USA > Iowa > Linn County > History of Linn County Iowa : from its earliest settlement to the present time, Volume II > Part 92
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Henry P. Gillilan passed the days of his boyhood and youth upon his father's farm, early becoming familiar with agricultural pursuits and experiencing the hardships and privations of pioneer life. His education was acquired in the public schools of the neighborhood. Feeling that his country needed his services, at the age of nineteen he enlisted in Company L, Seventh Iowa Cavalry, and served for two years, participating in several engagements but never being wounded. He was then honorably discharged and mustered out at Sioux City, Iowa.
Returning home, Mr. Gillilan remained under the parental roof until his mar- riage, which was celebrated October 17, 1866, Miss Hattie Hodgin, a native of Ohio, becoming his wife. Her parents were William C. and Margaret Hodgin. Five children blessed this union, namely: Auric E., the wife of E. J. Wilson, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa ; Archic W., a resident of Sleepy Eye, Minnesota ; Samuel D., of Stone City, Iowa; William II., of Cedar Rapids; and Nellie, at home. The mother of these children died on the 25th of November, 1902, and was laid to rest in the Wilcox cemetery. Mr. Gillilan was again married December 5, 1903, his second union being with Mrs. Ruth (Parsons) Bowdish, who was born in Jones county, Iowa, on the 10th of February, 1852, a daughter of Silas and Susan (Haz- elwigg) Parsons. Her parents were natives of Kentucky and both are now de- ceased.
On starting out in life for himself Mr. Gillilan engaged in agricultural pur- suits on rented land for a few years and then filled the office of deputy sheriff of Linn county for three years. As a republican he has taken a very active and prominent part in public affairs and is now serving his sixteenth year as township assessor. He served as deputy in the county clerk's office for thirteen months and
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was guard at the penitentiary for eight years. However, the greater part of his life has been devoted to agricultural pursuits and he is still the owner of forty-two acres of land in Brown township besides his pleasant residenee in Viola, where he now makes his home. He is an honored member of the Grand Army post at Springville and his wife holds membership in the Presbyterian ehureh. He is a worthy representative of a well known pioneer family of this county and is now enjoying a rest to which he is justly entitled, for his life has been an upright and honorable one.
WILLIAM PEARSON
The deserved reward of a well spent life is an honorable retirement from busi- ness in which to enjoy the fruits of former toil, and now after many years devoted to agricultural pursuits William Pearson has laid aside all business cares and is living retired in Springville. He was born on the 15th of June, 1832, in Belmont county, Ohio, of which state his parents, Jesse and Cynthia (Sinclair) Pearson, were also natives. It was in 1853 that the family came to Iowa and took up their abode in Brown township, Linn county, where the father purchased a tract of land upon which was a log house. As time passed he placed the fields under cultivation and continued the operation of his land until his death, which occurred in July, 1878. He had survived his wife for about four years, as she passed away in June, 1874. Their family consisted of seven children, but our subject is now the only one living. The parents were both members of the Friends church and were held in the highest esteem by all who knew them.
Until twenty-one years of age William Pearson remained at home, assisting in the arduous task of breaking land and cultivating the fields. On starting out in life for himself he entered forty acres of land on seetion 34, Brown township, and subsequently purchased eighty acres more, to which he later added a ninety- acre tract. In his farming operations he met with excellent suceess, having become thoroughly familiar with every department of farm work during his boy- hood and youth. He is also a man of good business and executive ability and whatever he undertook he carried forward to successful completion. In 1894 he laid aside business eares and removed to Springville. where he owns a nice resi- dence and is now enjoying the fruits of former toil. During his youth he learned the plasterer's trade, but the greater part of his active business life was devoted to farming. The common schools afforded him his early educational privileges and by reading and observation he has materially supplemented the knowledge aequired in the sehoolroom.
Mr. Pearson was married on the 4th of September, 1853, to Miss Margaret A. Penn, whose birth occurred in Maryland, December 22, 1829, her parents being Reason and Aleatha (Redman) Penn, also natives of Maryland. It was in 1854 that the Penn family came to Linn county, Iowa, and located in Brown township, which was their home for many years. Mrs. Pearson's father died on the 18th of July, 1878, and her mother passed away December 2, 1877. They had a family of eight children. Mr. Pearson has been called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who passed away April 15, 1909, leaving a family of three children, namely : John R., now a farmer of Jones county, Iowa, married Cynthia E. Thomas and their children are Mary, Cora, Geneva, Cleo and Leo. Lafayette H., a resident of Marion, married Clara M. Petty, a daughter of John and Lydia Petty of Linn county, but she died in 1907, leaving three children, Clarence E., Olive and Irene M. In 1908 he was again married his second wife being Nannie Allison. Cynthia A. is the wife of Thomas A. Yocom of Marshalltown, Iowa, and they have a son William Watson Yoeom, a traveling salesman. Mrs. Pearson was an earnest and
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faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal church, in the work of which she always took a very active and prominent part and her death was deeply mourned not only by her immediate family but by a large cirele of friends as well. Her remains were interred in the Springville cemetery.
Mr. Pearson is also a Methodist in religious belief and is one of the leading members of the church at Springville, in which he has served as superintendent of the Sunday school for twenty-five years. IIe has also served as elass leader and trustee and has been steward of the church for half a century. His upright, hon- orable life has commended him to the confidenee of all with whom he has been brought in contaet either in business or social relations and no man in the com- munity is held in higher esteem. His sueeess is attributable entirely to his own unaided efforts, for he started out in life empty-handed and made his own way through persistent, untiring effort and good business ability.
HARRY H. STINGER
There is much in the appearance of the farm of one hundred and sixty acres belonging to Harry HI. Stinger that indicates the careful and progressive methods of the owner. Ile is one of the farmers of the younger generation who is recog- nizing and utilizing his opportunities as they are presented and is through this means gradually working his way to the front. He is a worthy representative of one of the pioneer families of this county, where his paternal grandfather settled at an early day, becoming owner of two thousand seven hundred aeres of land in Linn township, some of which he purchased from the Indians at fifty cents per acre.
Our subject is a native of Linn township and the youngest of the five children born unto Phillip M. and Eliza (Leigh) Stinger, who spent the greater part of their lives in Linn county. The father followed farming throughout his aetive business career and at his death, which occurred November 21, 1906, he left to his family not only a valuable farm property but the priceless heritage of an untarnished name. The mother is still living on the old homestead farm in Linn township. The family record is as follows: George E .; Theodore E., who is mentioned elsewhere in this work; Carrie, who died in infancy; Aliee, who died February 22. 1896; and Ilarry H., of this review. The record of the family is given fully in connection with the sketch of Theodore E. Stinger. elsewhere in this volume.
The family home, as above stated. was situated in Linn township and it was there llarry Il. Stinger remained with his father until he reached mature years, having in the meantime pursued his studies in the district schools. When starting ont to make his own way in the world he chose the ocenpation to which he had been reared and as time has passed he has aeeumulated a good property, compris- ing one hundred and sixty aeres of land, on which stands a good country home and substantial barn and outbuildings for the shelter of grain and stock. IIe has placed his land under a high state of cultivation, manifesting system and method in his labors. In addition to carrying on general farming he likewise raises good grades of stock and this has added not a little to his financial resources each year.
After he had attained years of maturity, Mr. Stinger was married to Miss Mary Nosley, who was born April 7, 1874, a daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Porter) Nosley. Her father, who was born in Germany, December 20, 1830. served in the Civil war as a member of the Thirty-fifth Iowa Infantry under General Sherman. He did valiant service while at the front, taking part in a number of hard fought battles. He died in the faith of the Lutheran church,
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March 15, 1895, at the age of sixty-five years. The mother is still living and resides in Linn township about five miles from her daughter, Mrs. Stinger. She is now seventy-five years of age, for her birth occurred Angust 11, 1835, the state of her nativity being Ohio. By her marriage she has become the mother of three children, her only daughter being Mrs. Stinger, the second in order of birth. The sons are Ervin J. and Oliver J., both residents of Linn county.
The home of Mr. and Mrs. Stinger has been blessed with four children: Glenn S., who is a high-school student at Mount Vernon; Nellie F., at home; Valma P .; and Helen L. Mr. Stinger is a republican but is not active in public affairs, preferring to lead the quiet and uninterrupted life of the agriculturist. His fraternal relations connect him with Mount Vernon Lodge, No. 551, I. O. O. F., while both he and his wife attend the Methodist Episcopal church. They are people of highest worth and respectability, and their pleasant home finds favor with their numerous friends.
JOHN P. GLASS
Mr. Glass was a typical American of seventy years ago - a man of rare native ability - born to cope with the problems of a new country. His life was emi- nently successful and one of honor and probity. He may be numbered among the early immigrants to this country, who, with fearless spirit and unyielding energy, successfully encountered the toils of the then western territory. He was a native of Penn- sylvania, having been born on the banks of the Allegheny river. on Pike street in the city of Pittsburg, May 17, 1817.
His father, Alex Glass, a merchant and stock dealer, was of good old Seotch ancestry. His birth occurred in Donegal, Ire- land, where he was reared and married, his wife bearing the DODSE . eVAT RMS maiden name of Isabel Devitt and being a descendant of Lord Devitt. Her brother, John Devitt, was mayor of Pittsburg in 1828. Among the family relies are letters written in Ireland during the famine, pleading for assistance from Alex Glass and his brother-in-law. A strange feature of these letters is that they are attested to by the rector of the parish. The bridal trip of Alex Glass and Isabel Devitt was a journey across the Atlantic, and after landing upon American shores they settled in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Alex Glass there engaged in business and remained there until his death, which occurred in 1857. He was a man of great strength of character and held the different offices within the gift of his community. He had strong and decided opinions and never hesitated to give an honest voice to them. Politically he was a Jackson- ian democrat and religiously a consistent member of the Episcopal church. He was a vestryman in the first Episcopal church built in Pittsburg. His wife was a woman of brave spirit and stood by her husband's side in all his undertakings. and after living together until a ripe old age was reached they gave up their lives with a consciousness that they had done their duty as good citizens, neighbors, parents and friends. The mother lived to the advanced age of more than one hundred years and died in 1882. They were the parents of ten children, five sons and five daughters. John P. being the fourth child. He was the only one who sought a home on this side of the Mississippi. One of the daughters became the wife of the great iron king of Virginia, S. H. Woodward. His sons are now rated as being the wealthiest men in Alabama -bankers and owners of the Birmingham smelters.
The early days of John P. Glass were passed on his father's homestead, where he lived until he became an apprentice to the carpenter's and joiner's trade. He
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was always of an enterprising disposition, ambitious and industrious, and after completing his apprenticeship at the early age of seventeen years, he started out to see the country. He first proceeded to New York city by the Lakes, then turned his steps westward, visited Missouri, retraced his steps to Illinois and after a period of eight months sought the old homestead. After tarrying there for a time he again became a rover, setting out for the Lone Star state. The boat on which he was making the trip down the Ohio sank at Henderson and he went no farther.
At Beverly, Washington county, Ohio, he became interested in one of Ohio's beautiful and cultured daughters, Miss Eliza A. Dodge, and they were there mar- ried on the 11th of July, 1843. Mrs. Glass was born in Washington county, Ohio, on the 5th of July, 1817. her parents being Captain John and Mary Buckley (Stone) Dodge, natives of Massachusetts. Mrs. Glass was a descendant of Lord Peter Dodge, of Cheshire, England, who received a coat of arms from King Edward I in 1306; and John Dodge of Rotham (county of Kent), a lineal des- eendant of Peter Dodge, was granted a coat of arms by King Henry VIII in 1546. The old Dodge manor at Rotham remains to this day in a state of perfeet preservation, with the arms chiseled in stone over the door. William Dodge was the first of the family to come to America, landing at Salem, Massachusetts, on the 10th of July, 1629. The father of Captain Dodge also bore the title of cap. tain, obtaining it on account of being commander and owner of a number of whaling vessels plying the Massachusetts eoast. The former gained his title on account of being a military man, serving at the time of the early settlement of Ohio to assist in protecting the whites from the Indians. The elder Dodge came to Ohio from Massachusetts on foot in 1795, built the first gristmill that was set running in the Buckeye state and a rude cabin for his family. Ile returned on foot and brought back his family in one of the first chaises taken into the terri- tory of Ohio, General Putnam's chaise being the first. John Dodge, Jr., was then a lad of nine years. The Glass family have in their possession a piece of the stone of this mill, which ground the first flour in the state. They also have a pick that was used in dressing the stone, the handle of which is made from timber used in the construction of the dam whose waters turned the mill wheel. As may be supposed, these relies are highly prized.
In early life Mrs. Glass had the advantages of a thorough education, being a graduate of Granville Female Seminary of Ohio. This was supplemented with careful reading and reflection, until she became a woman of more broad and liberal enlture than is often found among pioneer women. She was for years identified with and an exponent of the movement to seeure women's suffrage, believing that the same rights and privileges accorded to man should be accorded to her own sex. She was a frequent contributor to various publications, in which she advo- cated these measures. She was of true Puritan stock. IIer ancestors, William and Dorothy Bradford, came over in the Mayflower and performed no inconsider- able part in laying the foundation of our religious and civil liberty. She took a keen interest in anything pertaining to the early history of Washington county, Ohio, where the name of Dodge is still revered and held as a household word. She was a repository of the legends and sayings of private history that pertain to that historieal region. She belonged to that elass of women, now alas too few, whose strength of character, force of mind and gentleness of heart make us proud of American womanhood. She died February 21, 1890, mourned by a large family of grown up sons and daughters and a wide eirele of admiring friends, both young and old. She was a consistent member of the Presbyterian church.
Soon after Mr. Glass' marriage to Miss Dodge they set out for Iowa, making their first halt in the little hamlet which is now Iowa City. In 1845 they pur- chased the farm where they lived and died. It originally consisted of nine hun- dred acres. In the fall of 1849 Mr. Glass learned that a man had started to Iowa
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City to enter this land. Being determined to reach the land office first, he at once set out for Iowa City on foot, hiring David King to ferry him across the river in a canoe. There he found John Weare, who accompanied him the balance of the joruney. King was induced to haul the canoe to Prairie Creek in order to ferry them across at that point. He reached the land office just as it was opened the next morning, presented his land warrants and to his great astonishment found they had not been properly transferred. So he at once took the back track for home, arriving at Prairie Creek just before night. The stream was very high and ice was rapidly forming. He swam to shore with his clothing tied to the top of his head. After being again ferried across the Cedar in almost a perishing condition he thawed out at the saloon kept by Harvey Higley on First street. The next day he traded warrants with Sidney Dodge and sent him by the way of Ivanhoe to have them entered. Mr. Glass watched the growth and development of the city of Cedar Rapids from a small hamlet of three little houses to its pres- ent population of over thirty thousand. He first entered into partnership with Sidney Dodge in the manufacture of fanning mills. Among the familiar names of men who were employed to construct the mills were Sam Johnson, Godfrey Quass, John Frazee, Aaron Frazee and John Ogan; and the peddlers of the machines were Horatio P. Smith, J. J. Nugent, Joe Butler, Harvey Higley, Wil- liam Burge and John Johnson. Mr. Glass bought the first lumber cut at Cedar Falls - one hundred thousand feet of black walnut at nine dollars per thousand -- and rafted it down the river, landing at a point near where the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific shops now stand. When the wind was favorable the trip was made in fourteen hours. The first trial case Judge Cook had was when some of this lumber was confiscated and he was employed to defend the case. Mr. Glass told some amusing incidents of his trips up and down the Cedar. On one occas- ion when he was driving up, he overtook a fellow traveler whose wagon, which was loaded with a stock of goods for a mercantile store, had broken down. Mr. Glass was commissioned to cart the goods the balance of the journey and was furnished with an inventory of the same. That night he found lodging with John Royal, the sheriff of the county. Before starting on his journey in the morning, he checked up his inventory and found a pair of boots missing. The lady of the house commenced turning over beds, chairs and tables in search of the missing boots. At this juneture the youngster of the household exclaimed : "Mam, you know Dad wore them boots after the cows." So he moved on, as the sheriff of the county had appropriated the boots to his own use. Another time when coming down the river they landed at what is now Vinton. That evening he attended election down on Spring creek. Jobn Royal, "Doc" Buffin and Jehn King were the judges. Mr. Glass had made it a rule of his life never to lose his vote. He therefore insisted upon it that he had a right to vote and did so. On the last trip he took with him five barrels of flour. He was indeed a welcome vis- itor, as the natives at Cedar Falls had been living on little else but turnips for three weeks. His raft of lumber he left frozen up in the river and that was the last that he saw of that ten thousand feet of black walnut. The old Glass farm- house, which was quite a mansion in its day, is built out of the black walnut Mr. Glass rafted down the river. The following notice made its appearance at one time: "On the 25th or 26th of October, 1859, a $1000.00 Chickering piano was stolen from the residence of Jno. P. Glass. Reward of $15.00 will be paid for the recovery of the instrument and information that will lead to the conviction of the thieves." (signed) "L. H. Mason, sheriff of Linn Co., Iowa."
John P. Glass possessed an extraordinarily busy mind, his brain always de- vising new projects by which to advance his own interests, which he intended should also become identified with the welfare of the community around him. He accordingly investigated the northern part of Iowa, in the belief that the manu- facture of woolen goods would be a wise investment for some of the ready capital
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he commanded. He accordingly selected a site and began the construction of a woolen mill, which he operated for about thirty years. The first spinner was Johnson Lord. Customers eame to the mill from as far west as Boone, as far south as Muscatine, as far east as Dubuque, and as far north as there were any white inhabitants. It was a great mystery to some of these old pioneers that in the absence of the proprietor, his wife (who was a college graduate) could write them a receipt. Its validity was often questioned, however, because it came from the pen of a woman. In later years many of these untutored subjects received a great blessing at her hands. She turned her primitive parlor into a schoolroom and old and young were admitted free of charge. The only compensation she received was a "rolling pin" and a silver dollar. Many a man who had passed the middle of life and could only sign his name with a "eross" she taught to read and at least legibly write his name. During the long years of the Civil war she conducted a regular burean of correspondence for those who could not read or write.
In 1849 Mr. Glass purchased the town of Lafayette in Monroe township, which consisted of a postoffice and sawmill. He afterward sold the mill and the city with it to a Mr. Tripp. In 1855 he erected the first steam gristmill which was put up in the county. The mill stood a few rods from the site of his homestead and he operated it for about thirty years. In connection with these mills he built an immense sawmill in 1857, all of which were leveled to the ground by a eyelone in 1885. He spent the last years of his life in diversified farming and stock- raising. He was formerly a whig, but when the old party was abandoned and the new republican party was organized he became a stanch republican. He was no friend to pretentious merit, however numerous might be its proselytes. In early days the community in which Mr. Glass resided was strongly democratic - in fact of a rebel nature. When President Lincoln was assassinated the em- blem of mourning was placed on the old mill door. The rebel host rode up on horsebaek and attempted to tear down the flag; but, quiek as thought, the old mill whistle shrieked out, the frantic steeds dashed forth in a wild stampede and the black flag still waved. Mr. Glass was thoroughly acquainted with the laws of his country and never failed to abide by them. One of his favorite daughters once remarked that the greatest ineentive she had to acquaint herself with the political issnes was the pleasure it gave her father. He was ever identified with the edu- eational interests of the community and for thirty years was president of the school board in his district. Mr. Glass came from a long-lived class of people. his mother attaining the age of one hundred and one years, his grandfather that of one hundred and seven and his great-grandfather that of one hundred and ten.
John P. and Eliza A. Glass were the parents of the following ehildren. The eldest daughter, Annie Eliza, resided at home until her death on the 14th of August, 1896. Mary Isabelle, relict of John Murphy, has resided at the Glass homestead for the past twenty years. Selina Stone, the wife of Arthur A. Seagrave, a capitalist of Seattle, Washington, died in Portland. Oregon, in 1885. Harriet Melissa is the wife of Archibald Woodford and they are residents of Council Bluffs, Iowa. where Mr. Woodford is engaged in the printing business. Jasper Dodge, who wedded Miss Naney Lane, has been en- gaged in farming and contracting for many years and still lives on the old home place. Sarah Alice is the wife of Frank Fuller, a farmer of Nebraska. Israel Osceola always lived at home and died in the house where he was born. his demise occurring on the 5th of September. 1909. Hle was married to Elizabeth Minor on the 12th of March, 1906. Ile was a well known railroad contractor, having built hundreds of miles of road in this and other states. He had laid ont almost every addition to the city of Cedar Rapids and built the beautiful boulevard connecting Marion and Cedar Rapids. Below is a tribute paid to him by one of his sisters. Vesta Dodge is the wife of George Hartzell, a hotel man in San
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