USA > Iowa > Madison County > History of Madison County, Iowa, and its people, Volume II > Part 16
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On the 6th of December, 1888, Mr. Mardis was married to Miss Nellie Rat- liff, who was born in Winterset, a daughter of D. G. Ratliff, who was a prominent pioneer of Winterset and is mentioned elsewhere in this work. Mrs. Mardis died in 1890, leaving a son, John R., who was born January 18, 1890, and died April II, 1912. On the 19th of January, 1893, Mr. Mardis was again married, his sec- ond union being with Miss Beatrice Ratliff, who was born in Winterset, March 12, 1872, and is a sister of his first wife. They have two children: Homer, born July 22, 1895; and Mary E., December 12, 1899.
Mr. Mardis is a Knight Templar and consistory Mason and also holds mem- bership with the Elks, the Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias. In politics he is a republican, stalwart in his advocacy of the party, yet not an office seeker. His attention has been given to his business affairs, which have been of growing importance since he started out independently. It is a trite saying that there is always room at the top, but a real comprehension of this fact would lead many a man to put forth more strenuous effort. It is those who do realize the oppor- tunity and work toward the goal who accomplish great things. Prompted by a laudable ambition and manifesting at every stage in his career unfaltering indus- try and determination Mr. Mardis has gained the enviable place which he occupies as one of the most prominent contractors of Iowa.
G. D. JACKSON.
G. D. Jackson, residing on section 18, Madison township, is a progressive young agriculturist and worthy native son of this county and the proprietor of the Maple Lawn Farm. His birth occurred in Penn township on the 9th of December, 1887, his parents being Charles C. and Julia (Courtney ) Jackson, the former a native of Warren county, Iowa, and the latter of Indiana. Charles C. Jackson was reared in the county of his nativity and remained with his parents on the home farm until about 1879, when he drove across the country to Madison county, arriving here with practically nothing save a team of horses. He culti- vated rented land in Penn township for several years and eventually purchased
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MR. AND MRS. CHARLES C. JACKSON AND SON
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an eighty-acre tract on section 18, Madison township, beginning its improvement. As the years passed and his financial resources increased, owing to his untiring industry and capable management, he augmented his holdings by additional pur- chase from time to time until he now owns four hundred and sixty acres of rich and productive land, constituting one of the finest farms in the county. In connection with the production of cereals he devotes considerable attention to live stock, feeding about one hundred head of cattle annually. In connection with his brothers he is the owner of one of the most remarkable barns of Madi- son county, it being eighty by thirty-seven feet in dimensions and built entirely of brick. It is used exclusively for feeding cattle. Charles C. Jackson's prop- erty is known as the North Branch Stock Farm and in its operation he has gained a measure of prosperity that has won him recognition among the sub- stantial and representative agriculturists of the community. The period of his residence in this county covers more than a third of a century and he enjoys an extensive and favorable acquaintance within its borders.
G. D. Jackson acquired his early education in the district schools of this county and continued his studies in Earlham Academy. On attaining his major- ity he started out as an agriculturist on his own account, beginning the operation of a tract of twenty-five acres adjoining his father's farm. In fact, he and his father conduct their interests in partnership. Mr. Jackson has improved his property to a considerable extent, having recently expended four thousand dol- lars in remodeling his barn. His undertakings have been attended with a grati- fying and well merited measure of success and he is widely recognized as one of the progressive and enterprising young agriculturists of his native county.
On the 7th of May, 1913, Mr. Jackson was united in marriage to Miss Gert- rude Peterson, a daughter of Hans and Rena ( Peterson) Peterson, both of whom were born in Denmark. Her father carried on farming in his native country until twenty-eight years of age and then emigrated to the United States, making his way direct to Iowa and locating at Kellogg, Jasper county, where he remained until 1890. In that year he came to Madison county and was here employed in the quarry of the Earlham Land Company during the next twelve years. On the expiration of that period he again turned his attention to agricultural pursuits and has since been identified therewith, now operating the Thomas Cochran place in Madison township.
In politics Mr. Jackson is independent, supporting men and measures rather than party, while his religious faith is that of the Presbyterian church. Both he and his wife are highly esteemed and they are popular in the younger social set
REUBEN S. ORRIS.
Reuben S. Orris, one of the highly esteemed and retired farmers of Winter- set, was born in Perry county, Pennsylvania, on the 2d of March, 1839, the fifth in a family of twelve children born to Henry and Phoebe (Shull) Orris, both natives of Pennsylvania. The father was born in 1807 and passed away on the Ist of February, 1880, while the birth of the mother occurred in 1809 and her
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demise on the 12th of April, 1889, when she was about eighty years of age. Henry Orris learned the shoemaker's trade in his youth and also became familiar with agricultural pursuits. In 1851 he removed from Pennsylvania to Louisa county, Iowa, where he entered land and erected a log house. Conditions were quite primitive there at the time of his arrival but he set himself resolutely to the task of developing his farm and became in time the owner of a valuable prop- erty. He passed away there in the faith of the Congregational church, of which he was a member.
Reuben S. Orris was a student in the early subscription and public schools of Louisa county and thus acquired a knowledge of the fundamental branches of learning. When sixteen years of age he became an apprentice in a wagon and carriage shop and followed that trade until August, 1861, when he answered the call of the president for volunteers and became a member of Company C, Eighth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. The command rendezvoused at Davenport and was first under fire in Missouri, where they took part in the campaign against General Price. The regiment was then assigned to General Grant's army and participated in the battles of Shiloh and Pittsburg Landing. Mr. Orris was taken prisoner on the 6th of April, 1862, and was not exchanged for nearly a year, or until Feb- ruary, 1863. Following his exchange he was successively at Nashville and Mem- phis, Tennessee; Mobile, Alabama, and Macon, Georgia. In February, 1863, he rejoined his regiment and participated in the siege of Vicksburg, the battle of Blackwater and both the sieges of Jackson. He was then sent to Gunnison and was on scout and skirmish duty until 1864. He next participated in the raid against Memphis and saw service in and around New Orleans. He was mustered out on the Otlt of May, 1866, as second sergeant of his company. He returned to Louisa county, Iowa, but later removed to Washington county, where he farmed until 1876, when he took up his residence in Union county. In the spring of 1883 he removed to Webster township, Madison county, and became known as one of the prosperous and able farmers of that township. For the last ten years he has lived retired in Winterset, enjoying the fruits of his former labor.
In 1868 Mr. Orris was married, Miss Olive Boden, a native of Des Moines county, becoming his wife. She was born on the 8th of April, 1849, of the mar- riage of Thomas and Maria (Riggs) Boden, both natives of Virginia, the for- mer born in 1812 and the latter on the 12th of February, 1819. They removed to Iowa from Ohio in 1845, traveling by water to Burlington, and from there overland to their destination in Des Moines county. The land which they entered had never been touched by the plow and the first task was to break it with ox teams. There were but few settlers and all of the hardships of pioneer life had to be endured. However, the settler fond of hunting found every opportunity to gratify his love of sport, as all kinds of game abounded. In 1858 the family removed to Washington county, where Mr. Boden passed away in 1876 and Mrs. Boden in 1895. They were the parents of five children, of whom Mrs. Orris is the fifth in order of birth. She has become the mother of four children: Mrs. C. E. Hircock ; Samantha, the widow of Benjamin Morley, of Bayfield, Colorado, by whom she has a son, Joseph, and a daughter, Olive; Mary, at home; and Dewey H., of Red Oak, who is married and has two children, Lloyd and Cecil.
Mr. Orris is identified with the republican party and his fraternal relations are with Pitzer Post, No. 55, G. A. R., at Winterset. The willingness to place
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the public good above private considerations, which he displayed when as a young man he joined the Union army, has been characteristic of him throughout his entire life, and he has cooperated in all movements for the advancement of his community.
S. T. GOLIGHTLY.
Agriculture is the source of a great part of the wealth of Madison county and she is justly proud of her intelligent, efficient and progressive farmers, among whom is numbered S. T. Golightly. He was born in Illinois on the 10th of Octo- ber, 1867, a son of Shands and Caroline ( Freeman) Golightly, the former born in Tennessee and the latter in Illinois. The father followed the occupation of farming and many years ago removed to Illinois, where he cultivated land until 1872. He then went to Kansas and bought a farm, which he operated until his death, in 1885. He had survived his wife for ten years, as she passed away in 1875.
S. T. Golightly was but five years of age when the family took up their res- idence in Kansas and he grew to manhood in the Sunflower state. At the usual age he entered the public schools and passed from grade to grade, acquiring an education that fitted him for the later duties of life. After putting aside his text- books he gave his whole attention to assisting with the work of the home farm, remaining with his parents until they were called to their last rest. He then hired out to others as a farm hand and was so occupied until he was twenty- eight years of age. He then removed to Polk county, Iowa, where he farmed for one year. In 1896 he arrived in Madison county and for five years he rented land, carefully saving as much as possible from his yearly income, as he wished to become a landowner. At the end of that time his ambition was realized and he purchased his father-in-law's farm in Polk county, but after operating that place for one year he sold it and returned to Madison county, buying land in Jackson township. He followed agricultural pursuits there until 1911, when he sold out and purchased land in Union township. Three years later he sold that place and in March, 1914, became the owner of two hundred and forty acres of land on sections 10, 11, 14 and 15, Madison township, the buildings being on section 10. His farm is one of the best developed and most completely equipped places in the county, and he is not only maintaining its high standards, but also adding still further improvements. His activities are not confined to the cultiva- tion of the fields, as he raises and feeds three hundred head of hogs and sheep per year, finding his agricultural interests especially profitable.
Mr. Golightly and Miss Minnie Groth were married on the 28th of May, 1895. She is a daughter of Harder and Caroline (Schneider) Groth, both natives of Germany, whence they emigrated to America. For the first three years after her father's arrival in this country he lived at Davenport, Iowa, and then removed to Polk county, where he purchased land, which he operated during the remainder of his life. He passed away in 1902, having survived his wife since 1900. She had located in Des Moines on coming to this country. Mr. and Mrs. Golightly have seven children, namely: Eva, who is attending Earlham Academy; John, like-
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wise a student in that school; Jerome, attending the district schools; Elma, Lloyd and Albert, all attending school; and Erma, who completes the family.
Mr. Golightly exercises his right of franchise in support of the candidates and policies of the republican party, being fully convinced of the soundness of its principles. He is a valued member of the local Methodist Episcopal church and can be counted upon to further its work in any way possible. The success that he has achieved in his chosen occupation is the result of his industry, fore- sight and progressiveness, qualities which anyone may emulate and which in- variably bring their reward.
HON. ELIAS R. ZELLER.
Hon. Elias R. Zeller, of Winterset, has been prominently known as an edu- cator and journalist of Madison county and also as a political leader. Through individual activity as well as through the columns of his paper he has done much to shape public thought and action and has left the impress of his individuality for good upon many lines of improvement.
He was born near Hamilton, in Butler county, Ohio, September 13, 1844, and comes of German ancestry. His parents were John and Susan (Kumler) Zeller, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania. The former became a farmer and carpenter and was also a local preacher of the United Brethren church. He met with a fair measure of success in life and passed away in 1857 at the age of sixty years. His wife was also a native of Pennsylvania, as were her parents, but the family comes of German ancestry. Her father, Henry Kumler, was one of the first bishops of the United Brethren church in America. Mrs. Zeller passed away at the advanced age of seventy-five years. In the family were eleven children, eight sons and three daughters. Five of the sons reached adult age and all served in Ohio regiments during the Civil war, valiantly defending the Union.
Elias R. Zeller was reared upon the home farm in Ohio and acquired his education in the district schools. He was twenty years of age when, in 1864, he responded to the country's call for further aid in crushing out the rebellion in the south and joined Company K, One Hundred and Sixty-seventh Ohio Volun- teer Infantry for one hundred days. He spent the period of his enlistment in Virginia and took part in several skirmishes. Following his military experience Mr. Zeller engaged in farming on the old homestead, which was sold in 1867. It was subsequent to that time that he entered the Miami University at Oxford, Ohio, from which he was graduated in the class of 1871, while in 1887 he received a post-graduate degree. Entering the field of journalism, he became publisher of the Oxford Citizen at Oxford, Ohio, and following his removal to Iowa was city editor of the Burlington Gazette. He afterward published the Eldora Herald and eventually became owner and editor of the Winterset Mad- isonian. He has also been correspondent for the Chicago Times and other metro- politan papers.
In the meantime he became a prominent figure in educational circles. In 1873 he came to Winterset to take charge of the public schools and for five years
HON. ELIAS R. ZELLER
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continued in the position of principal. He was then elected county superin- tendent, which position he filled for four years, and for seven years he actively and successfully engaged in county institute work. He had the ability to impart clearly and readily to others the knowledge that he had acquired and to inspire them with much of his own interest in advanced educational standards. His efforts have been of marked value to the schools of county and state, and he is one of the highly respected and honored educators of Iowa. He still maintains a deep interest in educational work and on various occasions assisted the state superintendent in carrying on the examinations after the new law went into effect. For several years he was president of the Winterset school board and did everything in his power to advance the interests of the schools in that place. While he has now practically retired from the field of education and of journal- ism, he yet gives supervision to the farm which he owns near Winterset.
In 1879 Mr. Zeller was united in marriage to Miss Hattie Cox, who was born in Madison county near Winterset, and they have become parents of three chil- dren: Katherine, the wife of N. L. Kale, who is living on her father's farm near Winterset ; Theodore C., at home ; and Joseph Walter, a graduate of the Iowa Wesleyan University, now attending law school at Harvard.
In politics Mr. Zeller has always been a stalwart advocate of republican prin- ciples and has done much to shape the policy of the party in his section of the state. In 1908 he was elected to the state legislature and was reelected in 1910, serving in the thirty-third and thirty-fourth general assemblies. He was made a member of a number of important committees, including the committees on appropriations, schools and agriculture. He was also chairman of the commit- tee on military affairs and a member of the railway committee. In fact he was connected altogether with ten different committees and has left the impress of his individuality upon the legislation enacted during the periods in which he was a member of the house. He belongs to Pitzer Post, No. 55, G. A. R., of Winter- set and is popular among his comrades of that order. Although now seventy years of age, he is still hale and hearty. Advanced years do not necessarily sug- gest idleness nor want of occupation. There is an old age in which the individual gives out of his rich stores of wisdom and experience for the benefit of others and such is the career of Mr. Zeller. He still does considerable writing for the press and yet looks after his farming interests, although making his home in Winterset. He has wisely used his time and talents throughout his entire life and the course which he has followed has been largely characterized by signal service for the benefit of the community in which he has lived.
GEORGE W. POFFINBARGER.
George W. Poffinbarger, a well known stone, brick and cement mason and contractor of Winterset, was born upon the site of this city on the 17th of June, 1850, a son of Samuel W. and Hannah (Smith) Poffinbarger. The father, who was born near Boonesboro, Washington county, Maryland, on the 10th of March, 1818, accompanied his parents to Ohio when about twelve years of age, settle- ment being made near Columbus. His father carried on agricultural work there
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for about six years and then removed with his family to Springfield, Illinois, arriving there when that section was still a frontier region. In 1846 Samuel W. Poffinbarger removed westward and settled in Jefferson county, Iowa, near Fair- field. Two years later he came to Madison county, where he had entered land and where the family remained until 1856, in which year they returned to Jeffer- son county. The father farmed there and worked on the construction of bridges for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad in that county. In 1859 he went to California, where he remained for three years, after which he went to the far north, penetrating to a point thirteen hundred miles above the mouth of the Fraser river. He kept a record of his trip until he reached the- Fraser and wrote of many interesting experiences. The boat in which he went up the Fraser river sank and he was in danger of his life. He returned home by way of South America and thus gained much knowledge concerning various parts of the west- ern hemisphere. In 1864 he settled in Jefferson township, this county, and purchased land, which he operated until 1875, when he went to Texas. During his early residence in this county he helped to cut the timbers with which the old St. Nicholas Hotel was built. He was well acquainted with a number of prominent men of his time, including Abraham Lincoln, Stephen A. Douglas, General Logan and Colonel Baker. The last named, whom he met on the plains, was killed at the battle of Bald Bluff while bringing back troops from Oregon. While living in Jefferson county Mr. Poffinbarger was among the first to keep a good grade of cattle, having started his herd with blooded stock brought from Pennsylvania by his father and a Mr. Gillette. Samuel W. Poffinbarger also raised hogs extensively and in an early day drove them to Keokuk, as that was the nearest market. Upon his removal to Texas he followed agricultural pursuits there for some time but subsequently went to Arkansas, and still later to Missouri. At the time of his death he was residing at Winterset with our subject. He was a democrat in his political belief and his religious faith was that of the Universal- ist church. He was a man of broad views and of scholarly tastes and was well read. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Hannah Smith, was born in Rock- castle county, Kentucky, in February, 1822, and arrived in Burlington, Iowa, in 18.14. To their union were born five children, of whom the subject of this review was the first in order of birth.
George W. Poffinbarger attended school in Abingdon, Iowa, pursuing his early studies in a log schoolhouse, and he was later a student in the schools of Winterset. When sixteen years of age he began learning the trade of a stone mason and has continued to follow that occupation to the present time. He also works in brick and cement and understands his trade thoroughly. He has of late years given much time and attention to general contracting and has erected a number of excellent buildings. He has filled contracts in stone work in various parts not only of this county but of the state, and his reputation is very high as a contractor as he insists upon everything being done in a workmanlike manner and always lives up to his contracts. He has held a number of county offices, beginning with 1884, when he was elected deputy county auditor. He held that position for about three years. and in 1888 was elected to the position of auditor on the fusion ticket. He served in that capacity for five years and proved very systematic and efficient in the discharge of his duties. He was also assessor of Lincoln and Center townships and has served as secretary of the
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school board in the former township. He is a socialist and has given much thought to the economic, social and political problems that have arisen in our modern complicated life and that seem to demand a change in our social order.
In 1886 Mr. Poffinbarger married Miss Ida Burd, who was born in Noble county, Indiana, of the marriage of S. S. and Mary (Hultz) Burd. Her father, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1831, was a blacksmith and farmer. In his young manhood he was married in Michigan City, Indiana, and later lived in Buffalo, Michigan. While a resident of the Wolverine state he turned his ener- gies to farming and stock-raising and continued in those occupations after his removal to Illinois in 1857. He lived in Menard county, that state, until 1865, when he arrived in this county, settling in Walnut township, where he became a well-to-do landowner. He raised, bought and fed stock extensively and gained a large measure of material prosperity. He was very active in church work, be- longing first to the Methodist Episcopal church and later to the Christian church. He quite frequently preached and held service in all parts of the county. In 1885 he retired from active life and removed to Winterset, where he was residing when he passed away on the 5th of May, 1911. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Mary Hultz, was born in Richmond county, Ohio, on the 21st of April, 1837, and is still living. They were the parents of twelve children, of whom Mrs. Poffinbarger is the second. Mr. and Mrs. Poffinbarger have one child living, a daughter, Jessie, who is clerking for the Graham Latimer Mercantile Company.
Mr. Poffinbarger is well known in local Masonic circles, belonging to the blue lodge, in which he has held the office of junior warden; the chapter, in which he is secretary ; and the council. He is intensely interested in local history and was one of the organizers of the Historical Society and also of the Old Settlers Picnic. He, with W. W. Gentry and S. W. Wilkinson, wrote the by-laws of the Old Settlers Association and he has continued to do all in his power to in- crease the knowledge of the early settlers and early conditions in this county, believing that the story of pioneer days is one that is well worthy of preservation for all generations and that it is one that has in it much inspiration, as it gives an account of the courageous conquering of obstacles and of disinterested devo- tion to the general good.
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