USA > Iowa > Madison County > History of Madison County, Iowa, and its people, Volume II > Part 48
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EDWARD D. SCHOENENBERGER.
Edward D. Schoenenberger, a prosperous and well known farmer residing in Walnut township, was born upon the family homestead in that township on the Ist of July, 1870, the youngest son of Nicholas and Louisa (Tennis) Schoenen- berger, who are mentioned at length in the sketches of Anthony and John Schoenenberger, which appear elsewhere in this work.
Edward D. Schoenenberger attended school in district No. 4 of Walnut town- ship and helped his father with the farm work until he reached the age of twenty- two, when he was married and removed to Monroe township, where he had pur- chased one hundred and twenty acres of land. He operated that place for eighteen years and in the meantime bought an additional one hundred acre tract. In 1910 he sold his property in Monroe township and purchased two hundred and fifteen acres on sections 6 and 7, Walnut township, where he is living at present. He feeds about two carloads of cattle and one of hogs each year, breed- ing pure blooded Hereford cattle and Duroc Jersey hogs. He also does general farming and prospers in all of his undertakings.
On the 22d of February, 1892, Mr. Schoenenberger was united in marriage with Miss Margaret Harrell, a daughter of Luther and Martha Harrell, of Scott township, more extended mention of whom is made elsewhere in this volume. To Mr. and Mrs. Schoenenberger have been born two children. Ree, who makes his home with his father and assists him with the farm work, married Aleta
MR. AND MRS. EDWARD D. SCHOENENBERGER
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Silliman, a daughter of Charles Silliman, a farmer of Scott township. Blanche is attending school in district No. 4, Walnut township.
Mr. Schoenenberger is a democrat in politics and was for six years trustee of Monroe township. He is at present school director of district No. 4, Walnut township. Fraternally he is connected with Lodge No. 555, A. F. & A. M., of Lorimor, Iowa, while his wife is a member of the Eastern Star and of the Zion Methodist Episcopal church, and he is in sympathy with all efforts to promote the welfare of the community. He is a representative of a family that is well known in this county and, like the others of the name of Schoenenberger, is a progressive and successful agriculturist and a valued citizen.
WALTER P. RHYNO.
Walter P. Rhyno, who is living retired in Winterset, is one of the prominent citizens of that town, where he was for several years engaged in the implement business, and is also the owner of several hundred acres of land, the operation of which he supervises. He is a native of Abingdon, Virginia, born on the 22d of April, 1859, of the marriage of James A. and Harriet E. ( Toncray ) Rhyno. both of whom were born in Wythe county, Virginia. The paternal grandmother, Evelyn (Nunn) Rhyno, traveled overland across Virginia, Ohio, Indiana and part of Iowa in the early days but, although she lived to an advanced age, never rode in a train or steamboat. She was among the earliest settlers of Iowa and passed away at St. Charles, this county. The father's natal day was the 28th of March, 1828, and he continued to reside in the Old Dominion until he was about seventeen years of age. He learned the printer's trade and after his removal to the Buckeye state he was employed upon the Cincinnati Times-Star, being con- nected with that paper at the time of the first printers' strike. For several years he worked as a journeyman printer and in that capacity traveled all over the south, learning much of the conditions in that section of the country. He served in the Mexican war, enlisting at Greencastle, Indiana, in Company A, Second Indiana Volunteer Infantry. After the conclusion of hostilities he emigrated still farther westward, remaining for a short time in St. Joseph, Missouri, and in Des Moines, Iowa, but settling in Madison county, Iowa, about 1850. He entered land in South township upon his Mexican soldier's warrant and continued to own that property until a short time prior to his death. He raised stock exten- sively, and with his brother, Thomas Jefferson Rhyno, shipped the first carload of stock from the county. For over sixty years he lived upon his homestead and was very successful both as a stockraiser and as an agriculturist. He pur- chased other land from time to time and became a large landowner. He died at St. Charles on the 28th of January, 1914, in the faith of the Methodist Epis- copal church, of which he was a member. The mother of our subject, who was born in Abingdon, Virginia, on the 9th of February, 1833, passed away in Des Moines on the 9th of June, 1864. She was the mother of three children. Fol- lowing her demise Mr. Rhyno wedded Miss Lucy Toncray, their marriage being celebrated in 1865. On the 4th of August, 1874, he was united in marriage with Miss Nancy V. Jackson, by whom he had six children.
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Walter P. Rhyno attended the Sisters of Charity school in Des Moines and supplemented the education there acquired by taking a two years' course at Simpson College of Indianola. He was associated with his father in farming and stock-raising until 1882. From 1884 until 1888 he was deputy county treas- urer and upon leaving that office joined Mr. Koehler in the implement business under the firm name of Koehler & Rhyno. That relation was continued for four years and the business of the firm was quite extensive. For some time Mr. Rhyno has lived retired save for looking after his agricultural interests, which are extensive, as he owns six hundred acres of fine land. He has always done all that he could to promote the dissemination of scientific knowledge concerning the work of the farm.
On the 8th of January, 1889, Mr. Rhyno married Mrs. Eva Klinginsmith, who was born at Norwalk, Warren county, Iowa, a daughter of Henty and Sarah (Kneeland ) Abrams, the former of whom was born in Indiana in 1829 and the latter in Canada ten years later. Both have passed away, Mr. Abrams' demise occurring in 1871 and that of his wife in 1865. In the early '50s the father settled in Warren county, Iowa, and for many years carried on agricultural pur- suits there. He owned considerable land and was a highly esteemed and repre- sentative citizen. Mr. and Mrs. Rhyno have two children. Harriet Louise was graduated from the Winterset high school and continued her education in the College of Liberal Arts of the Iowa State University. While in college she was very active in the Young Women's Christian Association and in literary societies, and was honored by election to the presidency of the Hyperion Literary Club. She is now teaching English in the Pomeroy (Iowa) high school. Eva Lenore also took a course in the Iowa State University after graduating from the Win- terset high school and, like her sister, was active in various college organizations. She is now a teacher of Latin in the Forest City (Iowa) high school. Mrs. Rhyno is a leader in club circles of Winterset and often entertains her friends in her attractive home.
Mr. Rhyno gives his political allegiance to the democratic party and is stanch in its support. Fraternally he is a member of Model Lodge, No. 315. A. F. & A. M., of St. Charles, and he is liberal in his contributions to the support of all of the churches of the town, believing that all are doing work that makes for the good of the community. He is a generous and broad-minded man and anything that savors of pettiness is repugnant to him. His success in business has dem- onstrated the soundness of his judgment and the keenness of his insight, and the unswerving integrity of his daily life is indubitable proof of the sterling worth of his character.
BENTON C. GUILLIAMS.
Benton C. Guilliams is a retired farmer and stockman of Madison county, living on section 8, South township. He was born in Putnam county, Indiana, January 1, 1846, a son of William and Anna (Burkett) Guilliams. The father was a native of Virginia and a son of Mr. and Mrs. William Guilliams, both natives of the Old Dominion and representatives of old families of Virginia and
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the latter of Scotch extraction. The grandparents removed to Indiana, settling near the Ohio line in an early day, and there William Guilliams, Sr., followed the occupation of farming until his death, which occurred when he was about sixty years of age. His wife passed away at about the same age.
William Guilliams, Jr., was reared upon the old home farm and throughout his entire life followed agricultural pursuits, in which he met with a fair meas- ure of success. He was an active churchman and guided his life by religious teachings. His wife, who was born in Salem, North Carolina, was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Abraham Burkett, natives of Pennsylvania and Germany respect- ively, the latter coming to the United States in childhood. In 1852 the parents of Benton C. Guilliams came to Iowa, making the journey with ox teams and locating on land that is now comprised within the boundaries of the farm owned by the subject of this review. The father entered this land from the govern- ment, thus coming into possession of a wild and unimproved tract which he at once began to develop. As the years passed the work of cultivation was carried steadily forward and the place was transformed into a valuable property, upon which he spent his remaining days, dying at the age of sixty-one years. His wife survived him for a long period, passing away at the age of eighty-four. He was never an office seeker, but cooperated in plans and measures for the public good. He was one of the pioneer settlers of the county, arriving here at a period when there were no bridges and practically no roads had been laid out. Much of the land, too, was in its primitive condition and the work of development and progress seemed scarcely begun. Both he and his wife guided their lives by Christian principles. They held membership in the Christian church and were among those who helped to build the first church edifice belonging to that denom- ination. The little house of worship was erected on his farm, but the location has since been changed.
Benton C. Guilliams was six years of age when brought by his parents to Iowa. His boyhood days were spent at home and his education was acquired in the public schools. He was yet a boy in years when March 20, 1863, at the age of seventeen. he enlisted for service in the Civil war, joining the "boys in blue" of Company F, Fourth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, with which he served until the close of hostilities. He was with Sherman's army and participated in the battles from Chattanooga to Atlanta and also in the engagements at Columbia, South Carolina, and Bentonville, North Carolina. He had many narrow escapes and at the close of the war was honorably discharged at Louisville, Kentucky, July 24, 1865. He then returned home, resumed farming and also taught school in South township for eight or nine years, mostly through the winter seasons. In 1869 he purchased a half interest in the home farm and later purchased the shares of the other heirs in the property. He has since devoted his time to general farming and to the breeding and raising of thoroughbred shorthorn cattle, having now a large and fine herd. He is today the owner of one hundred and seventy-two acres of rich and productive land, which he cultivated and improved until about six years ago, when he turned the management of the farm over to his son and retired from active life in order to spend his remaining days in the enjoyment of a well earned rest.
On the 9th of September, 1874. Mr. Guilliams was united in marriage with Miss Jennie Mckenzie, who was born in Story county, Iowa, December 21, 1855.
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The family removed to Winterset during the girlhood days of Mrs. Guilliams, who was there reared and educated. She died January 6, 1909, leaving four children, while one had passed away in infancy. Those who survive the mother are: Flora. the wife of G. A. Schultz, of Indianola, Iowa; Maude G., who became the wife of Charles A. Joekel, by whom she had one child, Mary Joekel, and after the death of her first husband became the wife of Charles Street, of Minneapolis, Minnesota; Charles Mckenzie, cashier of J. F. Johnston's Bank at St. Charles ; and Ernest, who operates the home farm.
In his political views Mr. Guilliams has always been a republican and for many years held the office of justice of the peace, his decisions being strictly fair and impartial and winning him "golden opinions from all sorts of people." He was also deputy county clerk from 1883 until 1889 and while the incumbent in that office rented the farm and made his home in Winterset, returning to the farm in the latter year. Fraternally he is connected with St. Charles Lodge, No. 115, A. F. & A. M., and is also a charter member of the Grand Army post, thus maintaining pleasant relations with those who marched with him on the field of battle. He holds membership in the Baptist church and his life is guided by its principles. He is numbered among the honored pioneer settlers of the county, for he was only a child when he came here with his parents. He has been quite successful as a farmer and stock-raiser and although now living retired he still regards the old farm as his home, although he spends some of his time with his children. He is a well informed man of splendid characteristics and he has many friends among the best people of the county.
DR. JOSEPH H. MACK.
Dr. Joseph H. Mack was the founder of the town of Macksburg which bears his name, and there was no essential feature relative to the material, intel- lectual and moral progress of the community that did not receive his indorsement and support. He was born in Guernsey county, Ohio, October 18, 1837, and was but five years of age when in November, 1842, his parents removed to Cosh- octon, Ohio. They were in very limited financial circumstances, so that at the age of ten years he started out to make his own way in the world, beginning work on the Parks farm in his home neighborhood. His duties began early and continued until late. in the evening, and he was paid only one dollar per month and his board for the first six months. The following year, in addition, he was given a suit of clothing and the privilege of attending school for three months in the year. He accompanied the Parks family to Greene county, Indiana, in 1852 and there worked upon the farm until the fall of 1855, attending school a part of two winters. At that time he returned to Ohio, where he again attended school, and it was at that period of his life that he formed the acquaintance of Miss Hannah J. Bonham, who became his wife three years later.
In the spring of 1856 Mr. Maek went to Crawford county, Illinois, where he secured employment in a sawmill, but being ambitious to engage in other work his leisure hours were devoted to the study of medicine. Two years later he came
Mrs. Hanmarti 'f. Much
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to Madison county, Iowa, making the journey by steamboat to Des Moines. The condition of the roads and the streams made it impossible for him to continue his journey to Winterset by stage, which was the only means of transportation, so carrying his oilcloth grip upon his shoulder, he started on foot, proceeding to the old sawmill on the north bank of Raccoon river, which was under water to the second floor. With other travelers he started across the river in a hog trough made from a hollowed log. The swollen stream and rapid current made it difficult to effect a landing on the south bank, but eventually this was accom- plished and on foot Mr. Mack proceeded to Winterset and thence to the home of Alexander Bonham in Grand River township, who had removed from Ohio in November, 1857. As he understood the sawmill business he took charge of the Barker sawmill on Grand River, seeing, as he believed, the opportunities for a successful future.
He was married on the 22d of August, 1858, to Miss Hannah J. Bonham, and the young couple started out upon their domestic life near the mill. He believed himself possessed of eighty dollars at the time of his marriage, but found that three twenty-dollar bills issued by the Citizens Bank of Gosport, Indiana, were worthless because of the failure of the bank. So he started out in married life with no resources but determination, energy and pluck and the help of a devoted wife. He went into the timber and cut saw logs, worked by the day to pay for hauling them to mill, sawed them into lumber and then with his own hands built his house, which was the first frame residence in Grand River township. He also made nearly all of his own furniture, including a cupboard, stand, table and rocker still in possession of the family. In order to pay for his first chairs he split rails at from thirty-five to fifty cents a hundred.
All during this time Mr. Mack never relinquished his desire to prepare for the medical profession, and in the spring of 1861 he and his family traveled by wagon back to Ohio, where he completed his studies, attending lectures at the Eclectic Medical College in Cincinnati, after which he returned to Grand River township and began the practice of medicine. In the early part of 1864, how- ever, he felt his duty to his country was paramount to all else and, enlisting, was appointed hospital steward of the Forty-seventh Regiment of Iowa Volunteer Infantry, with which he served until mustered out at the close of the war. He then resumed the active practice of his profession at his home in Grand River township, Madison county, Iowa. He followed his profession successfully for nearly twenty years, when ill health forced him to seek other employment and he turned his attention to stock-raising, at one time owning one of the finest herds of shorthorns in the country.
In 1873 Dr. Mack laid out the town of Macksburg and gave to the town the ground comprising the public square, around which the business portion of the town is located, and on which he planted shade trees which are now large and beautiful. His generosity was further shown in his gift of four lots to the Baptist and Methodist churches, together with two hundred dollars in money to each, and later he gave to the Methodist church two lots and a house for a par- sonage. He stood for progress and improvement at all times and in the spring of 1874 he superintended the building of the township high school at Macksburg. There being no money in the school treasury the undertaking was strongly dis- couraged, but Dr. Mack, determined upon success, bought and paid for all mate- Vol. II 24
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rial and rapidly pushed the building to completion in spite of predictions of failure, and took the township's obligations for his pay. He felt that if good schools and religious institutions were established other good things would fol- low. He served on the township school board during the erection of more than two-thirds of the schoolhouses in Grand River township.
His life was characterized by the highest principles and the loftiest motives. He was a stanch advocate of the eause of temperance and it was only once in the history of Macksburg that a saloon was there to be found. During Dr. Mack's absence from home, a stranger established a saloon in the town, but when the Doctor returned he energetically set to work to make way with the nuisance. He presented to the owner a petition, signed by nearly every citizen, asking him to leave at once, which he refused to do, although Dr. Mack offered to buy his stock. About that time, by a pre-arranged plan of Dr. Mack's, eighteen ladies marched into the saloon and soon convinced the proprietor that he should sell. Dr. Mack then paid for the "wet goods," which the ladies carried into the street and deposited upon a huge bonfire. This was the first and only saloon ever located in Macksburg. Dr. Mack personally paid the saloonkeeper seventy-five dollars for his stock of goods. The Methodist minister and some of the citizens, thinking this unjust, reimbursed Dr. Mack with thirty dollars. This sum, how- ever, he used in having the village incorporated, so that a vote of the people would be necessary before another saloon could be opened.
Another important work with which Dr. Mack was connected was the build- ing of a railroad. When he laid out the town he felt that a road would soon be built and used every effort to accomplish this. He was a director in the Wool- son proposed road and gave practically all his time one summer and several hun- dred dollars to the undertaking, but the plan was abandoned. He was very active in efforts to promote the Des Moines, Winterset & Creston Electric Railroad, and just as success seemed to be in sight he passed away, but this project was subse- quently abandoned. During the later years of his life Dr. Mack largely devoted his time to the supervision of his farm lands. His holdings were extensive, mak- ing him the heaviest taxpayer in Grand River township. He was a stockholder and vice president of the Anchor Fire Insurance Company of Des Moines. He was one of the organizers of the Macksburg National Bank and held the office of vice president at the time of his death, having served in that capacity for several years.
Dr. Mack passed away March 16, 1908; his widow, Hannah J. Mack, survives and lives in Macksburg, Iowa. Two children died in infancy and their living children are: Sarah A., the wife of Milton K. Farnsworth, of Wichita, Kansas ; Allie M., the wife of Fred C. Herren, of Grand River township; Onie B., the wife of Lew H. Hixson, of Des Moines, Iowa; and Artie B., the wife of Ed L. Townsend, of Des Moines, Iowa.
In his political views Dr. Mack was a stalwart republican from the time he cast his first presidential ballot for Abraham Lincoln. He never faltered in his allegiance to the party and he was a delegate to many county conventions. At one time he was elected by a large majority to the office of county coroner, but did not fill the position on account of the demands of his practice. Later he was elected to represent his county in the twenty-second and twenty-third general assemblies and made a most creditable record as a member of the house of rep-
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resentatives, being instrumental in securing the passage of the "consent law," a law to regulate the powers of the state board of equalization; the senate bill to stop the Bohemian oats swindle and a law to reduce the legal rate of interest from ten to eight per cent. The last two bills are on the statutes at the present time.
Dr. Mack was a most earnest member of the Methodist Episcopal church and took an active part in all branches of its work. He and his wife provided for the perpetual support of a minister in India by giving an endowment fund of two thousand dollars, and he generously supported missionary and temperance work and many other benevolent causes. In his passing he left behind him the memory of an upright life, a life fraught with good deeds and embodying the highest principles. Honor was his watchword and he never deviated from a course which he believed to be right between himself and his fellowmen. It is said that the good that men do lives after them, and the influence of Dr. Mack is still felt by those who were his associates, his example remaining as a source of inspiration and his memory as a benediction to all with whom he came in contact. Of him it might well be written:
"His life was noble, and the elements So mixed in him that Nature might stand up And say to all the world: 'This was a man.'"
JASPER E. MARSTON.
Jasper E. Marston, who is a resident of Penn township, where he is success- fully engaged in farming, was born in Allamakee county, Iowa, on the 12th of January, 1856, of the marriage of James and Nancy M. (Fisher) Marston. The father, who was born in New Hampshire, removed to Allamakee county, Iowa, in 1853 and there purchased land. He operated his farm for a number of years, or until 1864, when he removed to Clayton county, where he passed away on the 25th of June, 1865. He was a Baptist minister and preached the Gospel in addition to farming. His wife, who was born in Massachusetts, died on the 25th of June, 1899, having survived him for exactly thirty-four years.
Jasper E. Marston received his cducation in the public schools of Clayton county, in the high school at Postville and in the Upper Iowa University at Fayette. After leaving the latter institution he taught school for a few months during the winters and during the summers operated the home place of one hun- dred and sixty acres. When thirty-three years of age, however, he went to Cherokee county, Iowa, and having purchased a small farm, concentrated his efforts upon its development. After two years he sold out and came to Madison county, buying eighty acres of land on section 13, Penn township. He has since operated that place and makes a specialty of raising shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs of a good grade. As he is industrious and gives much thought to his work he is meeting with gratifying success.
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