USA > Iowa > Madison County > History of Madison County, Iowa, and its people, Volume II > Part 20
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
by good crops annually. He also devoted a great deal of attention to stock- raising, specializing in shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs.
On June 23, 1864, Mr. Gentry married Miss Elinor J. Atchison, a native of Guernsey county, Ohio, born May 5, 1844, and a daughter of John and Jane (McDonald) Atchison. The father was born in Chenango county, Pennsylvania, November 11, 1811, and passed away in April, 1887, while the birth of the mother occurred in Ohio June 19, 1817, and she passed away in May, 1877. Mr. Atchison was a shoemaker and about 1860 removed from Ohio to Winterset, Iowa, where he continued to follow his trade. His son Martin was a soldier in the Civil war and was taken prisoner at Vicksburg and was never heard from thereafter. A number of years before his death Mr. Atchison removed to a farm belonging to our subject and followed agricultural pursuits during the remainder of his life. He was a member of the United Presbyterian church and active in its work.
Mr. and Mrs. Gentry are the parents of ten children : Margaret, the wife of H. E. Farris, a farmer of southwestern Missouri; John, who is now farming in Union township and who was formerly county superintendent of schools; Byron, who is married and is farming in South township; Sarah, who died when seventeen years of age; Belle, the wife of Dana M. Palmer, a veterinary surgeon of Ottawa, Illinois; William Francis, who is married and is engaged in farming in Lincoln township; Alexander, who died at nine years of age; Sylvia E., at home; Minnie M., the wife of A. P. Stickler, a farmer of Union township, by whom she has two children; and Mac, who is married and works in a garage at Winterset.
Mr. Gentry is a democrat and has held various township offices, discharging his duties to the satisfaction of his constituents. He is always willing to do anything in his power to promote the development of his locality and believes thoroughly in Madison county and the excellence of the opportunities here offered to a man of energy and ability. Practically his entire life has been spent in this county, where he accompanied his parents when but six years of age, and for almost seven decades he has been a witness of the wonderful changes that have taken place here and derives much statisfaction from the thought that he has done his share in bringing about the present prosperity of the county.
P. M. MCNAMARA.
P. M. McNamara, a prosperous citizen and representative agriculturist of Madison county, operates a well improved farm of one hundred and eighty acres on section 2, Lincoln township, and also owns another place of eighty acres in the same township as well as two hundred-acre tracts in Union township. His birth occurred in Des Moines, Polk county, Iowa, on the 25th of April, 1858, his par- ents being Martin and Mary (Linane) McNamara, both of whom were natives of Ireland. Their marriage, however, was celebrated in Des Moines, this state. Martin McNamara emigrated to America when twenty years of age and for a year and a half was employed at railroad work in Toronto, Canada. In 1854 he came to Iowa and traveled by stage from Burlington to Des Moines. There he was employed as a teamster, hauling goods from the Mississippi river to Des
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Moines, until 1867, when he took up his abode on a tract of rented land in Lee township, Madison county. About 1870 he purchased a tract of brush and prairie land in Union township and began its development and improvement, there suc- cessfully carrying on agricultural pursuits until he passed away in 1908. The period of his residence in this county covered more than four decades and his demise was deeply regretted by all who knew him. His political allegiance was given to the democracy and in religious faith both he and his wife were Cath- olics. The latter was called to her final rest in 1912. Their children were five in number, namely : P. M., of this review; Mary, who resides on the old home farm in Union township; John and James, both of whom follow farming in Union township; and Margaret, who is the wife of Hugh Rogers, of Warren .county.
P. M. McNamara was reared to manhood on the homestead and attended the country schools in the acquirement of an education. When twenty-one years of age he began to learn the plumber's trade but abandoned that occupation and for seven years devoted his time and energies to general agricultural pursuits. Subse- quently he again turned his attention to the plumbing trade and for twenty years was a member of the firm of Wallace & McNamara, plumbers of Des Moines, doing an extensive business in Iowa, Kansas and other states that sometimes amounted to one hundred thousand dollars in one year. Eight years ago he sold out and purchased his present farm of one hundred and eighty acres on section 2, Lincoln township, known as the Beerbower place. There was a good set of build- ings on the property, but he has made extensive improvements in the way of tiling and the farm is now very valuable and productive. Mr. McNamara makes a specialty of fancy registered Polled Angus cattle and feeds from two to four .carloads of cattle and hogs annually. He also owns another excellently improved farm of eighty acres in Lincoln township, as well as two one-hundred-acre tracts in Union township, and is widely recognized as a progressive and prosperous agri- ·culturist of the community. He was made president of the Winterset Savings Bank in 1912, serving for one year, and has been a director of the institution since 1908. He is likewise interested in the Iowa Live Stock Insurance Company and in the First National Fire Insurance Company of Washington, D. C.
In April, 1896, in Des Moines, Mr. McNamara was united in marriage to Miss Ella Burke, a native of Pennsylvania, by whom he has two children, Ernest and Margaret. The religious faith of the family is that of the Catholic church. Mr. McNamara is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. He has always lived in this part of the state and has won a host of warm friends here.
ELMER K. COLE.
Among the men whose initiative and business ability have been used not only to secure their own advancement, but also to further the commercial growth of Winterset is Elmer K. Cole, co-partner in the Scarless Remedy Company and Munson Manufacturing Company, both of Winterset. He is a native of this county, born on the 10th of May, 1877, a son of John S. W. and Flora ( Kester )
ELMER K. COLE
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
Cole. The father, who was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, in 1847, accompanied his parents to Ohio in 1855, and ten years later came with them to Douglas township, this county. He immediately began farming here and suc- cessfully managed his agricultural and live-stock interests. He became owner of one of the first threshing machines in Madison county and followed threshing in the fall of the year for several years. In 1874 he was married to Miss Flora Kester of Dallas county, Iowa, and to this union were born six children, five daughters and one son: Ethel, Elmer K., Bertha, Elizabeth, Lenore and Lela, all growing to maturity except Lela, who died at the age of four months.
In 1879 the Cole family removed from Douglas township to Scott township, where they resided until 1893, when they moved to Winterset. During the active years of his life John S. W. Cole was a public-spirited and progressive citizen, taking part in the affairs of his township and county. During his residence in Winterset he was engaged in different lines of business until his health failed and he was forced to retire, passing away in 1906. He was an active member of the greenback party and later of the populist party. His wife, a daughter of Aaron Kester, was born in Knox county, Ohio, in 1850, and came with her parents by boat down the Ohio and up the Mississippi river to Keokuk, Iowa, and over- land to Palmyra, Warren county, Iowa, in 1855. At that time Palmyra was the center of a large Quaker settlement, and Aaron Kester having been raised a Quaker naturally sought those of the faith of his fathers. He was engaged in the mercantile business in Warren county for some time. His wife passed away a short time after their arrival in Iowa, leaving three small children, who were taken back to Ohio and cared for by friends until the father had made a new home for them. In the early '6os the Kester family removed to Guthrie county, Iowa, where they resided for several years. Flora Kester secured an education in the public schools of Guthrie and Dallas counties and was a successful teacher prior to her marriage. She is at the present time making her home with a daugh- ter in Jasper county, Iowa.
Elmer K. Cole received his education in the district schools of Scott town- ship and during parts of two winters spent in the grade schools of Winterset. He followed farming until the year 1896, when he became interested with his father in the general delivery business in Winterset, which he followed for a short time, later being employed in a furniture store. In 1897 he began taking private les- sons in short hand and in 1898 began work as a stenographer in the law office of J. P. Steele and C. A. Robbins, where he read some law. In 1900 he became interested with I. J. Ketman in the manufacturing of Scarless Liniment, and spent several years in placing this preparation on the market, first by canvassing the country selling to farmers and stockmen, and later selling to the trade. This venture was the beginning of the Scarless Remedy Company, which now has a line of fourteen preparations for stock and poultry which are sold quite gen- erally over the central part of the United States. In 1913 he became associated with I. J. Ketman, H. H. Munson and Clarence Macumber in the formation of a new concern known as the Munson Manufacturing Company, which makes the Little Daisy revolving cultivator shields and which has proven to be a great improvement over the old style shields. Mr. Cole finds that his connection with the two above named concerns makes heavy demands upon his time and is con- centrating his attention upon directing those industries.
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In 1903 Mr. Cole married Miss Alberta Veneman, who was born and grew to womanhood on a farm near Maxwell, Story county, lowa, a daughter of Hon. W. J. and Margaret (Kirby) Veneman, who were born in Indiana and came to Iowa in an early day, the father being one of the early settlers at Cory Grove, Polk county, Iowa. In 1861, when but seventeen years of age, he became a mem- ber of Company B, Thirty-ninth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, enlisting at Des Moines. He served throughout the Civil war, and at one time was taken prisoner and confined at Milan prison for several months. Following the close of the war he returned to Polk county, Iowa, and there taught in the rural schools for a time. In 1866 he was married to Margaret Kirby and in a short time removed to Story county, Iowa, where he has resided ever since. Mr. Veneman has always been active in political and religious circles, was a member of the legislature in 1898 and 1900, and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. His wife passed away in 1912. They were the parents of six children, Mrs. Cole being the fifth in order of birth. By her marriage she has become the mother of three children : Donald V., born June 6, 1904; Dorothy, born October 23, 1906; and Elizabeth, whose natal day was the 27th of May, 1909. Mrs. Cole is quite active in church and Sunday-school work, and the Cole residence is a favorite meeting place for the many friends of the family.
Mr. Cole is one of the leaders of the progressive party and has been chairman of the county organization since the birth of the party. In 1912 he was appointed mayor of Winterset and his administration was characterized by the efficient man- agement of municipal affairs, as he applied the principles of business to the gov- ernment of the city. On the 20th of March, 1915, he was elected to that office for a term of two years. He does not allow his business and political interests to monopolize his time, however, and is quite prominent in church circles, being a trustee in the First Baptist church, and has served as superintendent of the Sun- day school. His energy and efficiency have made it possible for him to take an active part in still other phases of the community life, and he was one of the men who made the Madison County Chautauqua Association a success. Fraternally he is connected with the Masonic order and is at present junior warden of the local blue lodge. Men such as he, notable alike for their ability and public spirit, are among the best assets that a community can have, and he is deservedly held in the highest respect by his fellow citizens.
G. M. GROUT.
G. M. Grout, who is the proprietor of a feed, coal and grain store in Win- terset and also owns a sale barn here, is a well known and esteemed resident of this city. He was born in Knox county, Illinois, November 1, 1856, of the mar- riage of John Chester and Charlotte (Winchel) Grout. The father was born on the Ist of November, 1828, in the state of New York, and the mother in Ran- dolph, Portage county, Ohio, on the 29th of November, 1836. They resided in Knox county, Illinois, for a number of years and the father followed agricultural pursuits there, continuing in that occupation after the removal of the family to Winterset in 1872. He died in 1906, and his wife still survives him.
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G. M. Grout received his early education in Knox county, Illinois, and was later for one year a student in the schools of Nebraska, in which state the family lived for a short time. Subsequently he concentrated his attention upon helping his father with the farm work and so continued until he was twenty-one years of age. He then rented a farm for two years, after which he purchased seventy-six acres in Scott township, this county, having lived frugally and husbanded his resources with the end in view of becoming a landowner. After cultivating his place for four years he traded it for an eighty-acre tract, upon which he remained for ten years. In the meantime he had bought what is known as the Walnut Grove farm in Scott township, an excellent place, comprising one hundred and ten acres. After operating that farm for ten years he sold it and purchased the Cox farm of one hundred and forty-five acres, also in Scott township, upon which he remained for six years. He divided his attention between the cultivation of the soil and the raising of stock and found that the two phases of work coordi- nated well. In 1907 he removed to Winterset and turned his energies into mer- cantile lines, opening a feed, coal and grain business, in connection with which he conducts a sale barn. In the eight years that he has been a factor in the com- mercial life of Winterset he has demonstrated his business ability, shrewdness and energy and has the respect of all who have had dealings with him.
On the 25th of December, 1878, Mr. Grout married Miss Luella Compton, a daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth ( Salisbury) Compton, who removed from In- diana to Warren county, Iowa, in the early days of the history of this state. About 1860 they took up their residence in Madison county and the father, who was a miller by trade, found employment in the old Buffalo mills, one of the first mills in this county. Mr. and Mrs. Grout have five children: Grace, who married William H. Blake, of Winterset; Walter F., of South Dakota, who married Miss Bessie Young, by whom he has a daughter, Ethel; Ray, a farmer in Scott town- ship, who married Miss May Buchanan, by whom he has two children, Nelson and Russell; Elsie, who married Robert Danforth, of Winterset, by whom she has a son, Halstead ; and Delos, at home.
Mr. Grout votes the republican ticket, as his views upon political questions coincide with its principles, and he has been elected to a number of township offices. The high standard of ethics to which he adheres is indicated by his membership in the Methodist Episcopal church and his life is an influence for good in his community. He is public spirited and although the greater part of his time is given to the conduct of his business interests he is glad to cooperate with measures that seek to upbuild his community along lines of business, civic and moral advancement.
CHRISTIAN FREY.
Christian Frey was for a number of years actively and successfully identified with agricultural pursuits in this county but now lives retired at Earlham, enjoy- ing the fruits of his former toil in well earned ease. His birth occurred in Butler county, Ohio, on the 25th of January, 1847, his parents being John and Catherine (Stookey) Frey, the former a native of France and the latter of
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
Germany. They emigrated to the United States in 1833, locating in Butler county, Ohio, where the father carried on farming until 1855, when he removed to Illinois. In that state he purchased a farm and throughout the remainder of his life devoted his attention to its operation, passing away in 1859. His wife was called to her final rest in the year 1880.
Christian Frey, who was a lad of eight years when he accompanied his parents on their removal to Illinois, acquired his education in the schools of that state and remained at home until he had attained the age of eighteen. He then secured employment as a farm hand and was thus engaged for seven years, while subse- quently he cultivated rented land until 1895. In that year he came to Madison county, Iowa, and purchased and improved a farm in Jackson township which he operated for several years. On disposing of that property he bought an excel- lently improved farm of one hundred and sixty acres which he cultivated con- tinuously and successfully until March, 1912, when he put aside the active work of the fields and took up his abode in Earlham, where he owns a pleasant home and now resides in honorable retirement.
On the 31st of December, 1872, Mr. Frey was united in marriage to Miss Caroline Troyer, a daughter of Jonas and Elizabeth ( Miller) Troyer, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania. They took up their abode in Illinois at a very early day and in that state the father carried on farming during the re- mainder of his life, passing away in 1889 at the age of eighty-seven years. His wife was eighty-two years old at the time of her demise in 1890. To Mr. and Mrs. Frey have been born ten children, as follows: Eva, who died at the age of sixteen months, in 1876; Nellie, who gave her hand in marriage to Fred Lentz, a farmer of this county; Walter, who passed away when two years old; Maggie, who is the wife of Jesse Rehard and resides in Montana; George, an agricul- turist of Madison county ; Willie, who died when two years old; Alpha, who died at the age of eight months; Harry, who operates his father's farm south of Earlham; Jesse, who makes his home in Montana; and a twin brother of Jesse who died at birth.
Mr. Frey gives his political allegiance to the republican party and in religious faith is a Methodist. He has come to be known as a man of tried integrity and worth, commanding by reason of his upright and honorable life the respect, con- fidence and esteem of all with whom he has been associated.
BARNETT WILSON.
Barnett Wilson, a retired farmer who has resided in Earlham since 1907, has lived in this part of the state for nearly six decades and was long and actively identified with agricultural interests here. His birth occurred near Indianapolis, Marion county, Indiana, on the 23d of April, 1841, his parents being Thomas and Ruth ( Barnett) Wilson, both of whom were natives of Ohio. The paternal grandparents of our subject removed to the Buckeye state in 1803 and it was
BARNETT WILSON AND FAMILY
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in that year that the birth of their son Thomas occurred. The latter went to Indiana in a very early day and purchased a half section of land in Marion county, which he cleared and improved, operating the place until November, 1857, when he drove with his family across the country to Madison county, Iowa, with an ox team. They drove twenty head of sheep and forty head of cattle before them. Thomas Wilson had previously entered some land in this county and on his arrival here he purchased the north half of section 16, Penn township. It was upon the southeast quarter of that section that the first house in Penn township was erected, it being a pioneer log cabin. Improving the prop- erty, Mr. Wilson operated it successfully for a number of years. The remainder of his life was spent in honorable retirement at Earlham and his demise occurred while he was visiting a daughter in Polk county, March 10, 1888. His wife passed away on the 12th of May, 1885. They were among the earliest settlers of this county, and at the time of their arrival there were only seven voters in Penn township, four republicans and three democrats. They became the parents of twelve children, two of whom died in Indiana, while ten accompanied them to Iowa. The record is as follows: Margaret, Hulda, Seth, Jesse, Barnett, Chris- topher, Charles, Tamer and John. twins, Martha, Ruth and Jane. Five of the number are now living.
Barnett Wilson acquired his education in the schools of his native state and was a youth of sixteen years when the family home was established in Madison county, lowa. He remained under the parental roof until twenty-two years of age and subsequently cultivated rented land for two years, on the expiration of which period he purchased a tract of one hundred and twenty acres in Dallas county, a mile and a half from Earlham. Later he extended the boundaries of his farm by additional purchase until it now embraces one hundred and ninety- five acres of productive land and is a valuable and highly improved property. For twenty-five years he made a specialty of shorthorn cattle and he also raised Poland China hogs and Percheron and Morgan horses, his live-stock interests adding materially to his income. In 1907 he put aside the active work of the fields and removed to Earlham, where he bought a pleasant and commodious residence and has since made his home.
On the 20th of March, 1864, Mr. Wilson was united in marriage to Miss Thamson Haines, a daughter of William J. and Elizabeth (Lippincott) Haines, both of whom were natives of Burlington county, New Jersey. They removed to Ohio in an early day and subsequently took up their abode in Randolph county, Indiana, where Mr. Haines followed agricultural pursuits and also conducted a hotel until 1858, when he came to Iowa, purchasing and improving a farm in Guthrie county, which he operated for a number of years. His last days were spent in honorable retirement in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, his death occurring on the 22d of October, 1891. For four years he had survived his wife, who passed away in September, 1887. Their children were three in number, namely : Ner B., Thamson and Rebecca A. To Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have been born five children, as follows: Lizzie, Nellie, Mary, Ida and William J.
In his political views Mr. Wilson is a progressive, stanchly advocating the principles of the party as set forth by Theodore Roosevelt. While living on the farm he served as trustee and also in the capacity of school director, proving a capable and trustworthy public official. His religious faith is that of the Friends
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church. He has now passed the seventy-fourth milestone on life's journey and his record cannot fail to prove of interest to many of our readers, being that of one of Madison county's well known and most respected citizens.
JOHN A. GUIHER.
Among the successful attorneys of Winterset is numbered John A. Guiher, who was born in Waynesburg. Pennsylvania, in 1858, a son of Dr. James and Rebecca (Throckmorton) Guiher. The father, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1820, passed away in June, 1869, and the mother was born in Greene county, Pennsylvania, in 1834, and lived until March, 1908. Dr. Guiher attended the Jef- ferson Medical College of Philadelphia and upon completing his course began the practice of medicine, becoming a physician of Waynesburg, where he re- mained until about 1865. His health failed at that time and he removed to a farm near that city and for some time devoted his attention to agricultural pur- suits, but on recovering his health he returned to Waynesburg, where he engaged in the mercantile business until the time of his death. He was identified with the Methodist church but was willing to uphold the work of all churches and was very liberal in his contributions. He was a republican and was one of the leaders in political circles in his locality. He was also very active as a temperance worker. To him and his wife were born five children, of whom John A. Guiher is the eldest.
The last named attended the Waynesburg College after completing his prepar- atory work and was for a while a student in the law department of the University of Pennsylvania. Before this time, or when he was eighteen years of age, he had learned the painter's trade, which he followed for two years. In preparation for the legal profession he entered the law office of Wyly, Buchanan & Walton and pursued his study there. When in the law school in Philadelphia he was for nine months in the office of Vaux & Arnold, of that city. In 1881 he was admitted to the bar in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, and practiced his profession there until September, 1883, when he came to Winterset. He associated himself with A. R. Dabney and the firm became known as a reliable and able one. He now has as a partner his brother, W. T. Guiher. They engage in the general practice of law and are represented in much of the most important litigation in the courts of the county. Our subject is also a director and stockholder in the Madison County State Bank, which he aided in organizing in November, 1889. He likewise owns land in the county. From 1897 to 1901 he was county attorney and proved aggres- sive and efficient in that capacity. Mr. Guiher was appointed railroad commis- sioner by Governor Clarke in January, 1915, to succeed N. S. Ketchum, deceased, of Marshalltown, Iowa.
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