USA > Iowa > Linn County > History of Linn County Iowa : from its earliest settlement to the present time, Volume II > Part 99
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On the 7th of November, 1907, Mr. Linville was married to Miss Nellie Keevil, of Nashville, Tennessee, a daughter of Edward and Martha Keevil, also natives of Tennessee. They reside at No. 1609 Grand avenue in Cedar Rapids, where Mr. Linville owns a fine home, and in addition to this property he has other real- estate holdings in the city. Both he and his wife attend the Christian church and he is a member of the Cedar Rapids Country Club. He has attractive social «malities which render him popular in the various fraternal and social organiza- tions with which he is allied and in his profession he is displaying an ability that is fast winning for him a place in the foremost ranks of the representatives of the Linn county bar.
LEROY WALLACE
Leroy Wallace, deceased, was one of the early contractors of Cedar Rapids. becoming identified with building operations in this city in 1858. He was then a young man of twenty-eight years and through the ensuing decades he made progress as time passed on and did a good business in his chosen field of labor. He was born in Vermont in 1830, a son of Anstin and Amanda Wallace, who removed to Columbus, Ohio, when he was two years of age. His youthful days were spent in his parents' home and his educational privileges were those afforded by the schools of that eity. His natural trend was along mechanical lines and because of this he turned his attention to earpentering, becoming a good workinan. Believing that he would have better opportunities in the new and growing west, he made his way to Cedar Rapids in 1858 and here took up earpentering and contracting. The efficiency of his workmanship and his reliability in business affairs constituted the basis of his suecess, winning him a liberal patronage so that he was accorded a goodly share of the building that was carried on here. He promptly and faithfully executed his contracts. living up to the spirit as well
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as the letter thereof, and throughout the community bore a reputation for relia- bility that was most enviable.
On the 1st of December, 1852, when a young man of twenty-two years, Leroy Wallace was united in marriage to Miss Mary Bertha Barnes, a daughter of Rob- ert and Mary (Tueker) Barnes. Her father devoted his life to merchandising and died in Columbus, Ohio, where the family were living at the time of the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Wallace. Their union was blessed with a family of nine children. Robert A. married Kate Hughes and has two sons, Leroy Austin and John IIughes. Virginia is the wife of Frank Listenwalter, by whom she has one daughter, Bessie. Gertrude is still at home. Florence, who is the wife of Colon B. Leibkieher, is the mother of six children, Marie, Florence, Leroy, Wal- lace, Virginia and John. William married Aliee MeCormick and has four chil- dren, Winifred, Mary and Mildren, twins, and Alice. Mary Bertha is living at home, and Eurydice is a teacher in the public schools. Leroy and Lincoln are both deceased.
Mr. Wallace hield membership in the Baptist church and was a firm believer in its teachings. He guided his life according to its principles and always en- deavored to follow the golden rule, doing unto others as he would have them do unto him. ITis private life and his business record were therefore alike blameless. He took an active part in the development and improvement of the city through- out his activity in business affairs, continuing actively in contracting lines until his death, which occurred on the 20th of December, 1898.
FRANCIS A. HEALD
Franeis A. Heald, for five years a member of the Cedar Rapids bar, was born in McGregor, Iowa, July 3, 1876. His parents, Samuel W. and Julia E. (Ship- ley) Heald, were both natives of Baltimore, Maryland. On coming to this state in the fall of 1862 the father located at Iowa City and in 1865 entered the Methodist ministry. He began preaching at Blairstown, Iowa, and devoted his life to the work of the church until his death, which occurred in Osage, Iowa, in September. 1903. He had been an earnest and conscientious elergyman and the words of wisdom which he spoke bore fruit in the lives of others. For more than a decade he had survived his wife, who died in Fayette, Iowa, in 1892.
Because of the itinerant custom of the Methodist ministry, causing the removal of the family to various towns. Francis A. Heald acquired his education in the publie schools of different places to the age of sixteen years, when he entered the Upper Iowa University at Fayette. There he studied for a year and at the age of twenty he became a student in Cornell College at Mount Vernon, Iowa, from which he was gradnated with the class of 1900. In 1901 he accepted the position of secretary to Mr. IIunter, the warden of the Anamosa penitentiary, but his ambition was in the field of professional service and in 1902-3 he attended the College of Law at the State University of lowa, from which he was graduated with the class of 1903. The following year he accepted the position of private secretary to S. R. Dawson, superintendent of the Damaseus Steel Company. of New Brighton, Pennsylvania, and remained in that position until 1905, when he came to Cedar Rapids and entered upon the practice of law, becoming a partner in the firm of Gardener, Heald & Linville They continued together until 1906, when Mr. Gardener withdrew, after which the firm of Heald & Linville practiced until December, 1908, when they, too, dissolved partnership. They had main- tained a branch office at Center Point and for two years owned and condneted the Center Point Journal. Mr. Heald is now alone in practice. He is devoted to the interests of his elients, carefully prepares his cases, and presents his cause
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in a strong and logical manner. The court records show that he has won many favorable verdicts and the court and jury always listen to him with attention. Aside from his law practice he is connected with the business interests of the city as secretary of the Eureka Stone & Ore Crusher Company.
Mr. Heald belongs to the Knights of Pythias fraternity, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Modern Woodmen Camp, and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He has also taken the degrees of the Scottish Rite and of the Mystie Shrine in Masonry. In politics he is a republican and when made the candidate of his party for the office of county attorney in 1908, he was defeated by the small majority of forty-three votes. He began making campaign speeches in 1896 and has delivered many sueh addresses during presidential cam - paigns from that time to the present, the state eentral committee assigning him to such duty. During these campaigns he has spoken in twenty-three different counties in Iowa. In the campaign of 1910 he was chairman of the Linn county republican central committee and carefully systematized the party interests, putting forth an earnest effort to promote its success.
DAVID W. KING
While the history of Cedar Rapids is yet in the making, due credit must be accorded those who were the prominent factors in its early development and aided in shaping its history during its formative period. To this number belonged David W. King, a pioneer settler, who arrived in Linn county in the spring of 1839. As one travels over the state at the present time it is very difficult to imagine the conditions which existed in that early day. Much of the land in the state was still unelaimed and uneultivated, and the red men far outnumbered the white settlers. They roamed at will over the prairies hunting deer and having opportunity to capture much feathered game.
Mr. King had come to Iowa from Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, where his birth had oeeurred in 1808. After reaching adult age he was connected with mercantile pursuits there. In 1836, in his native state, he wedded Miss Mary Ann Singer, who was also born in Westmoreland eounty, January 6, 1817. Only a few railroad lines had then been constructed, travel being by way of stage, private eonveyanee or over the water ways. Mr. and Mrs. King made their way westward in a carriage with Michigan as their destination, and for three years they were residents of that state. Two children were born unto them during that period, and in the spring of 1839 Mr. King brought his little family to Iowa, making the journey aeross the prairies with an ox-team. Thomas Gainor and his family were also of the party. Mrs. King was the first white woman to cross the river at Cedar Rapids, Indian canoes being the only means of transportation at that time. The early abode of the family was a log cabin standing on the west bank of the river. The red men were seen in large numbers but on the whole manifested little hostility toward the white race as the latter extended eivili- zation over the hunting grounds of their predecessors. The government claimed the ownership of almost all the land in this district and Mr. King entered a tract on the west side of Cedar river when it was placed upon the market. Early in the '40s he built the first ferry operated at Cedar Rapids, obtaining his mater- ial from Dubuque and Museatine. The eable used was a wire which he brought by ox-team from the former city. At that time most farm products were rafted down the river to a point about opposite Muscatine and then conveyed by team to that city. As the years passed Mr. King invested more and more largely in real estate and in addition to his extensive property holdings in Cedar Rapids he also had about three seetions of land in other parts of Linn county. In the
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early '50s he laid out the town of Kingston upon his land and thereon has been built the west side of Cedar Rapids. Farming as well as real-estate operations claimed his attention but he was never too busy with individual interests to sup- port the plans and movements instituted for the benefit and upbuilding of the city.
Mr. King was also greatly interested in the moral progress of the community with which he had identified his interests. Both he and his wife were devoted members of the Methodist church and took an active part in its work. In his house he built a large hall twenty-four by sixty feet, for church purposes, and therein religious services were held until churches were built. It was also the place of meeting for the Independent Order of Good Templars, Mr. and Mrs. King assist- ing in organizing the lodge in Cedar Rapids. IIe was likewise an earnest and exemplary Mason and was the first person buried under the auspices of the Masonic lodge in Cedar Rapids. The west side of the city was growing rapidly when he was called from this life, and up to that time he had been the chief factor in its improvement and its enterprise. He was justice of the peace and took keen and helpful interest in every project promoted for the public good. His death resulted from exposure while fighting a prairie fire and he passed away in 1854 when but forty-six years of age. There are comparatively few here who remember Mr. King, as a great majority have crossed the river to that undis- covered country from whose bourne no traveler returns. Yet the generation of the present has profited by his labors and his life record forms an important chap- ter in the annals of Cedar Rapids. Mrs. King died in 1902. Her father, Samuel Singer, was a soldier of the Revolutionary war and remained in Pennsylvania until his death. The daughter was one of the first pioneer women of this section and lived to witness the remarkable development of Cedar Rapids. The efforts required to live amid the ungenerons surroundings of the early days, the neces- sity to make every good count and to exereise every inventive faculty, developed forces of mind and habit which have established distinguished names along the banks of the Cedar river. Mrs. King could relate many interesting incidents of the early times as well as the story of later day progress, and her name should be engraved deep in the tablets which commemorate the pioneer history of the eonnty.
JOSEPH DOCTOR
Carefully devised and executed plans, landable ambition and indefatigable energy have brought Joseph Doctor to a prominent position in business cireles in Cedar Rapids, where he has made his home sinee 1888. He is now conduet- ing a general insurance, securities and steamship agency and in this connection has built up a business of large and profitable proportions.
Born in Bohemia on the 6th of January. 1848, he is a son of Isaae and Eve (Turnovsky) Doctor, who were also natives of Bohemia. Their son Joseph pur- sued his edneation in the schools of his native land, receiving thorough instruc- tion in German. French, Italian and also in a business college, after which he held a good position in the city of his nativity, not far from Prague. He was a young man of twenty-four years when, in 1872, he came to the United States. landing at New York, where he resided for three years. occupying during that period a good position as German correspondent. He then went to Memphis. Tennessee, and was there in 1876 when the yellow fever epidemic broke out. Making his way northward, he remained a resident of Chicago for several years and was in the employ of the B. T. Babbitt Soap Company as salesman for eight years.
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In 1888 Mr. Doctor arrived in Cedar Rapids, where he secured a position in the employ of J. R. Becker, with whom he remained until 1892, when he turned his attention to the insurance business, establishing a general insurance agency, also becoming a dealer in securities and the agent for various steamship lines. He now represents the Germania Insurance Company of New York, the Dublin Fire & Marine Company, the Prussian National, the Concordia of Milwaukee and others. He is also agent at this point for the American Bonding Company of Baltimore and the Continental Casualty Company of Chicago, and in his steamship agency department represents the Cunard, Hamburg-American and Holland-American lines. His knowledge of four different languages is of marked assistance to him, especially in his steamboat agency work, enabling him to be of great assistance to people speaking those tongues.
In 1898 Mr. Doctor was married to Miss Kate Ernest, who came to Cedar Rap- ids in her girlhood days, and they are prominently known in this city, Mr. Doetor being one of the foremost representatives of his native country here. He holds membership with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Improved Order of Red Men, and while he is interested in politics he has never been an office seeker, preferring to concentrate his time and energies upon his business affairs, in which he has met with signal success. His record is altogether ereditable. Coming alone to the United States in early manhood with but limited means and no influence, his course has been marked by steady progress as the result of honorable business methods, a genial manner and the possession of those qualities which in every land and elime awaken confidence and regard. He has made wise use of his opportunities and has given to his patrons a service of value that has merited the financial return he has received.
WILLIAM J. BERRY
William J. Berry, living in Bertram township, owns one hundred and fifty- two and a half acres located on sections 27 and 34. His land is devoted to the production of erops and each year he gathers good harvests, for he follows mod- ern methods of farming. Mr. Berry was born on the home farm in Bertram township on the 28th of January, 1868, one of a family of eight children whose parents were Robert and Nancy Berry, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Indiana. Coming to Linn county in 1851. the father here entered land, on which he built a log cabin, which was the place of abode for many years. He at once began the development of his newly acquired land and continued its culti- vation and improvement until the time of his demise, which occurred in 1906. The mother still survives and yet lives in Bertram township.
William J. Berry spent his youthful days amid the environment of the free. quiet life of the farm. He was early trained to habits of industry, economy and integrity and these have borne rich fruit in his later life. As he grew in years and strength he more largely assisted in the work of the fields, remaining at home until he was twenty-five years old, in the meantime having aequired his education in the common schools. He then took up his abode upon the farm which has sinee been his home, his tract embracing one hundred fifty-two and a half aeres on sections 27 and 34, Bertram township. He has made improvements on his farm, including a good country residence, in the rear of which are substantial barns and ontbuildings erected with a view to convenience, and everything about the place is kept in good condition.
In 1891 occurred the marriage of Mr. Berry and Miss Hannah J. Hutchinson. who was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, a daughter of C. G. and Hannah Hutch- inson. The father was born in Pennsylvania, while the mother claimed Ohio
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as the state of her nativity. They had nine children, of whom eight are still living. By her marriage Mrs. Berry has become the mother of one daughter, Hattie May, now a high-school student in Cedar Rapids.
Mr. Berry is a republican in his political views but has never been active as an office seeker. He is a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge, No. 534, at Bertram. Mrs. Berry holds membership in the Presbyterian ehnureh, while the daughter is a member of Westminster Presbyterian church at Cedar Rapids. As the years have come and gone Mr. Berry has not only diligently and successfully pursued his business but has watched with interest the progress of the county along agricultural lines, which has placed it among the foremost sections of this great state.
F. M. THOMPSON
Although one of the more recent additions to citizenship of Cedar Rapids, F. M. Thompson has established himself in an enviable position among the business men of the city as a representative of the lumber trade. Far-sighted and ener- getic, watchful of all opportunities pointing to success, he has labored along lines which have wrought for the good of the community as well as for individual prosperity.
He was born in the state of Ohio, March 1, 1844, and in the spring of 1850, when a lad of six years, accompanied his parents, Solomon and Elvira (Knight) Thompson, to Belleville, now Cambria, Columbia county, Wisconsin, the jour- ney being made with a team and wagon. The father was a farmer hy occupation. He died about a month after the arrival of the family in Wisconsin and the mother was left with care of her son, F. M. Thompson, and a brother two years younger. They had little of this world's goods and were left alone in a new comtry.
F. M. Thompson, with his mother's consent. was adopted by a farmer by the name of E. MeCall, in the township of Seott, Columbia county. This was in the spring of 1852 when he was eight years of age. He there remained until he attained his majority in 1865, after which he started out in life on his own ac- count, entering the employ of another farmer in Scott township by the name of Robert Beattie, who paid him twenty dollars per month for his services. Mr. Thompson remained in Mr. Beattie's employ until November, 1867, or about two and one-half years, when he hired out to the firm of Warren & Gamble of Monroe county, Wisconsin, who were in the pine lumber business. He remained with that firin until the fall of 1871. save that he spent two summers in Minnesota and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Faribault county. Utilizing every legitimate opportunity that would enable him to engage in business on his own account and carefully saving his earnings, in the fall of 1871, the firm of Robertson, Alexander & Thompson was formed, the partners all being employes of Warren & Gamble. They purchased some fine timber and began logging in a small way, selling their logs to their former employers. Warren & Gamble. during the first winter. Afterward they had their logs sawed into Inmber by Warren & Gamble and sold their lumber to dealers in the retail trade. About the end of the second year, Mr. Robertson and Mr. Thompson purchased the in- terest of the other partner and continued the business under the firm style of Robertson & Thompson. At the time the latter entered the employ of Warren & Gamble, that firm was hauling its logs to what was then known as the Gleason & Squire sawmill, about seven miles north of Tomah, Wisconsin, on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, through the winter months, while in the summer seasons they hanled their lumber by team to Greenfield. In 1868 Warren & Gamble changed their base of operations to the village now called Warren on the
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Omaha Railroad, seventeen miles north of Camp Douglas, Wisconsin. That was where Mr. Thompson first formed his partnership relations and began operations in the lumber business. In 1876 the firm of Robertson & Thompson sold their lumber interests to Warren & Gamble, later the George Warren Company, and bought some pine land and lumber in Marathon county, Wisconsin, where they conducted a logging business on the Little Eau Pleine, having the logs sawed at McMillan's mill, about five miles east of Marshfield, Wisconsin. They hauled their lumber to Mannville by team and shipped by way of the Wisconsin Central Railroad. They closed out their business at Mannville in the spring of 1880 and dissolved partnership. In the fall of 1881 Mr. Thompson entered into partnership with Fay Brothers & Company of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for the purpose of con- ducting a retail lumber business in Van Horn, Benton county, Iowa. He had to cut and remove the corn in order to clear a place for his house. The business was conducted at that point until March, 1884, when they sold out to a man by the name of Wyman. Mr. Thompson then engaged in the lumber business with J. C. Fay, William A. Fay, and J. E. Gable, forming a company operating under the name of Fay Brothers & Company at Cedar Rapids. He purchased an interest in December, 1883, and in the spring of 1884 the business was removed to Westfield, Marquette county, Wisconsin, at which point Mr. Thompson attended largely to the buying and shipping of the lumber, the most of which was shipped from the north at that time for the conduct of the business at Cedar Rapids. In the spring of 1895 he took up his abode in the latter city, where he built his present residence.
It was on the 3d of December, 1878, that Mr. Thompson was married to Miss Eliza M. Lawton. He and his wife are members of the First Baptist church of Cedar Rapids and his political allegiance is given to the republican party. At one time he was a member of the township board of Manville, Wisconsin, but has never been a politician in the sense of office seeking. In addition to the conduct of a retail lumberyard at this point, he has acquired a substantial interest in the American Manufacturing Company of Cedar Rapids, which is conducting a gen- eral planing mill and mill work business on an extensive scale. Under his able management the enterprise will undoubtedly be developed to larger proportions. Mr. Thompson assumed control in January, 1910. Throughout his entire life connected with the lumber trade, his understanding thereof is most comprehensive and his word is largely accepted as authority in this part of the state on questions relative to the lumber industry.
HARRY BALL
Harry Ball, engaged in the electrical construction business at Cedar Rapids, is a partner of his brother, E. H. Ball, and the enterprise is carried on under the firm style of the E. H. Ball Company. He was born in Sheffield, England, on the 12th of Jannary, 1875, his parents being Richard and Hannah Ball. In 1879 they emigrated to the United States, taking up their abode in Youngstown, Ohio, where our subject attended the grammar and high schools until seventeen years of age.
After putting aside his text-books Mr. Ball went to Pullman, Illinois, and for two years worked in the foundry department of the Pullman Car Company. He next spent a similar period in the service of the Fort Worth Electric Company at Fort Worth, Texas, and subsequently removed to Chicago, where he was con- nected with the electrical department of the Standard Electric Company for two years. During the following two years he was engaged as electrician with the Chicago Electric Construction Company and afterward went to Zanesville,
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Ohio, where he aeted as superintendent of the Zanesville Eleetrie Railway, Light & Power Company for five years. On the expiration of that period he removed · to Akron, Ohio, where he remained for two years as superintendent of the plant of the Reed Electrical Engineering Company. His next place of residence was Rockford, Illinois, where he was engaged in business with his brother, E. H. Ball, for four months. He then came to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as a partner of his brother, who had organized the E. II. Ball Company, and they have here sinee conducted an extensive and successful business in general electrieal construction work. He is a member of the Commercial Club and well deserves classification among the enterprising young business men and representative citizens of Cedar Rapids.
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