USA > Iowa > Madison County > History of Madison County, Iowa, and its people, Volume II > Part 24
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Mrs. Davis is an active worker in church circles and she has many friends in the community. Mr. Davis is also one of the influential members of the United Presbyterian church and for forty years has served as elder. His political ad- herence is given to the republican party and he is never remiss in the duties of a good citizen. As a member of the Grand Army of the Republic he keeps in touch with his comrades of the Civil war and finds much pleasure in his association with them. Integrity and rectitude have always characterized him, and the evening of his life is crowned with the honor due him.
J. A. CAMERON.
J. A. Cameron, who owns and operates an excellent farm embracing two hundred and forty acres of land on sections 3 and 10. Lincoln township, was born on that place on the 6th of September, 1855. His parents were W. B. and Maria (Gaff) Cameron, both of whom were natives of Ohio, the former born on the 17th of June, 1817. The father came to Madison county in June, 1853, and pur- chased a tract of land of one hundred and sixty acres on sections 3 and 10, Lincoln township, which was partly broken and on which a little log cabin and frame stable had been erected. He improved the property to a considerable
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extent, extended the boundaries of his farm by an additional purchase of forty acres and continued its operation during the remainder of his life, passing away on the 24th of February, 1892. He had lived in the community for nearly four decades and his demise was the occasion of deep and widespread regret. He was twice married, his first wife passing away on the 4th of March, 1858. She had two children: J. A., of this review; and Mary, who died November 5, 1857, in infancy. For his second wife Mr. Cameron chose Miss Martha Duff, a native of Ohio, by whom he also had two children, namely : Martha J., who is a resident of Winterset ; and Eber, who died in 1893.
J. A. Cameron was reared to manhood on the home farm and acquired his education in the country schools and at Winterset. When twenty-two years of age he went to Kansas and purchased a tract of three hundred and twenty acres of railroad land whereon he resided for four years. On the expiration of that period he returned to Madison county and bought one hundred and sixty acres of unimproved land in Jackson township which he developed and cultivated con- tinuously for twenty-nine years. Two years ago he purchased the old home farm in Lincoln township from his sister and has since operated the place, which com- prises two hundred and forty acres on sections 3 and 10. The pursuit of general farming has claimed his attention throughout his entire business career and suc- cess has attended his well directed efforts in gratifying degree.
As a companion and helpmate on the journey of life Mr. Cameron chose Miss Rebecca McCord, whose birth occurred in Mahaska county, Iowa, on the 27th of September, 1859. her parents being Robert and Jane (Murphy) McCord, the former born in Scotland and the latter in Ireland. Both have passed away. To Mr. and Mrs. Cameron have been born five children, as follows: William, who wedded Miss Blanche Stewart and has one child, Helen ; Nellie, the wife of F. A. Ham, with whom she resides on her father's farm and by whom she has one child, Harold; Walter, who married Miss Della Fife and lives in Polk county, Iowa : Arthur, at home; and Jessie, who died in childhood. William, the eldest son, is an employe of Montgomery Ward & Company and was formerly in Chi- cago but is now in the service of the concern at New York city.
Mr. Cameron gives his political allegiance to the democratic party and has served in the capacity of school director, the cause of education ever finding in him a stanch champion. His religious faith is indicated by his membership in the United Presbyterian church, to which his wife also belongs. With the exception of a few years he has made his home in this county from his birth to the present time and he is widely recognized as one of its esteemed and substantial citizens.
MICHAEL GAMBLE.
Michael Gamble, a resident of Winterset, is entitled to representation in this work as he is a veteran of the Civil war and also as he was for a number of years an active farmer of the county. He is a native of Indiana county, Pennsylvania, born May 1, 1844, of the marriage of Robert and Margaret (Lowman) Gamble, both natives of Pennsylvania. The father was born in 1800 and the mother in 1808, and they passed away respectively in 1881 and 1897.
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Robert Gamble learned cabinetmaking and painting and in 1845 removed to Ohio, where he followed his trades until 1854. In that year he came to Madison county, Iowa, settling on one hundred and twenty acres of government land in Crawford township, where he resided until his death. He carried on general farming and stock-raising and added to his holdings, owning in all one hundred and seventy acres. Pioneer conditions prevailed when he first settled here and he was a factor in the work of development and improvement. He was a charter member and one of the organizers of the Montpelier Presbyterian church. His political allegiance was given to the republican party and he held a number of township offices.
Michael Gamble was the fifth in a family of seven children and attended school in a milk house, in which the only seats were benches. His first teacher was Miss Sarah G. Gamble, who taught the first school in Crawford township. Subsequently he attended school in the first schoolhouse built in the county. On the 20th of May, 1864, he enlisted in Company E, Forty-seventh Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and served faithfully and bravely until he was no longer needed by the government and upon returning to private life he resumed farming. In 1870 he purchased more land and began the operation of his property, which is in Craw- ford township. He owns in all two hundred and twenty acres of land and while actively engaged in its cultivation proved industrious, energetic and judicious, gaining a fair measure of success.
On the 10th of March, 1870, Mr. Gamble was married to Miss Esther McLees, who was born in Jefferson county, Ohio, on the 30th of January, 1852, a daughter of Anderson and Sarah J. (Mckinney) McLees, both of whom were natives of County Antrim, Ireland, the father born in 1820 and the mother a year pre- viously. Mr. McLees died in 1902, but his widow survived until 1910. In 1836 Mrs. McLees arrived in the United States and in 1845 Mr. McLees emigrated here. He was a weaver by trade, which he followed in Philadelphia until 1851, when he removed to the vicinity of Richmond, Ohio. In 1854 he came to Iowa, by way of the river to Keokuk. He settled in Crawford township, Madison county, taking up eighty acres of good land. He was a neighbor of the father of our subject and was highly esteemed in his community. He was quite prominent in local politics and held a number of local offices. He was a charter member and one of the organizers of the Montpelier United Presbyterian church of Crawford. To him and his wife were born seven children, of whom Mrs. Gam- ble was the second in order of birth. She is a member of the Woman's Relief Corps and is also active in church work.
Mr. and Mrs. Gamble have three children : Loretta E., the wife of Rev. M. M. Milford, a United Presbyterian minister of Saxman, Kansas; Jessie E., who gave her hand in marriage to Rev. R. C. Gibson, pastor of the Presbyterian church at Loveland, Colorado, by whom she has a son, Frank L. ; and Robert A., who was born in 1879 and is a graduate of the Still College of Osteopathy at Des Moines and of the College of Physicians and Surgeons at St. Louis, Missouri. He is now practicing at Atlantic, Iowa, and is married.
Mr. Gamble is stanch in his support of the republican party and has served as trustee and in other township offices. His religious faith is that of the United Presbyterian church and he is quite active in Sunday-school work. In 1912 he felt that he had accumulated a sufficient store of this world's goods and retired to
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Winterset, where he is highly esteemed as a man and citizen. He has long been a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and values highly the associations of that body.
EDWARD M. SMITH.
Edward M. Smith has been connected with Madison county in a number of ways but probably his greatest service has been as editor of the Madisonian, one of the leading papers of the county. He was born on the 31st of October, 1870, in Jackson county, Iowa, a son of John M. and Jane (Courtney) Smith. Both were born in Ireland, the father in County Down and the mother in County Antrim, and both were left orphans when small children. As soon as old enough to make their own way they emigrated to the new world and here fought their own battles unaided, having no influential friends to assist them. They were married at Brookline, Massachusetts, and in 1869 removed to eastern Iowa, where their youngest son, Edward M., was born upon a farm. They removed to Madison county in 1886 and located upon a fine farm of three hundred and fif- teen acres in Jackson township. There the father passed away in January, 1909, and the mother joined him in death five years later. Both were members of the Presbyterian church. Their family numbered four sons, James A., William J., Samuel C. and Edward M.
The last named as a boy and youth lived under the parental roof and much of his time was taken up in attending the public schools. He was also for two terms a student in the Dexter Normal School and for one term in Drake Univer- sity at Des Moines. For several years he taught school during the winters in this county, his excellent education and his executive ability fitting him for the profession of teaching. During that time he devoted the summers to farm work. From 1808 to 1900 he was county superintendent of schools and in that capacity demonstrated his ability to successfully direct the work of others. When, in 1900, he left that office, he, in connection with Homer Thompson, purchased the Mad- isonian, one of the oldest papers in southern Iowa. After four years Mr. Smith bought the interest of Mr. Thompson and has since conducted the paper alone. He has maintained a high standard of excellence in the news and editorial col- umns, and that he is an able business man is proven by the fact that he has built up an unusually large advertising patronage and employs a number of repre- sentatives on the road. The paper ranks among the best of the weeklies pub- lished in Iowa and exercises a large influence upon affairs in this county, an influence which is always on the side of justice and advancement.
On the Ist of June, 1898, Mr. Smith married Miss Evalyn Crossley, a native of this county and a daughter of John W. and Cynthia (Hardy ) Crossley, pioneer settlers of this part of the state. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have four children : Marion, sixteen years of age; Ruth, fourteen; Frances, nine; and Dorothy, three.
Mr. Smith is a republican and served as postmaster of Winterset under Pres- ident Roosevelt from 1905 to 1908 inclusive. Fraternally his connections are with the Masons and the Knights of Pythias. In the former order he belongs not only to the blue lodge but also to the Des Moines Consistory, in which he
EDWARD M. SMITH
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has taken the thirty-second degree, and to the Mystic Shrine. Both he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church and are among those who carry on the work of that organization. The man who successfully conducts a weekly newspaper must have well balanced powers and abilities, as he must readily rec- ognize the news value of copy, must possess a lucid, forceful style of writing, must understand the conditions and needs of his community and must also have considerable knowledge of typographical work and be an energetic business man. If his paper is to be a power in the community he must also have the courage of his convictions and be willing to champion a righteous cause, even if it is at first unpopular. Mr. Smith has succeeded admirably in his work and is held in high esteem, not only in his community but among his fellow workers of the press of the state.
JOHN COX.
John Cox, a retired farmer and carpenter of Winterset, was born in Clinton county, Ohio, February 13, 1849, and accompanied his parents to this county when but a child. He attended the Guiberson district school of Union township and also pursued his studies for a time in a log schoolhouse in Jefferson town- ship. Upon starting out for himself he operated a part of his father's farm in Union township but in 1872 purchased land and concentrated his energies upon its cultivation. From time to time he added to his property until he became the owner of four hundred and forty acres. He followed general farming and his labors were rewarded by a good financial return from his land. In 1900 he sold his holdings and removed to Winterset, where he has followed the carpenter's trade to some extent, although ill health compels him to live partially retired.
On the IIth of November, 1869, Mr. Cox married Miss Nancy McDonald, who was born in Guernsey county, Ohio, in June, 1849, and died on the 3Ist of November, 1901. Her parents were William and Jane ( Atchinson ) McDonald, who in 1858 removed to this county, settling in Jefferson township, where the father owned considerable land. He was a man of progressive views and took a keen interest in public affairs. He served as supervisor for some time and in 1865 was chairman of the board. He was also active in church circles and helped to organize the United Presbyterian church of Jefferson township. He passed away upon his farm and his death was sincerely mourned. To him and his wife were born six children, of whom Mrs. Cox was the youngest. By her marriage she became the mother of five children: Harriet, who was born November 17, 1870, married M. E. Addy, a farmer of Madison township, by whom she has five children. Charles A., a farmer of Douglas township, who was born October 18, 1872, is married and has four children. William Riley, born December 15, 1877, is farming in South Dakota and has one child. LeRoy was born Septem- ber 26, 1882. Beulah is the wife of C. L. Cox, of Winterset, by whom she has one child. On the 16th of January, 1904, Mr. Cox married Miss Barbara Mills, a native of Douglas township, this county, and a daughter of Enos and Elizabeth (Baldwin) Mills, further mention of whom is made elsewhere in this work.
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Mr. Cox is a republican and for three terms served as township clerk and for six years as assessor. His religions faith is that of the United Brethren church, in whose teachings he finds the guiding principles of his life. He is a valued citizen of Winterset and has many friends who hold him in the highest regard.
MARTIN V. VANDEBURG.
Martin V. Vandeburg, who owns a fine farm of two hundred and forty acres in Madison county, is now living retired in Winterset, having accumulated a competence by following agricultural pursuits in former years. He was born in Greene county, New York, on the 4th of May, 1843, a son of James D. and Merilla (Crosby) Vandeburg, both representatives of the original colony that emigrated to the New Netherlands from Holland. The father was employed in a tannery in New York in his early manhood but after his marriage took up his residence upon a farm in Greene county, that state. In 1857 he and his brother engaged in the tanning business in Ulster county, New York, on their own account. Four years later, however, he came westward, first settling in La Salle county, Illinois, where he resided for about five years. In 1866 he removed with his family to Rock Island county, Illinois, where he acquired land. He raised stock to a considerable extent and had a fine herd of Durham cattle. In 1875 he became a resident of Shelby county, Iowa, where he became a landowner, and he was residing at Walnut, Iowa, at the time of his death. While living in both New York and Illinois he was elected to township offices, proving an able and conscientious official. The Methodist Episcopal church in the various communi- ties in which he lived found in him a loyal and consistent member. His political belief coincided with the principles of the democratic party, which he supported at the polls. He was twice married, the subject of this review being the second of six children born to the first union.
Martin V. Vandeburg attended the public schools in Greene and Ulster coun- ties, New York, and thus acquired his education. His first business experience was gained in a store operated by a tannery company for the benefit of its em- ployes. He subsequently accompanied the family to Illinois, where he resided until 1875. In that year he came to Webster township, Madison county, Iowa, and continued to live there until 1904. He bought land and concentrated his attention upon general farming and stock-raising. He fed many hogs annually and a number of cattle. In time he acquired three hundred and sixty acres of land but has now disposed of one hundred and twenty acres, still owning two hundred and forty acres.
On the 3d of April, 1863, Mr. Vandeburg was married to Miss Melvina Reeves, who was born in Pennsylvania. Her parents, Harvey and Phoebe ( Hog- lan) Reeves, were natives of Ohio and Pennsylvania respectively. Her father was a farmer in Pennsylvania and upon emigrating westward settled in Rock Island county, Illinois, where he owned land. He was residing there at the time of his death and was a very active and popular resident of that county. He was well- to-do and had considerable influence in public affairs. His business was that
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of making atlases and he published atlases of several counties in the state of Illinois. One of his sons gave his life in defense of the Union, being killed at the front during the Civil war. Mr. and Mrs. Vandeburg have three children : Minnie is the wife of John Wilson, a farmer and landowner residing at Kimball, South Dakota, by whom she has six children, Nellie, Ernest, Florence, Gertrude, Estella and Marion. Arthur is farming in Webster township. Jennie is the wife of Ray Wilson, an agriculturist of Webster township, by whom she has three children, Lois, Paul and Donald.
Mr. Vandeburg is a democrat and for eight years served as township trustee. He has done much to further the work of the Maple Grove Methodist Episcopal church, of which he was trustee for many years. He was also a member of the building committee when the church edifice was erected. During the eleven years that he has resided in Winterset he has cooperated in a number of movements for the good of the community and is one of the most valued residents of the city.
JOHN B. OLDHAM.
John B. Oldham, who has resided in Madison county for fifty-eight years, was actively identified with agricultural pursuits throughout his entire business career and now makes his home in Winterset, where he has lived retired since 1909. His birth occurred in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, on the 22d of August, 1844, his parents being Andrew and Catherine (Boden) Oldham, who were born, reared and married in the Keystone state. In 1847 they removed to Muskingum county, Ohio, and a decade later came to Madison county, Iowa, making the journey by water to Keokuk and thence by teams to their destination. Andrew Oldham pur- chased a tract of raw prairie land in Madison township and with characteristic energy began the development and improvement of the property. As the years passed success attended his efforts and at the time of his demise he owned four hundred acres of productive and valuable land. He died when seventy-eight years of age, while his wife was called to hier final rest when sixty-eight years old, both passing away in the faith of the Missionary Baptist church. In his political views Mr. Oldham was a stanch republican.
John B. Oldham was one of a family of five children and a youth of thirteen when he came to this county with his parents. He attended the public schools in the acquirement of an education and remained under the parental roof until twenty-six years of age, when he was married and established a home of his own. During the following ten years he rented a portion of the home farm and when his mother died took up his abode thereon and managed the property until the time of his father's demise, when he fell heir to one hundred and sixty acres. The operation thereof claimed his time and energies until 1909, when he put aside the active work of the fields, rented the farm to his son and took up his abode in Winterset, where he has since lived retired, owning a pleasant home.
On the 6th of October, 1870, Mr. Oldham was united in marriage to Miss Buena Vista Klingman, who was born in Guernsey county, Ohio, December 22, 1850, her parents being John and Elizabeth (Sims) Klingman, the former a native of Center county, Pennsylvania, and the latter of Muskingum county, Ohio.
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Mr. Klingman followed the trade of wagon making in the Buckeye state but in 1867 came to Madison county, Iowa, and purchased land in Madison township, where he carried on farming until his death at the age of eighty-nine years. Both he and his wife were devoted members of the Methodist church and the latter passed away in that faith when in the sixty-seventh year of her age. They had eight children, of whom six came to the west and two were born in this county, Mrs. Oldham being seventeen years of age when she accompanied her parents on their removal here. By her marriage she has become the mother of five chil- dren, as follows: Elmer, who died when three years old; Bertha, who is the wife of S. W. Henkle, Jr., a farmer of Madison township; Leslie A., who rents the old homestead farm; Cora, the wife of Clyde Duff; who also follows farming in Madison township; and Josephine, who gave her hand in marriage to Chester B. Stanley, of Earlham, Iowa.
Mr. Oldham exercises his right of franchise in support of the men and meas- ures of the republican party but has never sought nor desired the honors and emoluments of office. His religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Methodist church, to which his wife also belongs. He has passed the Psalmist's allotted span of three score years and ten and enjoys the veneration and respect which should ever be accorded one who has traveled thus far on life's journey and whose career has been at all times upright and honorable.
JOSEPH R. SOLE.
Joseph R. Sole has lived in Madison county for the past forty-five years and is widely recognized as one of its substantial agriculturists and representative citizens, operating a farm of eighty acres on section 7, Madison township, adjoin- ing the town of Earlham. He likewise owns a tract of similar size on section 8 of the same township, and has five acres of timber land on section 22. His birth occurred in Virginia on the 25th of August, 1846, his parents being George W. and Sidney (Collins) Sole, who were likewise natives of that state. The father was an agriculturist by occupation and throughout his entire business career operated a farm in Virginia, where his demise occurred on the 12th of October, 1901, when he had attained the age of eighty-three years. His wife was called to her final rest in 1854.
Joseph R. Sole was reared and educated in his native state and there spent the first twenty-four years of his life. In 1870 he came to Madison county, Iowa, and for one term attended school at Winterset. He also taught school for a time in early life. He worked as a farm hand in Union township for one year and subsequently cultivated rented land in that township until 1884, when he purchased a tract of one hundred and thirteen acres and later bought twenty acres more in Union township. He improved this property and operated it suc- cessfully until 1903, when he disposed of the farm and purchased a tract of eighty acres on section 8, Madison township, which he also improved. Subse- quently he bought and improved an eighty-acre tract on section 7, adjoining the town of Earlham, which he has operated continuously to the present time, also still owning the farm on section 8. In connection with the cultivation of cereals
MR. AND MRS. JOSEPHI R. SOLE
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best adapted to soil and climate he devotes considerable attention to live stock, feeding about two carloads of cattle annually.
On the 30th of November, 1871, Mr. Sole was united in marriage to Miss Ruth Cox, a daughter of Eli and Mary ( Mills) Cox, who were natives of Ohio and Indiana respectively. The father, a contractor, bridge builder and farmer, took up his abode among the pioneer residents of Madison township, this county, and erected the first schoolhouses and bridges here. Eventually he purchased a farm in Union township, which he improved and which his sons operated, as his attention was demanded by his contracting business. His demise occurred in Winterset in 1885, while his wife passed away on the 16th of April, 1909. They reared a family of twelve children, six sons and six daughters, all of whom survive with the exception of Mrs. Sole, who died on the 10th of January, 1903, after about a year's illness. To our subject and his wife were born seven chil- dren, as follows: Elizabeth, who passed away on the 26th of March, 1800; Clara, who gave her hand in marriage to John Brittain, a farmer of Union town- ship : Sidney, the wife of Perry S. Roderick, who lives on the farm of his father- in-law on section 8, Madison township; Mary B., who is the wife of Charles Addy, an agriculturist of Jefferson township; Albert and George W., who operate the farm on section 8; and Lilly May, who died in January, 1884, in infancy.
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