USA > Iowa > Louisa County > History of Louisa County, Iowa, from its earliest settlement to 1911, Volume II > Part 2
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Mr. Storks gave his political allegiance to the republican party and held a number of minor township offices. In religious belief he was a Methodist, pass- ing away in the faith of that church on the 6th of April, 1911,-the anniversary of the day on which he was captured at Shiloh. His death was the occasion of deep and widespread regret, for he had long been a respected resident of this community and had gained an extensive circle of friends.
FRED M. MOLSBERRY.
Fred M. Molsberry, a successful lawyer of Columbus Junction of nearly twenty years' experience, and an ex-senator, was born at Plymouth, Iowa, May 22, 1866, a son of Joseph M. and Jemima Jane ( Pitman ) Molsberry. The father was a native of Indiana and moved from that state to Michigan in 1856. At Niles, Michigan, he was married to Jemima J. Pitman. They came to Iowa and first made their home in Cerro Gordo county, then at Rock Falls, and fi- nally became permanently established upon a homestead near Plymouth. Mr. Molsberry was a successful farmer and is now deceased.
Reared on the home farm, Fred M. Molsberry attended the district schools and later, having decided to devote his attention to the law, matriculated in the State University at Iowa City where he took a course of two years, graduating in May, 1892, with the degree of LL. B. Immediately after leaving the univer- sity he located at Columbus Junction in the practice of his profession, display- ing from the start an ability that gave every assurance of marked success. He has taken an active part in politics and was elected county attorney and filled the office to the general satisfaction of his constituents for three terms. In No- vember, 1901, he was elected to the Iowa state senate to represent Louisa and Muscatine counties, entering upon his duties January 1, 1902. His term was extended for one year so that he served altogether for five years. He was a member of the judiciary and other important committees and proved one of the most useful men in the senate.
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At the close of his term of office he resumed practice and has since devoted his attention to his profession with renewed vigor and with very satisfactory re- sults. He has also taken a very active part in business affairs and is a member of the board of directors of the Cotter Savings Bank of Cotter, and is secretary and a member of the board of directors of the Columbus Junction Telephone Company, which office he has held ever since the organization of the company in 1901. He has made some good investments in land and is an extensive land- owner.
111 August, 1893, Mr. Molsberry was married to Miss Cora Oliver, of Okla- homa City, Oklahoma, a daughter of E. W. and M. J. Oliver, who were in the territory of Oklahoma when it was opened for settlement and when town lots were laid out for sale in Oklahoma City. Both parents are now living. To Mr. and Mrs. Molsberry an only daughter, Effie Lucille, has been born. She is now fifteen years of age.
Fraternally Mr. Molsberry is identified with the Masonic order and the Knights of Pythias. He has been very active in the latter organization and has filled all the chairs in the lodge. In August, 1903, he was elected grand chan- cellor of the state of Iowa, discharging his duties in such a way as to meet the approval of members of the organization throughout the entire commonwealth. He is not identified with any religious denomination but his wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a self-made man and has fairly won through his own efforts the responsible position he occupies in Louisa county. As he possesses a steady and purposeful will, which is under intelligent guidance, he has gained more than an ordinary measure of success and is in the enjoyment of a competence that gives promise of a steady increase in years to come.
WILLIAM M. WILSON.
For many years agricultural pursuits engaged the attention of William M. Wilson, who since 1906 has been living retired in Morning Sun, where he owns a very pleasant residence. He was born in Washington county, Illinois, on the 26th of May, 1838, and is a son of John and Isabella ( McClure) Wilson, the father a native of Ireland and the mother of South Carolina. The family mi- grated to Iowa in 1839, where the father entered some government land, upon which he erected a log cabin that served as a home for several years thereafter. Here the mother passed away on the 31st of May, 1866, but he survived until the 27th of December, 1877, and was laid to rest beside his wife in Brown's cemetery. They were the parents of eight children, but four of whom are now living.
The education of William M. Wilson was somewhat limited, owing to the poor and inadequate provision made for schools in Iowa during his boyhood. He attended the brief and irregular sessions of the district school, which was held in a log house where rough slabs served for benches and the ferule was
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deemed just as essential a factor of education as the text-book. After laying aside his school books he assisted in the cultivation of the farm, remaining at home until he was twenty-one. He subsequently engaged in farming on a tract of land which he obtained from his father and to which he later added by pur- chase until he had acquired one hundred and seventy-five acres. Here he en- gaged in agricultural pursuits until 1906, at which time he retired and moved to Morning Sun. A large portion of his farm having been the homestead on which he spent his boyhood and youth, Mr. Wilson had lived on this place for sixty- eight years at the time of his retirement. He engaged in general farming, mak- ing a specialty of raising and feeding cattle, and had acquired a very fine property and comfortable competence, being so situated now that he enjoys the ease as- sured by an income sufficiently large to provide all of the necessities and many of the luxuries of life.
Mr. Wilson was married in 1864 to Miss Miriam Conway, a native of Eng- land, her natal day being the 6th of July, 1843, and a daughter of Samuel and Margaret Conway, who started for the United States in 1850, but the mother passed away on board of the vessel and was buried in the Gulf of Mexico. The family located in Des Moines county, Iowa. There were six children but only two are now living. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Wilson were born the following children : Winona, the wife of G. J. Wilson, of Des Moines county ; William G., who is a resident of Louisa county ; Samuel F., also of this county ; Leah R., who married T. D. Wilson, now living in the state of Washington; Nellie, who was born on the 18th of September, 1873, and died on the 13th of December, 1893; John who is living in Des Moines county; Sarah E., who married B. C. Owens, of Henry county ; Clarissa, who is deceased; R. G., who is a resident of the state of Washington ; James H., who lives in this county; and Mary E., who is at home.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Wilson are members of the United Presbyterian church, and his political support he gives to the republican party but has never held office. Practically the entire life of Mr. Wilson has been spent in Louisa county upon the farm which was endeared to him by the associations of his youth as well as those of later years.
BRAINARD H. SHEARER.
Brainard H. Shearer, editor of the Columbus Gazette, a thriving weekly newspaper of Columbus Junction, was born on a farm near Ida Grove, Fowa, December 15, 1881. His parents were Jacob L. and Laura ( Plasterer ) Shearer, both of whom were natives of Franklin county, Pennsylvania. The father was born September 15, 1856, and the mother on November 26th of the same year. They were married in their native state and came to Fowa in 1881, settling at Ida Grove, which has ever since been the family home. They were the par- ents of five children, namely : Brainard H., of this review ; and Bessie, Florence,
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Frances and Harold, all of whom are at home. The paternal grandfather, Henry Shearer, was born and reared in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, and re- sided there for some years after his marriage. Eventually he removed to the west where he lived to a ripe old age. His wife passed away in early woman- hood. The maternal grandfather, John Plasterer, lived to be ninety years old.
After receiving his preliminary education in the district schools Brainard H. Shearer entered the lda Grove high school, from which he was graduated in 1902. Ile taught school for two terms and then matriculated at Drake Uni- versity, where he continued for one year. He was engaged for the next two years in the newspaper business in various parts of the state, gaining practical knowledge both as a writer and manager, which is very important in this line of work. In 1909 he came to Columbus Junction and purchased the Columbus Gazette, to which he has since devoted his attention with excellent results. This paper was established in 1887 by I. O. Jamison, who died in 1908, after which it was managed by his widow for about a year. The Gazette is unique in two re- spects-it is the only democratic newspaper in the county, and it has the largest circulation of any newspaper in the county.
Mr. Shearer is a stanch adherent of the principles of the democratic party and ably expresses his views on all questions relating to the state and nation. He is a clear and vigorous writer and also posseses the business qualities so necessary for the successful management of any important enterprise. His re- ligious belief is indicated by membership in the Methodist Episcopal church.
HOMER A. MATTHEWS.
One of the agriculturists of Louisa county who went to the front in the Union cause in the '6os is Homer A. Matthews, who for many years has been a resident of Jefferson township. He was born in Louisa county on the 6th of April, 1844, and is a son of Solomon B. and Emily ( Bras) Matthews, natives of Ohio, from which state they migrated to Iowa in 1837. The father, who was a miller, followed his trade until he passed away in July, 1852. The mother survived for thirty years thereafter, her demise occurring in October, 1882. They were the parents of two sons, H. N., who is a resident of this county ; and Homer .A., our subject.
The education of Homer A. Matthews was pursued in the common schools of this county, following the completion of which he engaged in agricultural pur- suits, remaining at home until the opening of the Civil war. Enlisting in Sep- tember, 1862, in Company 1, First Missouri Engineering Corps, he went to the front where he served for over two years, being mustered out at Chatta- nooga, Tennessee, November 10, 1864. He helped build the fortifications, etc .. at nearly all the places where his command participated in a great battle. After receiving his discharge he returned home and again engaged in farming with which occupation he has ever since been identified.
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HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY
On August 13, 1875, Mr. Matthews was united in marriage to Miss Caroline Kimble, a native of Catlin, New York, and a daughter of Nathaniel and Mary Ann ( Bush) Kimble, also natives of the Empire state. They migrated from New York to Illinois, locating in Boone county in 1851, and in that state they re- sided for twenty-three years. In 1874 they removed to lowa, settling in Louisa county, where the mother passed away on the 16th of August, 1874, and the father on the 9th of September, 1875. Three children were born unto them : Piney, the widow of J. W. Willard, who is residing in Crook, Colorado : Caro- line, now Mrs. Matthews; and Ansel W., who is living on a farm in this county.
Mr. and Mrs. Matthews had six children, the order of their births being as follows: Frank H., who was born on the 22d of September, 1876: Ella, who was born on the 12th of August, 1878, and is now the wife of M. Sillick, of this county; Lena E., who was born on the 3d of September, 1880, and is teaching school; Edgar A., born on the Ist of July, 1882; Emily M., who is also a school teacher, born on the 20th of February, 1884; and Hiram Leroy, who was born on the Ist of October, 1886.
An ardent republican, Mr. Matthews always gives his political support to the men and measures of that body. He takes an active and helpful interest in township affairs and has served as school director as well as road supervisor. He is a man of unobstrusive character who discharges his duties as a citizen with the same loyalty and unity of purpose which marked his service as a soldier.
P. L. PEARSALL.
The beautiful art of photography is very creditably represented at Wapello by P. L. Pearsall, who during the past four years has maintained a studio in this place. He is a native of Linn county, Iowa, born at Center Point, Decem- ber 12, 1886, and is a son of J. H. and Susan ( Shaffer) Pearsall, who were born in Indiana and Iowa respectively. The father came to this state about 1857 and located in Linn county, where he has ever since made his residence. He is now sixty-two years of age. The mother died in 1907 at the age of fifty- nine. There were seven children in their family, namely: Cora, who is the wife of W. T. Clark, of Sherwood, North Dakota ; Ella, who married W. M. Brown, of Walker, Iowa; Lewis, who lives at Center Point, Iowa; Edith, the wife of H. J. Crosmer of Tripp, South Dakota; Agnes, who became the wife of O. D. Church, of Conde, South Dakota; P. L., of this review ; and Lotta, who married Frank Routh, of Wapello.
P. L. Pearsall possesed advantages of education in the common schools and pursued his studies also in the high school. At the age of sixteen he was attracted to the photographic business, to which he has ever since given his attention. He came to Wapello in 1907 and opened a studio upon his own ac- count, being the only photographer in this place. As he has fine artistic talent
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and good taste and from boyhood made a close study of nature and art, his success as a photographer was from the start assured. He takes very great interest in his work and his patrons speak in high terms of his ability. It is evident that he made no mistake in the selection of a vocation.
On the 15th of April, 1907. Mr. Pearsall was married to Miss Lena Davis, a daughter of Oscar and Inez ( Battleson ) Davis, in whose family were two children, the other being Mamie, who is living at home with her parents.
Mr. Pearsall has voted the republican ticket ever since he cast his first ballot and is a stanch supporter of the principles of the party. Religiously he gives his adherence to the Christian church and his life is largely controlled by the teachings of the great book on which the church is founded. He is now well established in a lucrative and growing business-and is enjoying prosperity, which he has earned through well directed application. His future gives prom- ise of increasing honor and usefulness.
CHARLES FATH.
One of the well cultivated farms of Port Lonisa township is the homestead of Charles Fath, which contains one hundred and fifty-three acres of land, located upon section 23. He was born in Germany October 20, 1837, and is a son of Christian and Rosina ( Kaiser ) Fath, who were born and married in the fatherland, from which country they emigrated to the United States in 1846. Upon their arrival in this country they first located in the vicinity of Buffalo, New York, where they resided until 1854 at which time they came to lowa, settling upon a small tract of land in Louisa county. After cultivating this for several years they sold it and bought eighty acres of timber which the father cleared and cultivated until his demise in 1875. His wife had passed away two years previously. They were the parents of the following children : Christian, who passed away at the age of thirty-seven years; George. who was eighty-three at the time of his demise, which occurred in Wapello in 1910; Rosina, also deceased, who was the wife of Fred Kreiner. of Louisa county ; Sarah, the deceased wife of John Keck, of Joy, Illinois; Charles, our subject ; Jacob, who is a resident of Terry, Iowa; Magdeline, deceased, who was the wife of the late Mathias Bissinger, of Louisa county ; and Sophia, who is living at Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Being but a lad of eight years when his family emigrated to the new world, Charles Fath has spent practically his entire life in the land of his adoption, in the common schools of which he acquired his education. After laying aside his school books he assisted his father in the work of the farm until he attained his majority, at which time he left home to begin life on his own account as an agriculturist, having decided upon that for his vocation. He first rented land which he cultivated for four years and during that period he managed to save enough from his income to purchase forty acres. Later he traded this prop-
ASTOR, LENOX A TILDEN FOI NDA R
MRS. CHARLES FATH
CHARLES FATH
PUBLIC LUI IO
ANTOR LENOX A TIL.DEN FOUNDA TIO R
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HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY
erty for his father's farm, which he bought from the other heirs and which formed the nucleus of his present homestead. Since settling upon the old home place Mr. Fath has added to his property from time to time until he now owns one hundred and fifty-three acres, one hundred of which are under a high state of cultivation. He has always engaged in general farming and stock-raising, in which he has met with moderate success.
On the 18th of September, 1861, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Fath and Miss Charlotte Dollarhide, who was born in Wapello on the 22d of Feb- ruary, 1845. She is a daughter of Austin and Mary ( Bedwell) Dollarhide. natives of Kentucky, from which state they removed to lowa, crossing the prairies in a wagon in the '40s among the very early settlers of Louisa county. Shortly after locating upon their farm Mrs. Dollarhide passed away, her demise occurring in 1845, following which Mr. Dollarhide enlisted and went to the front in the Mexican war, from which he never returned. Two children were born of this union: Jane, who passed away in 1906, the wife of Thomas Allen, of Fairfield, Iowa ; and Charlotte. Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Fath, two of whom died in infancy ; Emma, who passed away on the 16th of Decem- ber, 1910, at the age of thirty-eight years, the wife of Howard Marshall, of Gunnison county, Colorado; Ida, who was born in June, 1867, and was the wife of Howard Leyda, a printer, of Chicago; Leroy A., who was born on the 22d of February, 1880, and is a bookkeeper at the arsenal in Davenport ; and Guy M., whose birth occurred on the 25th of April, 1883, and who is still at home.
The family attend the Presbyterian church, of which they are members, and in politics Mr. Fath is affiliated with the republican party. Although he is not an office seeker he has served on the local school board, having been a member of that body for one term. Both Mr. and Mrs. Fath are among the old and well known settlers of the county, which has developed in an almost incredible manner within the period of their recollection.
JOHN STERETT.
In all probability John Sterett is the oldest inhabitant in Morning Sun when considered as a continuous resident, as every building in the city with the ex- ception of one was erected after he located here. He is a son of James and Isabella (Crawford) Sterett, the father a native of Pennsylvania and the mother of Ohio. James Sterett, who was a tanner and harness-maker, as well as farmer, migrated to Louisa county in 1853, settling in Morning Sun, where he resided continuously until his demise in 1884. His wife passed away in 1866. Of the six children born unto them but one besides our subject is living : James, who is also a resident of Morning Sun. The four who are deceased were: William, who was the eldest : Robert, who was captured by the Confeder- Vol. II-2
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ates during the Civil war and consigned to Libby prison, where he died : David, who was killed in battle ; and Nancy E., the only daughter.
John Sterett was eighteen years of age when he removed to Iowa and located upon eighty acres of land which is now within the corporate limits of Morning Sun. He engages in general farming but has always made a specialty of the breeding and raising of Black Hawk Morgan horses, having sold some of his at one thousand dollars a piece.
On the 16th of April, 1857, Mr. Sterett was united in marriage to Miss Eliza Brown, a daughter of Hamilton and Sarah ( Ramsey ) Brown, who were the parents of ten children. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Sterett were born two sons: Edward, who was born in 1858 and passed away in 1889; and William R., who was born in September, 1860, and is a resident of Des Moines.
His first vote Mr. Sterett cast for John C. Fremont in Morning Sun pre- cinct and has ever since voted there. He assisted in arranging the first Fourth of July celebration ever held in the place and has participated in the observation of every succeeding anniversary of the Nation's birth. having spent fifty-eight Fourths in Morning Sun. Mr. Sterett is a public-spirited. as well as patriotic citizen, and has always striven to fulfill his civic duties and toward this end has served in various township offices. He belongs to the Fremont Association, of which he was one of the organizers and at one time vice president, and was president of the Old Settlers Association, when Mr. Springer assumed the duties as local historian of these volumes, appointing Mr. Sterett as one of the advisory board. Religiously he affiliates with the Presbyterian church, in which his wife also held membership. Mr. Sterett went to Des Moines to visit his son on the 29th of November, 1910, and upon his return home the following Saturday he found Mrs. Sterett dead. She was lying on the floor and from all indications the physicians decided that death must have occurred on the morning Mr. Sterett left. Mr. Sterett, who has now reached the venerable age . of seventy-six years relates many interesting reminiscences of the early days of his residence here when pioneer customs still prevailed.
DAVID S. BUFFINGTON.
There is no more familiar figure on the streets of Columbus Junction than that of Mayor David S. Buffington, whose active interest in everything that pertains to the welfare of the town and county has won for him a host of friends. He was born on a farm a few miles southeast of Columbus Junction, February 4. 1843. his father, James Q. Buffington, being one of the pioneer settlers of Louisa county. The father came to Iowa from Meigs county, Ohio, and first took up his residence in Marion county, near Pella, where he preempted a quarter section of land. He did not remain long in that locality, however, but disposed of his property and came to Louisa county in 1842. Here he located on government land, acquiring about a thousand acres for which he paid a
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HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY
dollar and a quarter per acre. In addition to farming he conducted the first grist mill in the vicinity of Columbus Junction and became known throughout a wide area of the surrounding country.
Prior to leaving Ohio he had married Miss Eliza A. Sleath, also a native of Meigs county. Of the children born to this union six survive, namely : Joseph R., a resident of Nebraska ; David S., of this review; Mrs. Eliza Ellen Genzer ; Mary C., who married Henry Schultz, and resides in the southern part of Kansas: Annie, the wife of Edward Dove, also a resident of southern Kan- sas; and Abraham Perry, who is now a major in the United States Army and is stationed in the Philippine Islands. Mr. Buffington was a true father to his children and as they reached maturity he gave to each an equal share of land, thus enabling them to make a good start in life. He ultimately disposed of the remainder of his holdings in this county and bought a farm of two hun- dred acres in Lucas county, Iowa, upon which he and his wife took up their residence. He died in 1889, but the mother survived him for a number of years, her death occurring in 1898.
David S. Buffington attended the country schools of Louisa county ard later became a student of Western University at Mount Pleasant, Iowa, and the Presbyterian College at Washington, Iowa. He attended college at the time of the Civil war and on his last return to the institution he found so few young men in attendance that he gave up the idea of pursuing his studies further, not even moving his trunk from the depot. It was the father's wish that his son should receive a college education, but the times seemed to demand action. After returning home David S. Buffington determined that he would engage in the harness-making business, having received an alluring account of the profits to be made in that line of trade from a man who was thus engaged. His father refused him the five hundred dollars that was necessary in order to make the venture, but he assumed the responsibility on his own account and went into business on credit. He soon found that he was not adapted to this vocation and, having disposed of his interest in the harness shop, began teach- ing school, which was much more to his taste than standing behind a counter, and he engaged in this calling very successfully for a number of years. He was also connected with the railway mail service but was obliged to resign on account of ill health. He is the local representative of the Iowa State Insurance Company of Keokuk and the Farmers' Insurance Company of Cedar Rapids, and on account of his extensive acquaintance and known reliability of character he has met with a goodly measure of prosperity in this business. Many years ago he became interested in local government and he has served in various of- ficial positions, notably those of auditor, justice of the peace-an office which he has held for the last twenty-five years-and is now acceptably filling the office of mayor of Columbus Junction.
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