USA > Iowa > Louisa County > History of Louisa County, Iowa, from its earliest settlement to 1911, Volume II > Part 7
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GEORGE J. SCHNEIDER.
A well tilled farm of one hundred and five acres on section 20, Port Louisa township, is a credit to the well directed efforts of George J. Schneider, who was born in this county on the 30th of December, 1861. He is a son of Louis and Elizabeth (Schneider ) Schneider, natives of Germany. The parents were mar- ried in the state of New York, following which they came to Iowa, locating upon a farm of one hundred and twenty acres, which they bought three miles south of Grand View in Louisa county. They resided there until 1870, at which time they sold the place and bought eighty-two and a half acres on section 20, Port Louisa township, which they continued to cultivate until 1880, when the father retired. In the family were eight children, as follows: Louis, deceased ; Louisa, the wife of Jacob Schneider, of Grand View ; Ilenry, a resident of Wapello; George J .. our subject ; Daniel, who is living in Port Louisa township; and Barbara, Sarah and Mary, all of whom are deceased. The mother, who was born in 1823, passed away on the 4th of March, 1877, but the father still survives at the age of eighty-seven and makes his home with his children.
George J. Schneider was reared at home, acquiring his education in the dis- trict schools of his native county. After laying aside his school books he as- sisted his father in the cultivation of the homestead until he had attained his twentieth year. He worked as a farm hand for Jacob Beik four years, during which time he saved the means to enable him to farm as a renter. After culti- vating leased land for two years Mr. Schneider bought a half interest in one
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hundred and five acres in Port Louisa township, which he has ever since op- erated. He met with success in his chosen vocation and as a result acquired the remainder by purchase, every acre of which is under a high state of cultivation and well improved.
On the 4th of April, 1894, Mr. Schneider was united in marriage to Miss Musa Graham, who was born near Wapello on the 11th of February, 1874, and a daughter of Daniel and Fannie ( Hart ) Graham. The father was a native of Ohio and the mother of New York but they were married in Iowa, following which the father worked out for a few years and then farmed as a renter. Both Mr. and Mrs. Graham are still living and make their home in Wapello. They are the parents of eleven children : Clarence W., who is a resident of Louisa county ; Lillie, who died at the age of six years; Musa, now Mrs. Schneider; Daisy, who died at twenty months ; Harry L., who is unmarried and a resident of Wapello; Myrtle, the wife of W. A. McGill, of Louisa county; Charley, who is married and living in Muscatine; Nannie, the wife of Lee Warner, of Grand View : Floyd, who is living in Wapello; Harold, a resident of the same place ; and Lucille, who is at home. Mr. and Mrs. Schneider have had five children : Floyd Warren, who was born on the 11th of June, 1895; Raymond Louis, born on the 26th of October, 1896; Howard Daniel, who died at the age of five years, nine months and twenty-six days; Ermil Nellie, born on the 24th of October, 1903; and Kenneth George, born on the 13th of November, 1905.
The family attend the Methodist Episcopal church of which the parents are members. In his political views Mr. Schneider is a republican but he supports the men and measures that he deems will best advance the general interests. He is well known and highly regarded in the community where he is residing and where practically his entire life has been spent.
REX NYEMASTER.
Although a young man Rex Nyemaster has forced his way to the front and has gained recognition as one of the substantial and progressive citizens of Wa- pello. He owes his success to his ambition, industry and energy-three elements that have shaped the fortunes of many of the leaders in American life. He is a native of Wapello, born October 17, 1886, and is a son of J. L. and Fannie (Mahlinger) Nyemaster, both of whom were born in Iowa. The father was for many years engaged as a carpenter and builder but is now living retired with his wife in Wapello. There were five children in their family: Ray, who was private secretary to Hon. Albert F. Dawson, member of congress from the sec- ond Iowa district, and is now engaged in the banking business at Davenport under George MI. Bechtel; Lea, deceased; Rex, of this review; Oak, who is liv- ing in Washington, D. C .; and Ona, who is at home.
Rex Nyemaster received his early education in the public schools and also possessed advantages of training in the Wapello high school. After laying his
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books aside he went to Davenport and was engaged about six months in the mercantile business, gaining experience that has proved of great practical benefit. He returned to Wapello and secured employment in a grocery store for about seven months, then entering the store of Charles Ruthenburg, a dealer in cloth- ing, men's furnishings and shoes. While attending school Mr. Nyemaster as- sisted in this store at odd hours and he readily adapted himself to the business after becoming permanently identified with it. He applied his energies with such good results that in 1908 lie was appointed manager, a position which he now holds. The store is the largest of the kind in the county and, as it has been in existence for over twenty years, is very favorably known in this part of the state. The business is conducted upon the principle of giving full and complete satisfaction to patrons and as the shelves are filled with well selected and seasonable goods the future is full of promise for this establishment.
Mr. Nyemaster was united in marriage to Miss Esther Wilton, a daughter of Theodore and Lena ( Richley) Wilton. To this union one daughter, Helen, was born June 5, 1908. Mr. Nyemaster is a sincere believer in the Bible and a consistent member of the Methodist church, being a liberal contributor to that denomination and to all worthy objects. Fraternally he is identified with the Knights of Pythias and he is thoroughly in sympathy with the beneficent prin- ciples and practices of that order. His study of politics lias convinced him of the superiority of the republican party over all others and he votes for its can- didates, believing that they are best capable of representing the ideals of a mod- ern progressive people. A close observer of the trend of events and an intelli- gent and patriotic citizen, Mr. Nyemaster aims to perform his part in advancing the general welfare and he is, therefore, fully entitled to the confidence and respect which he has inspired in those who know him.
SAMUEL ROBINSON.
Samuel Robinson, who passed away on the 26th of January, 1888, was born in County Antrim, Ireland, and was the eldest in a family of five children, all of whom are now deceased, namely : Samuel, Gordon, William, Eliza and John. Mr. Robinson, who was a carpenter by trade, emigrated to the United States about 1850, and spent about two years working at his trade in Pittsburg, Penn- sylvania, after which he went to Wheeling, West Virginia, about 1852. He sub- sequently removed to Burlington, Iowa, where he followed his trade for seven years. At the expiration of that period he purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land in the vicinity of Roscoe, Iowa, in the cultivation of which he en- gaged until his demise.
In Washington, Pennsylvania, on the 20th of December, 1855, Mr. Robin- son was married to Miss Rossannah McCoy, a daughter of Samuel and Eliza- beth ( Frazier) McCoy, both natives of Virginia, in which state they spent their entire lives. They were the parents of eight children : Ellen, the deceased wife
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of Adie Bell, of West Virginia; William and Samuel, both deceased; Jane, the deceased wife of William McCoy, of West Virginia; Margaret, the deceased wife of William Slater, of Pennsylvania; Rossannah, the widow of Samuel Robinson; James, who is residing in the vicinity of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; and Hamilton, deceased. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Robinson were born four chil- dren : Elizabeth Jane, the deceased wife of John Alexander, of Louisa county; Alletta J., the wife of Mathew McCune, of Colorado; William, of Morning Sun ; and Annie M., the wife of Andrew Alexander, of Louisa county.
Following the death of her husband Mrs. Robinson disposed of the home- stead and coming to Morning Sun she bought a lot in the best part of the town and erected one of the finest residences in the place. Here she nas ever since continued to make her home. She is a member of the Reformed Presbyterian church, with which her husband was also affiliated, and counts among its mem- bers many friends.
A man of energy and enterprise Mr. Robinson, although without means when he came to America, owned a fine farm and had gained a very comfort- able competence at the time of his demise, all of which had been acquired through the united efforts and perseverance of himself and wife.
JOSEPH BOLTZ.
Joseph Boltz, who for many years was engaged in agricultural pursuits but is now living retired in Morning Sun enjoying the ease which is the just reward of a well spent life, was born in Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, on the 20th of June, 1834. He is a son of Joseph and Elizabeth ( Shires ) Boltz, now deceased, who were also natives of the Keystone state. They were the parents of ten children: Simon, who died on the ist of June, 1909; Joseph ; William, a resident of Lebanon, Pennsylvania; John, also of Lebanon; Elizabeth, de- ceased ; Rebecca, the widow of Ephraim Mochamore, of Sinking Springs, Berks county, Pennsylvania ; Catharine, the wife of Samuel Clark, of Lebanon ; Mary, the deceased wife of R. R. Snavely, of Annville, Pennsylvania ; Fannie, the wife of William Elliott, also of Annville. The eighth in order of birth died in infancy.
After the completion of his education, which was obtained in the common schools of his native state, Joseph Boltz remained a member of the paternal household until he had attained his twenty-third year, at which time he left home to begin life for himself. He made his way westward to Iowa and there engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1860, when he went to Denver, Colorado. After spending a few weeks there he returned to Fairfield, Iowa, and in the spring of 1861 came to Louisa county and entered the Union army. He enlisted at Burlington on the 2d of June, 1861, and was mustered out on the oth of September. 1864. He was under the command of Major Levi Chase, and at Bayou Meto, Arkansas, received two bullets which he still
JOSEPH BOLTZ
MR. AND MRS. JOSEPH BOLTZ
PUBLI
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carrying. After his discharge he returned to Louisa county, where he pur- chased one hundred and five acres of land, upon which he located in the spring of 1866. He engaged in the cultivation of his farm and stock-raising until 1891, when he retired to Morning Sun, where he has ever since continued to reside.
Mr. Boltz was married on the 4th of June, 1865, to Miss Elizabeth Sarah Edwards, a daughter of Hugh and Eleanor ( Williams ) Edwards, now de- ceased. The parents, who were natives of Wales, had the following children : Margaret, the wife of Benjamin Jones, of O'Brien county, Iowa; Manassa, who is a resident of Burlington; Ellen, the wife of John K. Brown, of Louisa county ; Elizabeth, now Mrs. Boltz; Emma, the wife of D. R. Jones, of Louisa county ; Robert and Edward, both deceased; Kate, the wife of A. Orris, of Des Moines; Mary, the wife of Jake Miller, of Kansas; Baxter, who was killed in Los Angeles, California; and Edward, deceased. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Boltz were born six children: Joseph E., a resident of Louisa county; William S., who is living in Green Ridge, Missouri; Eleanor, deceased ; Nancy Emma, the wife of William Reynolds, of Upland, California; Mary Eva, who married Charles Morrison, of Morning Sun; and Oscar, who is living in Fairfield, Iowa.
His first vote Mr. Boltz cast for Fremont and he has ever since given his political support to the candidates of the republican party and has held various township offices. Both he and his wife have long been members of the Presby- terian church, in whose congregation they have many friends to whom they extend the hospitality of their pleasant home.
GEORGE ISAAC CHURCH.
One of the best known residents of Columbus Junction is George Isaac Church, who has made his home here continuously for the past thirty-eight years. During all of this time he has conducted a barber shop and now has four chairs in his shop and gives employment to two assistants. He was born in St. Joseph county, Michigan, February 10, 1850, a son of Isaac and Sophia ( Ben- nett ) Church, the former of whom was a native of Scotland. The father died in 1852, when the subject of this review was an infant of two years. Mrs. Church was again married, her second husband being John C. Briggs. By this marriage she became the mother of five children ; Henry ; John ; Della ; Mary ; and Fred. In 1860 Mr. Briggs came with his family to Louisa county, Iowa, and purchased one hundred acres of land which became the family homestead. He died about four years ago, but Mrs. Briggs is still living on the home farm with three of her children-Henry, Della and Fred.
George Isaac Church remained under the parental roof until twenty-one years of age and then worked as a farm hand for two years. At the expiration of the time named he removed to Columbus Junction and opened a barber shop.
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By close attention to business he has gained a competency and for many years he has attracted the largest patronage in his line in the city.
On the 13th of December, 1871, Mr. Church was married to Miss Maggie Stone, a daughter of Elder George Stone, an elder in the Church of God. Thir- teen children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Church, namely : William ; Ver- ‹lie : George; Anna: Robert; Charlie; Jessie; Noah; Mollie; Harry: Joseph ; Rema ; and Louis.
In politics Mr. Church gives his support to the democratic party. He has served as a member of the city council and also as a member of the school board, discharging his duties with the same fidelity that he gives to his own business. Fraternally he is a valued member of the Masonic order, the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias and the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and in religious belief he affiliates with the Church of God. As is indicated by the public offices he has held and his standing in the community he is a man of determination and energy and is one of the useful and honorable citizens of Columbus Junction.
SAMUEL F. WILSON.
One of the representative farmers of Morning Sun township is Samuel F. Wilson, who is now a member of the board of supervisors of Louisa county. He is a native and a member of one of the pioneer families of this county, his parents being William M. and Miriam (Conway ) Wilson, who were natives of Illinois and England, respectively. The natal day of Samuel F. Wilson was the 2d of September, 1868, and the place of his birth the homestead which his grandfather, John Wilson, procured from the government in 1839. The Wil- son family has been identified with the agricultural development of Louisa county for over seventy years, having located here during the infancy of Will- iam M. Wilson, who has passed his three score and ten. The latter still owns a farm of one hundred and seventy-five acres in Morning Sun township, a large portion of which belonged to the original tract of government land en- tered by his father. William M. Wilson continued the cultivation of this until 1906, at which time he and his wife retired to Morning Sun, where they own a very pleasant residence. They are the parents of twelve children, all but three of whom are living. In order of birth they are as follows: Winona, now Mrs. Z. J. Wilson, of Des Moines county ; William G., who is a resident of Louisa county ; Samuel F., our subject ; Leah R., who married T. D. Wilson, of the state of Washington; Nellie, deceased; John, who is living in Des Moines county ; Sarah E., who became the wife of B. C. Owens, of Henry county, Iowa, Clarissa, deceased; Isaac, who died in infancy; Renwick G., who is liv- ing in the state of Washington ; James H., who is living in this county; and Mary E., at home.
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Reared on a farm, Samuel F. Wilson attended the district schools in the vicinity of his home in the acquirement of his education, at the same time be- coming trained in agricultural methods. After laying aside his text-books he continued at home, assisting in the operation of the farm under the supervision of his father. When he had attained his majority he felt he was fully qualified and competent to begin for himself, so he rented land which he continued to cultivate until 1902. Having the requisite capital he then purchased one hun- dred and twenty-one acres of his present homestead, to which he has since added another forty, making the aggregate of his holdings one hundred and sixty-one acres. Here in connection with his general farming Mr. Wilson engages in feeding stock.
On the 4th of March, 1897, was celebrated the marriage of Samuel F. Wil- son and Margaret Almina Elliott, who is the seventh child of Richard and Nancy Ann ( Woodside ) Elliott. She was born on the old homestead southwest of Morning Sun on the 12th of February, 1873. Her paternal grandfather, John Elliott, who was born in Belfast, Ireland, in 1787, emigrated to the United States in his early manhood and located in Preble county, Ohio. There he met and subsequently married Miss Elizabeth Stevenson, and unto them were born fourteen children, ten of whom attained the venerable age of three score and ten. Of this number. William and Mary Jane reside in Coulterville, Illinois ; Margaret Ann is now Mrs. Robinson, of Olathe, Kansas; David and Renrick live in Bellefontaine, Ohio; and Richard in Morning Sun. Mrs. Elliott passed away on the 5th of March, 1855, at the age of sixty-seven years, but her hus- band survived until the 9th of October, 1863, dying at the age of eighty years. Richard, who was the eleventh member of the family, was born in Fair Haven, Preble county, Ohio, on the 4th of November, 1834. At the age of sixteen years he began to learn the carpenter's trade, which he continued to follow during the years of his active business life in connection with agricultural pursuits. In his early manhood he went to Coulterville, Illinois, where he remained until 1865. On the 9th of December, 1858, he was united in marriage to Nancy Ann Woodside, the third child of John J. and Mary Ann (Burns) Woodside. Her father was born in Kentucky close to the Ohio border and in the paternal line was of southern extraction, his father having been a native of South Carolina, but his mother was a Pennsylvanian. John J. Woodside married Mary Ann Burns, who was born in the District of Columbia and was of Scotch extraction, being descended from the same branch of the family as was Robert Burns, the poet. By this union eight children were born, six of whom survive, one hav- ing died in infancy and the other at the age of seventy-two. Those surviving are: S. B., who is a resident of Coulterville, Illinois; W. J., who lives at Yates Center, Kansas; J. L., a resident of Welston, Oklahoma; Sarah J., now Mrs. Hood, of Junction City, Kansas ; Mary E., who is now Mrs. Carlisle, of Love- land, Colorado; and Nancy A., now Mrs. Elliott, of Morning Sun. Mrs. Wood- side passed away on the 15th of March, 1892, at Coulterville at the age of eighty-two. Mr. Woodside survived her for three years, his demise occurring on the 8th of December at the same place. following the eightieth anniversary
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of his birth. The family were originally Presbyterians and had long been affi- liated with the Associate Reformed church, but for forty years prior to the death of the parents they had been identified with the New Light Covenanters. Nancy Ann Woodside, now Mrs. Elliott, was the third child in the family. her natal day being the 4th of June, 1841, and the place of her birth Coulter- ville, Illinois. At the age of seventeen years she gave her hand in marriage to Richard Elliott, who was seven years her senior. They continued to reside in Illinois, where three of their children were born, until 1865, when they removed to lowa. They drove to St. Louis, a distance of about fifty miles, going by rail from there to Burlington, Iowa, where they arrived on the 5th of March. They covered the distance from there to Morning Sun, which is twenty-five miles, by wagon, spending their first night at the homestead of William Cubit, now known as the Thomas Hensleigh farm. Their possessions when they ar- rived here consisted of a wagon and a team of horses and about five hundred dollars in money. During the first two years of their residence they lived in a small two room house about two miles southwest of Morning Sun. At the expiration of that time they purchased a farm about a mile west, to which they removed in the spring of 1867, and for more than thirty years that continued to be the family home. It is one of the valuable properties of the district, containing two hundred and forty acres of choice land, and is still in possession of the family.
By the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Elliott there were born five sons and four daughters, all of whom are living. In the order of birth they are as fol- lows: William Joseph, born on the 17th of April, 1860, is now engaged in the grain business in Superior, Nebraska; John Calvin, born on the oth of August, 1862, is residing on a farm four miles northwest of Superior; Annie May is the wife of William R. MeElhinney, of Morning Sun; Mrs. Edith Arnetta Wil- son was born on the 18th of June. 1866, and is also a resident of Morning Sun ; Robert Burns, born on the 20th of March, 1868, is now a member of the Moon-Elliott Lumber Company, of Kansas City, Missouri; David Coulter, born on the 5th of March, 1870, is engaged in farming in the vicinity of Superior, Nebraska: Margaret Almina is now Mrs. Wilson; Della Elizabeth, born on the 25th of October, 1875, was married on the 25th of April, 1894, to Charles T. Reynolds, who is engaged in the grocery business in Fairfield, Iowa; and Delber Harvey, born on the 15th of October, 1878, entered the ministry and is now pastor of the Reformed Presbyterian church at Denison, Kansas. Mrs. Wilson obtained her early education in the common schools of Louisa county, after which she attended for one year both the high school at Morning Sun and the academy at Washington, Iowa, and then engaged in teaching for six years.
The domestic life of Mr. and Mrs. Wilson was begun on a farm one mile east of Morning Sun but later they located on a farm in the vicinity of Wa- pello. From there they removed to a farm near Newport, about four miles east of Morning Sun, where they now reside. They have a very comfortable resi- dence and a fine farm, which is under a good state of cultivation and is well
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kept. One child, Harold Elliott, has been born unto them, his birth occurred on the 5th of January, 1898.
The family attend the United Presbyterian church of Morning Sun, of which Mr. Wilson is a ruling elder. Although she held membership in the Reformed Presbyterian church prior to her marriage Mrs. Wilson subsequently united with the church with which her husband affiliated. His political allegiance has ever been given to the republican party. Ile has always taken a prominent part in all local affairs and has held a number of the township offices and is now serv- ing on the board of county supervisors. He is an enterprising man of progres- sive ideas and in the administration of his undertakings has met with success, now being recognized as one of the prosperous agriculturists of his township.
CHARLES B. WILSON.
Charles B. Wilson, who is one of the prominent agriculturists of Morning Sun township, was born on the farm where he now resides on the 19th of Feb- ruary, 1861, being the youngest living child of James and Martha E. ( Miller ) Wilson. The father was born in New York city on the 24th of July, 1815, but the following year his parents removed to Washington county, Pennsylvania. where they resided until 1825. They then went to Preble county, Ohio, where they spent the winter, and the following spring they removed to Union county, Indiana, where James Wilson grew to manhood. He continued to reside in that state until 1840, at which time he went west for the purpose of looking up a new location, and being well pleased with Louisa county, Iowa, filed on a tract of government land. Subsequently he returned to Indiana, where he remained for a time, and then took up his permanent residence in Louisa county. After lo- cating here he established a brickyard and kiln, being the first person to engage in the manufacture of brick in this county.
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