows lodge at Marion and his life has been well spent, his many sterling traits of character gaining for him a high regard, while his unfaltering diligence is the basis of the substantial success which he is now enjoying.
MORDECAI EDWARDS BUNTING
Mordecai Edwards Bunting, filling the position of city weighmaster at Marion and proving his loyalty to public interests in his faithful performance of duty, resides at No. 436 South Eleventh street. He was born in Zanesville. Ohio, and is a son of John and Mary (Edwards) Bunting and the grandson of John and Hannah Bunting. The grandfather was a native of Virginia and with his family removed to the Buckeye state, where both he and his wife spent their remaining days. Their son, John Bunting, Jr., was born in Culpeper county, Virginia, and was a representative of one of the old and prominent fam- ilies there, the Buntings being identified with plantation interests in the south. In his boyhood days he left the Old Dominion and became a resident of Mans- field, Ohio, while later he made his home in Zanesville, where he was married. Thinking to find still better business opportunities in a region further west, where advantages were easier obtained because competition was not so strenuous, he came to Iowa in October, 1856, making his way to Marion. Soon afterward he purchased land five miles northwest of the county seat and the farm which lie there improved and developed became known as the old Bunting homestead. Under his management it was transformed into productive fields and many modern improvements and accessories were added. Ile died in Marion in August, 1880, and his wife died at the same place on the 20th of February, 1893.
Mordecai Edwards Bunting, who was the sixth in order of birth in a family of ten children, began his education in the district schools of Muskingum county, Ohio, but following the arrival of the family in Iowa he continued his studies in the public schools of Linn county for five years. He then taught school for some time and in 1862 was employed as teacher of the school which he had attended, some of his pupils being his old classmates. He taught for twelve consecutive winter terms in Marion township, receiving at first only twenty dollars per month, out of which salary he had to pay his board. During the vacation periods he was employed at farm work, being early instructed in the best methods of tilling the soil and caring for the crops. He continued to assist his father in farming for some time but was ambitious to establish a home of his own and in the fall of 1867
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purchased one hundred and sixty acres of unimproved land near Marion, on which not a furrow had been turned. Ile at once commeneed its development and today has one of the most valuable farms of Linn county.
It was on the 30th of November, 1865, that Mr. Bunting wedded Miss Luey A. Ives, a daughter of Norman and Hannah (Gray) Ives, who were early settlers in this part of the state. He took his wife to the farm and there they reared their family of five children, namely : Effie M., who is now the wife of Dr. F. E. Miller, of Cedar Rapids and has one child, Isabella ; Hallie I., a retired farmer now con- neeted with the Iowa Motor Company of Cedar Rapids, and who married Lydia Eidamiller ; B. Laura, who is prominent in the musical circles of Sioux City, being a fine vocalist and pianist; William E., who is employed by the Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad Company and is located at Miles City, Montana; and Norman E., an expert draftsman at Chicago with the International Harvester Company. IIe wedded Mary June and their children are Norma and Iloward Jennings.
As the years passed by Mr. Bunting continued to cultivate his fields and har- vest his crops and met with fair success in his undertakings, but at length retired from the farm and established his home in Marion, where in April, 1909, he was appointed eity weighmaster, which position he is still filling. His fraternal rela- tions are with the Knights of Pythias and politically he is a democrat. He has served as a member of the board of supervisors and in various township offices, the dnties of which he discharged with promptness and fidelity. He is a very prom- inent and helpful member of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he is serving as a class leader, and his life work in every relation has been in harmony with his profession as a member of the church.
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