USA > Iowa > Madison County > History of Madison County, Iowa, and its people, Volume II > Part 7
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DR. JESSIE V. (STAUFFER) SMITH
H
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In their family were ten children, of whom one died in infancy, while nine grew to years of maturity.
Dr. Smith, who is the fifth in order of birth, attended the district schools until thirteen years of age and then entered the public schools of Winterset, passing through consecutive grades to the high school. When sixteen years of age she began teaching, entering upon that work before she could obtain a cer- tificate, which was not granted until the applicant was eighteen years of age. In 1888 she was graduated from the Madison County Teachers' Normal at Winter- set and she taught in the district schools of this county for twenty-one terms. During a portion of that time she devoted her leisure hours to the study of medi- cine and in 1889 she entered the Keokuk Medical College, from which she was graduated with the class of 1892. She then practiced for one year in Des Moines, after which she returned to Winterset, where she has since followed her pro- fession.
On the roth of October, 1889, Miss Jessie V. Stauffer became the wife of Mathias J. Smith, their wedding being celebrated while she was attending medical college. Mr. Smith is a native of Denmark and came to the United States when eighteen years of age. They now have one daughter, Katheryn, the wife of J. B. Danforth, who is engaged in the grocery business at Winterset. To Mr. and Mrs. Danforth has been born a son, Challen Mathias.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Smith hold membership in the Catholic church. Dr. Smith belongs to the Madison County Medical Society, the Iowa State Medical Society and the American Medical Association. She was one of the organizers of the Iowa State Woman's Medical Society in 1897, the first organization of the kind in the country. She has ever been deeply interested in her profession and through wide reading and research as well as through membership in different medical organizations keeps in touch with the advanced thought and scientific methods of eminent physicians and surgeons throughout the country. Her work has been highly satisfactory to her many patients and she is widely known in this connection. Socially, too, she has many attractive qualities which have gained for her warm friends.
J. H. COCHRAN.
Among the retired farmers of Winterset is J. H. Cochran, who is a native of this county, born in Grand River township on the 2d of November, 1867, a son of Wesley and Elizabeth (Hamlin) Cochran, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work. Mr. Cochran of this review was reared upon the home- stead in Grand River township and entered the public schools there at the usual age. He also attended school at Macksburg and took a commercial course at Drake University, thus fitting himself to manage his business affairs efficiently. His father, who was an extensive landowner, gave him a farm and he began his independent career as an agriculturist. He now owns two hundred acres of land in Monroe township and eighty acres in Grand River township, while his wife also holds title to eighty acres in Monroe township. While actively engaged in farming he received a good annual income from his labors, as he planned his Vol. II-4
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work well, planted his crops in good season and saw that everything about the place was kept in good condition. Four years ago he retired from the cares of active life and is now living at his leisure in Winterset.
Mr. Cochran married Miss Estelle Polk, a native of Indiana, born in 1871. A sketch of her father, Charles Polk, is found elsewhere in this work. Mr. Cochran is a republican and has served acceptably as clerk of Monroe township. His wife is a member of the Congregational church and he is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Winterset. He is a representative of a family that has for many years been influential in the advancement of the agri- cultural interests of the county and he has added to the respect in which the name of Cochran is held. His home, on West Washington street, is known for its generous-hearted hospitality and both he and his wife have many loyal per- sonal friends.
STEPHEN A. HAYS.
Prominently connected with a profession which has an important bearing upon the welfare and prosperity of every community is Stephen A. Hays, now widely recognized as one of the able attorneys practicing at the Winterset bar. He was born in Macon county, Illinois, January 13, 1865, a son of William I .. and Fannie (Good) Hays. The father was probably a native of Piatt county, Illinois, and was a son of John Hays, who was born in Pennsylvania and in early life went to Illinois. In 1840 he became a resident of Macon county, that state, and there followed the occupation of farming. He died in Arkansas in 1874.
William L. Hays was reared in Macon county, there remaining until 1865, when he removed to Madison county, Iowa, settling in Douglas township, where he purchased four hundred and forty acres of land. He was thereafter exten- sively engaged in farming and stock-raising until his death, which occurred July 10, 1874, when he was but thirty-six years of age. He was very successful in his business affairs and was regarded as one of the leading and representative agriculturists of his day. His prosperity resulted entirely through his own labors. In his political views he was a democrat but without desire for office. His wife was also a native of Macon county and was there reared. Her parents were John and Mary (Garver) Good the former a native of New York and the latter of Maryland. Mr. Good followed the occupation of farming and both he and his wife passed away in Macon county, Illinois, the latter when in middle life and the former at the advanced age of ninety-three years. In 1865 Mrs. Hays accompanied her husband to Iowa, the family traveling in a wagon from Keokuk. She, too, passed away at a comparatively early age, dying in 1876, when but thirty-one. She left four children : Stephen A. ; Benjamin F., now in Idaho; Cynthia Anna, the wife of Ward McDaniel, a horse dealer of Winterset ; and Emma L., the wife of D. J. Inman, a resident of Danville, Illinois.
Stephen A. Hays was but an infant when brought by his parents to Iowa. He was a lad of nine years when his father died and at the age of eleven was left an orphan by his mother's death. George Duff, a farmer of Madison town- ship, became his guardian and Mr. Hays made his home with him until he
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reached the age of eighteen years. He attended the public schools to the age of seventeen years and afterward was a pupil in a business college in Burlington. Subsequently he taught in the country schools through the winter months and worked on a farm in the summer seasons. He was graduated from the law de- partment of the State University of Iowa in 1890 and afterward read law with W. O. Lucas, of Winterset. In 1891 he was admitted to the bar and formed a partnership with his former preceptor, Mr. Lucas, with whom he was associated. in practice for about two years. In 1892 he removed to Chamberlain, South Da- kota, where he practiced for a year, and then returned to Winterset, entering into partnership with S. G. Ruby. That association was maintained until 1900, when Mr. Hays removed to his farm, which is a part of the old family home- stead. He remained thereon for nine years, devoting his entire attention to general farming and stockraising. In the spring of 1909, however, he rented his place and returned to Winterset, where for two or three years he lived practically retired, only supervising his invested interests. In 1912 he again opened his law office, however, and is now actively engaged in practice. He has long been regarded as one of the foremost members of the Winterset bar and is enjoying a liberal patronage.
On the 8th of June, 1892, Mr. Hays was united in marriage to Miss Elsie Tidrick, a native of this county and a daughter of Miller R. and Mary A. (Fisher) Tidrick, of whom mention is made elsewhere in this work. Mrs. Hays was twice married, her first husband being Ferd Mendenhall, by whom she had one daughter, Louise, now the wife of F. T. Cole, of Ellendale, North Dakota. To Mr. and Mrs. Hays have been born three children: Guy M., who is now managing his father's farm; and Harry G. and Gladys, both at home.
In politics Mr. Hays is a stalwart democrat and has filled several local offices. He has served as a member of the city council and on the school board and has been a candidate for county offices even when he knew there was no chance of election, as the republican majority in this county ranges from ten to twelve hundred. Fraternally he is connected with the Masons and the Knights of Pythias, and he and his wife hold membership in the Presbyterian church. They own two hundred acres of the old homestead farm in Madison county. Fifty years have come and gone since he was brought to this county and practically his entire life has been spent here, so that he has a wide acquaintance. That his career has ever been an honorable and upright one is indicated in the fact that many of his stanchest friends are those who have known him longest.
SYLVANUS M. COMPTON.
Sylvanus M. Compton has resided in this county for six decades and was long and actively identified with agricultural interests here but is now living retired in Earlham, where he has made his home for the past fourteen years. His birth occurred in Greene county, Ohio, on the 20th of June, 1849, his parents being Martin and Ann E. (Wroe) Compton, the former a native of Greene county, Ohio, and the latter of Virginia. Martin Compton removed to Indiana in 1852 and in 1854 came to Iowa, first spending a year in Warren county. In
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1855, however, he came to Madison county, purchasing a farm of one hundred and eighty acres six miles north of Winterset in what was then Madison township but is now Douglas township. He improved the property and operated it for four years, on the expiration of which period he disposed of the place and took up his abode near Earlham, in Madison township, there continuing to reside throughout the remainder of his active business career. The last twenty years of his life were spent in honorable retirement at Earlham, where he passed away on the 18th of October, 1905. The period of his residence in this county covered a half century and in his passing the community lost one of its representative agriculturists and esteemed citizens. During the period of the Civil war he served for one year as a member of Company A, Thirty-ninth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. His wife was called to her final rest on the 7th of February, 1914.
Sylvanus M. Compton, who was a little lad of six years when he came to this county with his parents, was here educated and remained on the home farm until nineteen years of age. He then started out as an agriculturist on his own account and after cultivating rented land for a few years purchased a tract of eighty acres in 1874, the farm lying within a mile of Earlham. He operated it for eight years and on the expiration of that period disposed of the property, purchas- ing and taking up his abode on a quarter section of land near the old home place in Madison township. Mr. Compton made many substantial improvements on the farm and operated it continuously and successfully until 1901, when he put aside the active work of the fields and purchased a pleasant and commodious residence in Earlham, where he has since lived retired.
In September, 1869, Mr. Compton was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Mckibben, a daughter of Samuel and Mary (Layman) Mckibben, who were natives of Ohio and Tennessee respectively. They took up their abode among the pioneer settlers of Dallas county, Iowa, in 1855, and there Mr. Mckibben was actively engaged in farming throughout the remainder of his life. Mr. and Mrs. Compton have seven children, as follows: Frank, an agriculturist of this county ; Edmund, who is a resident of Earlham; Nathan, living in Oregon ; Anna, who gave her hand in marriage to C. L. Barnett, a farmer of this county ; Minnie. who is the wife of Z. W. Fuller, of Hillsdale, Michigan; Silas, who operates his father's farm; and Mary, the wife of Grant Shifflett, who is an agriculturist of Ringgold county, Iowa. In politics Mr. Compton is a stanch republican, while his religious faith is that of the Friends church.
JOHN E. BENGE.
John E. Benge is a hardware merchant of Winterset who has been identified with the city from pioneer times. His business career indicates what may be accomplished when determination points out the way and energy insists upon the pursuit of a persistent purpose. He was born in Madison county, Indiana, Sep- tember 3, 1851, his parents being Alfred and Margaret (Banks) Benge. The family comes of German ancestry in the paternal line. Both Thomas Benge and his wife, the grandparents of our subject, were born in North Carolina, as was Alfred Benge. They removed to Indiana during pioneer times, when Alfred
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Benge was but a young lad, and there Thomas Benge carried on general agricul- tural pursuits.
Alfred Benge was reared in the Hoosier state and in early manhood learned the shoemaker's trade. In 1855 he left Indiana, bringing his family to Iowa. They traveled by boat to Burlington and there hired a man to haul thiem to Madison county. Alfred Benge also engaged a man to haul his furniture from Indiana and the expenses of the trip to the west exhausted all of his capital. He settled near Buffalo Mills, on a small place belonging to his father-in-law, and began working at his trade in connection with a partner, who furnished the cap- ital to buy stock, while Mr. Benge did the work. That connection was continued until the latter had sufficient money to buy stock for himself. He afterward followed his trade and operated a small farm until October 15, 1861, when, feeling that his duty to his country was paramount to all else, he enlisted as a member of the Fourth Iowa Cavalry, with which he served until the 24th of January, 1863, when he was honorably discharged at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, on account of physical disability. While at the front he was with the Western army. As soon as able he resumed work at his trade, which he continued to follow until his death in 1870, when he was fifty years of age.
The republican party received the political indorsement of Alfred Benge, while his religious faith was indicated in his membership in the Christian church. His wife was born in Indiana, while her parents, John and Eunice (James) Banks, were natives of North Carolina. They went to Indiana in the carly days of the history of that state and in 1855 made their way to Iowa, traveling across the country with horse teams and a wagon. They settled in what is now Scott town- ship, Madison county, where their remaining days were passed, Mr. Banks dying at the age of ninety-three years and his wife when about eighty-three years of age. Their daughter Margaret was reared and married in her native state and in 1855 came to Iowa with her husband and family, her death here occurring. She became the mother of the following children besides our subject: Anderson M., who is now a retired hardware merchant of Winterset; Lydia A., the wife of William R. Danforth, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume; Mary M., who died at the age of twenty years; Melissa, the wife of John T. Lyon, of Winterset; Margaret A., who passed away at the age of twenty-two; Elmira, living in Winterset; Minnie, who married Chris C. Yoder and died at the age of forty years; Armintie, who died at the age of seven years; and Perry Annon, who died in infancy.
The youthful days of John E. Benge were spent upon the home farm, his time being divided between the work of the fields and the acquirement of an education in the district schools. When twenty years of age he began working in a tin shop, in which he was employed for about ten years. He then embarked in the hardware business in partnership with his brother, A. M. Benge, which relation- ship was continued until 1904, when John E. Benge purchased his brother's interest and has since conducted the store alone. This is one of the old estab- lished commercial concerns of Winterset and has long enjoyed a liberal patronage. The business methods have ever been such as would bear the closest investigation and scrutiny and at all times Mr. Benge has kept in touch with the advancement of the trade, carrying an attractive and well selected line of shelf and heavy hard- ware which he has sold at reasonable prices.
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On the 23d of May, 1877, Mr. Benge was united in marriage to Miss Mahala Needs, a native of Wales and a daughter of John and Elizabeth ( Arden) Needs, who came to Madison county in 1873, spending their remaining days here. Mrs. Benge was reared and educated in this county and by her marriage has become the mother of three children: Nina, now the wife of A. A. Paisley, of Spokane, Washington; Albert, who works for his father in the store; and Faith, the wife of Ray King, of Winterset.
Mr. Benge is a democrat and for two years has served as a member of the city council. He is also connected with the Odd Fellows lodge at Winterset. Almost his entire life has been passed in Madison county, as he was but four years of age at the time of his parents' removal to this state. For about six decades he has witnessed the changes which have here occurred and his memory forms a connecting link between the primitive past and the progressive present. His life has been that of an active business man and his well directed efforts have not only been a source of individual success but have contributed to the general prosperity of the community.
EDMUND W. HARRELL.
Among the farmers of Madison county who achieved success in their chosen occupation is numbered Edmund W. Harrell, who was born in Jackson county, Indiana, June 13, 1828, a son of William and Mary ( Peck ) Harrell, both of whom passed away in Scott township, this county. In 1852 their son came to Madison county, arriving here on the 27th of October and settling in Scott town- ship. The first winter of his residence here he worked in the old Buffalo mills. He then operated land on section 22 for a man named Dryden and later bought a quarter section of government land on section 30, Scott township. As he lacked the necessary equipment for cultivating his land he traded eighty acres to his brother for a team and machinery, but when prosperity had come to him he repurchased the land. He added another forty acres, thus bringing his hold- ings to two hundred acres, and from year to year made improvements upon his place and kept his fields in a high state of cultivation. He found general farm- ing and stock-raising profitable and congenial and never had cause to regret his decision to make agriculture his life work.
On the 18th of March, 1860, Mr. Harrell was united in marriage to Miss Mary Margaret Johnson, whose birth occurred in Fountain county, Indiana, on the 3Ist of December, 1839. Her parents were William and Mary Johnson, the former of whom died in Colorado and the latter in Scott township, this county. For twenty years before her death, which occurred on the 17th of March, 1904, Mrs. Harrell was an invalid, but her sufferings had no power to rob her of her serenity and cheerfulness of spirit. Following her demise Mr. Harrell made his home with their daughter, Mrs. J. W. Holmes, in Scott township and his death occurred in Winterset, where she was living at the time, on the 26th of October, 1914, in the eighty-seventh year of his age. To him and his wife were born four children : A. M., who was married and lived in Lincoln township but
MR. AND MRS. EDMUND W. HARRELL
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
passed away in 1900; Eva, who died in childhood; Edgar, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work; and Elvira, the wife of J. W. Holmes.
Mr. Harrell was a democrat and held a number of local positions of trust but had no political aspirations in the wider sense. His wife was a consistent member of the Christian Union church and although he was not identified with any religious denomination, his life was guided by principles of justice and charity. He lived in this county for sixty-two years and at the time of his death was one of its oldest residents. His account of the development that he had witnessed here was most interesting and instructive, bringing to mind the courage and de- termination of the early settlers and inspiring a sense of gratitude to them.
WILLIAM J. EISELE.
William J. Eisele, a farmer, stockman and landowner of Madison township, is a native of the neighboring state of Illinois, his birth having occurred in Bureau county on the 10th of May, 1866. His parents, Andrew and Philipina ( Wentzel) Eisele, were both born in Germany and upon emigrating to America settled in Philadelphia. The father was for two years employed as a farm hand in that locality but at the end of that time removed with his family to Bureau county, Illinois, and purchased a tract of forty acres, which he improved. Upon selling that he bought eighty acres and until 1868 his time and energy were taken up by cultivating that farm. On disposing of his interests in Bureau county he removed to Iowa and located in Poweshiek county, where he purchased two hundred and ten acres of land. He followed farming on that tract until his demise, which occurred on the 30th of July, 1896. His widow passed away on the 23d of March, 1906. Mr. Eisele was drafted for service in the Union army but secured a sub- stitute and had gone to town to get the money with which to pay him when the war came to a close.
William J. Eisele accompanied his parents on their removal to Poweshiek county, this state, and his boyhood days were occupied by attending the public schools and by assisting his father with the farm work. He remained under the parental roof until he reached the age of twenty-two years and then, desiring to begin his independent business career, he rented a farm, which he operated until 1890. In that year, in partnership with his brother, he purchased three hundred and twenty acres of land in Poweshiek county. The brother assumed charge of that place and our subject returned home and operated the homestead for nine years, or until 1899. He then rented land until 1912, when he traded his interest in the farm in Poweshiek county for his present place, which comprises three hundred and twenty acres on section 8, Madison township. He has since carried on general farming and stock-raising successfully and in addition to that farm owns in partnership with Thomas Cochran two hundred and ninety-two and a fourth acres on section 19, Madison township. The oldest son of our subject is operating that farm. In connection with Mr. Cochran Mr. Eisele buys and sells cattle and hogs the year round at Earlham, shipping every week. Mr. Eisele himself feeds about two hundred and fifty head of cattle per year and two hun- dred head of hogs annually. He has found his stock-raising interests particularly
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lucrative but also derives a good income from general farming. He is connected with the financial interests of the county as a stockholder in the Bank of Earlham.
Mr. Eisele married Miss Minnie Jantzen, who was born on the 25th of Sep- tember, 1888, a daughter of John and Mary ( Baustien) Jantzen, natives of Ger- many, who in 1865 left the fatherland and came to this country, locating at Water- town, Wisconsin. Mr. Jantzen was a teamster there for twenty-two years, haul- ing logs chiefly. At the end of that time he went to Poweshiek county, Iowa, pur- chased land and during the remainder of his life followed agricultural pursuits. He passed away on the 9th of May, 1911, having survived his wife since the 23d of May of the year previous. Mr. and Mrs. Eisele have three children : Walter J., twenty-five years of age, who is farming the land belonging to his father and Mr. Cochran; Fred H., twenty-three years old, at home; and Edna M., nineteen years of age.
Mr. Eisele is a democrat and is unwavering in his allegiance to that party and its principles. Much concerning the ideals that shape his conduct may be gath- ered from the fact that he has membership in the Presbyterian church and in the Masonic order, and he is recognized as a man of unswerving integrity and of high standards of conduct.
JOHN W. HOLMES.
John W. Holmes is now living practically retired in Winterset after many years of active and successful connection with agricultural interests. He is one of the county's native sons, his birth having occurred in Scott township on the Ist of February, 1861, his parents being John S. and Elizabeth (Beem) Holmes. The father was born in Jackson county, Indiana, and was reared to farm life. He wedded Elizabeth Beem, also a native of the same county and in the year 1855 they made their way westward to lowa, casting in their lot with the pioneer set- tlers of Madison county. Mr. Holmes purchased land in Scott township which he developed and improved, remaining upon the farm until his death, which occurred when he was sixty-three years of age. In his political views he was an earnest republican and filled various township offices and was also county super- visor for a short time, when he resigned. He met with a fair measure of success in his business interests and left considerable land, the home farm comprising three hundred and ten acres, in addition to which he owned another farm of one hundred and sixty acres. He had also given one hundred and twenty acres to his children. He engaged in raising cattle and other stock and his business affairs were wisely directed. He deserved much credit for what he accomplished, for he was a self-made man, winning his prosperity entirely through his own well directed efforts. He was thoroughly reliable in all of his dealings and his entire life was in consistent harmony with his professions as a member of the Baptist church. His wife was one of the well known pioneer women of the county and shared with her husband in the trials and hardships of the early days. She, too, was a loyal member of the Baptist church. Surviving her husband, she died at the age of seventy years after rearing a family of ten children to man and woman- hood, while one child of their marriage passed away in early life.
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