USA > Iowa > Marion County > History of Marion County, Iowa, and its people, Volume II > Part 26
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the school board, being president of that body when the present high-school buildings were erected. He is now chairman of the library board and in this connection is doing much for the intellec- tual advancement of the city. His support can always be counted upon for any movement that seeks the betterment of his community and his influence is always wielded for the general good.
WILLIAM GULLION.
Marion county lost one of her native sons and honored pioneer settlers when William Gullion passed away in September, 1901. He was then in the fifty-third year of his age, his birth having occurred in this county on the 23d of March, 1849. His parents were Eli and Mary (Whitlatch) Gullion, who were natives of Indiana and in the '4os came to Iowa, here making their home until they were called to their final rest.
William Gullion was reared amid the scenes and environments of pioneer life and shared with the family in all of the hardships and privations incident to settlement upon the frontier. He could remember back to the time when much of the land was unclaimed and uncultivated. The broad prairies were starred with a million wildflowers in June but in December were covered with a dazzling and unbroken sheet of snow. One could ride for miles without com- ing to a fence to impede his progress. There were comparatively few roads laid out and only in slight measure had the work of devel- opment and improvement been carried forward.
William Gullion aided in the arduous task of developing a new farm and remained upon the home place until he reached the age of thirty-one years. He then married and established a home of his own. The lady of his choice was Mrs. Elizabeth A. (Davis) Nichol- son, who was born in Jackson county, Missouri, a daughter of Hamp- ton and Cynthia (Watkins) Davis, the former a native of Pennsyl- vania and the latter of Kentucky. They became residents of Mis- souri, where they lived for some time, and in 1849 removed to Marion county, Iowa, where both Mr. and Mrs. Davis spent their remaining days. By her first marriage Mrs. Gullion had a daughter, Esther M. Nicholson, now the wife of I. J. Gullion. Unto Mr. and Mrs. William Gullion were born two sons, Loren A. and Guy C. The family circle was broken by the hand of death when, in September, 1901, Mr. Gullion passed away. There were many friends who
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mourned his loss and his memory is yet cherished by those who knew him. His widow still owns the old homestead farm of one hundred and twenty acres in Indiana and Washington townships and from this property derives a good annual income. She is a member of the Methodist Protestant church and has lived a life in harmony with its teachings. She possesses marked business capability and attends to all of her own interests in connection with the farm and the manage- ment of her property. She is widely and favorably known and has a circle of warm friends in the section of the county in which she makes her home.
SAMUEL TETER.
One of the successful native sons of the county is Samuel Teter, who owns and operates two hundred and forty-four acres of fine land on section 12, Union township. He does mixed farming, rais- ing both grain and stock, and is one of the representative and progres- sive agriculturists of the county. He was born upon the farm where he still lives on the 15th of October, 1855, a son of Samuel E. and Eliza Jane (Leuty) Teter. The father was born in Ross county, Ohio, in 1817 and the mother in the same county five years later. They were married in Ohio and there the father farmed until 1844, when he came with his family to this state and in March, 1845, set- tled upon the farm which is now in the possession of his son Samuel. Mr. Teter, Sr., entered the land from the government and also other tracts, becoming the owner in all of about five hundred acres. The family made the trip from Ohio to Iowa with a horse team and shipped their household goods by a boat which was sunk in the Mississippi river, occasioning the total loss of their furniture. Mrs. Teter's brother George and his wife were on the boat and barely escaped with their lives. Mr. and Mrs. Samuel E. Teter were the parents of eight children, four boys and four girls, two of whom died in infancy. The subject of this review is the next to the youngest. The father died in 1906, having survived his wife since 1899.
Samuel Teter of this review was educated in the Blaine school near his home and remained upon the homestead until his marriage. After that event he began farming on his own account in this county but after three years, or in 1876, went to Kansas, where he remained for twenty-three years. He owned about six hundred and forty acres of land there, which he sold at the end of that time and removed
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to Oklahoma, where he lived for about seven years. He home- steaded a quarter section in that state which he still owns. Upon leaving Oklahoma he returned to this county and has since engaged in farming the homestead. He raises stock extensively, breeding Poland China hogs and Polled Angus cattle. He sells about three carloads of stock a year and this branch of his activities is proving an especially profitable one. He also cultivates the fields and in all that he does is energetic and capable.
Mr. Teter was married in 1874 to Miss Mary Harriett, a daugh- ter of John and Rebecca Harriett. She was born in Ohio in 1855 and when a child accompanied her parents to Iowa, receiving the greater part of her education in Mahaska and Marion counties. To Mr. and Mrs. Teter were born eight children, two of whom died in infancy. Those living are: Nellie May, who married H. H. EI- wood, of Colorado; Wanda, the wife of J. W. Norris, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work; Azel E., who married Robert Mitchell and resides in Nebraska; Tressie, the wife of J. B. Wilbur, of Polk township; William, who is married and resides in Nebras- ka; and Cora M., who married Burt Carr and resides in this county.
Mr. Teter is a republican in politics and fraternally is identified with Oriental Lodge, No. 61, A. F. & A. M., at Knoxville. His life has been well spent and has gained him not only a competence but also the regard of many friends.
D. B. ELLIOTT.
The retired farmers living in Knoxville form one of the most valued elements in the population of the city and one of the best known of them is D. B. Elliott, who is leasing his two farms to his sons. One tract of land is situated in Knoxville township and the other just over the line in Polk township. Altogether he owns five hundred and seventy-five acres of well improved and fertile land. He has resided in Knoxville and its vicinity since 1854 and his inter- ests are thoroughly identified with those of the city and the surround- ing country.
Mr. Elliott was born near Glasgow, in Barren county, Kentucky, on the 13th of September, 1850, a son of William and Mary A. (Underwood) Elliott, both likewise natives of the Blue Grass state. Their families were early established in Kentucky and were highly esteemed. Mr. and Mrs. Elliott came to Marion county, Iowa, and
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purchased government land four miles north of Knoxville, in Polk township, paying one dollar and a quarter per acre, but the same land is now easily worth one hundred and fifty dollars per acre. About 1867 Mr. Elliott sold out but afterward bought another farm in Polk township situated near the land which he formerly owned. For the second tract he paid twenty-five dollars per acre. A number of years later he sold that farm also and bought six acres and a resi- dence in Knoxville. He subsequently purchased a farm in Cass county, Iowa, which he continued to own until his death. He made another trip to Kentucky and bought a farm there which he later sold. He was very successful in buying, trading and dealing in farms . and became quite well-to-do. His political adherence was given to the democratic party. He died on the 19th of April, 1900, when eighty-four years of age. He came of a family noted for longevity, his father reaching the age of ninety-six years. His wife died in 1907, when seventy-eight years of age. She was a Baptist in religious faith. To their union were born cight children, of whom one daugh- ter has passed away. Three daughters and two sons live in Cass county, lowa, one daughter resides in South Dakota and the subject of this review is a resident of Knoxville.
D. B. Elliott completed the course in the country schools and subsequently attended the Central University at Pella for some time. He taught school for several years in early manhood but the greater part of his active life was devoted to farming. He was very suc- cessful and harvested annually large crops, which brought good re- turns upon the market. For four years he was engaged in the real- estate business in Knoxville. He still owns two fine farms which are operated by his sons.
On the 31st of December, 1871, Mr. Elliott was married in this county to Miss Margaret West, who was born in 1852 in Pike county, Ohio, and came to this county in 1856 with her parents, Jacob and Margaret (Johnson) West, the family locating in Polk township. Her father, who lives in Knoxville at the advanced age of eighty-six years, has always been a stanch democrat in politics. Mrs. Elliott was reared in this county and here educated. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Elliott are six in number. Edna married George McClain, of Knoxville township, and they have a daughter, Fern. Byrd is the wife of Carl Gamble, a merchant of Knoxville, and they are the parents of two daughters, Loraine and Virginia. Myrtle married Fred Woodruff, who is engaged in the boot, shoe and cloth- ing business in Knoxville and to their union a son, Elliott Parker, has been born. Jacob, who is operating one of his father's farms,
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married Miss Lena Johnson and has a son, Vance. Margaret is the wife of Ray E. Savage, who is engaged in the laundry business in Knoxville. Walter, the youngest of the family, is operating land belonging to his father. He married Miss Lulu Jones.
Mr. Elliott has always voted the democratic ticket and believes firmly in the wisdom of the policies of that party. He is a member of the Congregational church and his wife belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church. His fraternal associations are with the Masonic order, belonging to the blue lodge and chapter. He has built a com- fortable home at No. 803 Douglas street and there he and his fam- ily reside. They are secure in the respect and esteem of those who know them, for their lives are characterized by integrity and honor- able dealing.
JOHN J. ROBERTS.
John J. Roberts is an important factor in the financial life of Knoxville, as he is cashier of the Knoxville National Bank, one of the leading moneyed institutions. of the county. He was born in Crawford county, Ohio, on the 23d of September, 1867, a son of John A. and Susan A. (Moore) Roberts, both natives of that state. His maternal grandfather was James Moore, a farmer of Crawford county. John A. Roberts served in the Civil war, being a member of Company C, One Hundred and First Regiment, Ohio Volunteers, and was wounded in the battle of Murfreesboro. He was a non- commissioned officer, being sergeant. In 1869 he brought his family to Knoxville, Iowa, and for several years was principal of the public schools here. He also taught in other places but later in life was a traveling salesman for a number of years. He lived retired for some time before his death, which occurred on the ist of April, 1912. His widow survives. He was an active member of the Presbyterian church and held the office of elder. In political affairs he was a republican, and fraternally he belonged to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He had five children, namely: John J., of this review; Della, who married L. B. Meyers, a resident of El Reno, Oklahoma; William L., who lives in Knoxville; Roy M., a travel- ing salesman living in Knoxville; and Fannie, also a resident of this city and the wife of Ed Butterfield, by whom she has a son, Arthur Edwin.
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John J. Roberts was reared and educated in Knoxville, as were his brothers and sisters. After leaving school he went on the road with his father for one winter, but in 1887, when twenty years of age, entered the employ of the Knoxville National Bank as bookkeeper. He proved faithful to trust and apt in learning the banking routine and also displayed a ready understanding of the commercial and monetary principles that underlie the banking business. His ability won him promotion to the office of assistant cashier and on the 12th of April, 1910, he was made cashier. Since that time he has held that responsible position and under his administrative direction the affairs of the bank have prospered and it has served the community well and also paid good dividends to its stockholders. Its policy is one of progressiveness balanced by sufficient conservatism to insure the safety of the funds deposited with it.
Mr. Roberts married Miss Adda M. Myers, a daughter of W. R. and Esther C. (Craddick) Myers, of Knoxville. To Mr. and Mrs. Roberts have been born two children: Esther and Harold, both at home.
Mr. and Mrs. Roberts belong to the Presbyterian church. He is a stanch republican in politics and has served as school treasurer. He is identified with a number of fraternal organizations here, being a member of Oriental Lodge, No. 61, F. & A. M., of which he is past master ; and of the Knights of Pythias, in which he has held all of the chairs; and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which he is past grand. He is also a grand master of the exchequer of the grand lodge of Iowa of the Knights of Pythias. His life has been one of enterprise and of constant striving to increase his efficiency, and the responsible place he holds in banking circles in the county has been won by merit and industry, and the esteem which is enter- tained for him personally by his fellow citizens is equally well deserved.
PRICE JONES.
On the list of Marion county's honored dead appears the name of Price Jones, who was well known in his community as a repre- sentative farmer, stock-raiser and mine owner. He was prominent in local affairs and his influence was always on the side of progress and improvement. A native of Ohio, he was born in Monroe coun- ty, February 19, 1839, his parents being Joseph and Margaret Jones.
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The family arrived in Iowa in 1849 and settled on government land in Liberty township, for it was then the pioneer epoch in the history of this section of the state and the work of progress and improvement had been scarcely begun. The family is of English and Dutch ex- traction. The parents continued to reside upon the home farm through many years and the father carefully transformed the place from a tract of wild prairie into richly cultivated fields. He was closely associated with the pioneer development and lived to sec remarkable changes in the county. Both he and his wife have now passed away and they were laid to rest at Sandy Ridge.
No event of special importance occurred to vary the routine of farm life for Price Jones during the period of his boyhood and youth. He was a lad of but ten years when the family came to Marion county and he shared with the others in the hardships inci- dent to life on the frontier. He became an active assistant in the work of the fields as his age and strength increased and after reach- ing manhood he felt no desire to change his occupation. On the contrary he concentrated his efforts upon farming and stock-raising and became the owner of an excellent tract of land which he brought under a high state of cultivation. He was also successful as a stock- raiser and became well known as a mine owner. In addition to his property in Marion county, which comprised many acres of farm land, he was the owner of a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Jefferson township, Mahaska county, and at one time he also owned and operated a coal mine in Marion county.
On the 11th of April, 1868, Mr. Jones was united in marriage to Miss Dorcas L. Long, by whom he had two children, Joseph and Alvah. The wife and mother passed away in March, 1872, and on the 26th of November, 1876, Mr. Jones was again married, his sec- ond union being with Miss S. Jane McDowell, a daughter of James and Jane (Bigham) McDowell. Her mother came to Marion coun- ty as a widow in 1849, here married again and spent the remainder of her life. To Price and Jane (McDowell) Jones were born three children, namely: Willis; Maggie, who died at the age of six months; and Mary.
Mr. Jones exercised his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the republican party and was greatly interested in the welfare and upbuilding of his section of the state. At different times he was called to local offices and ever discharged his duties with promptness and fidelity, doing the best possible for the public in his official service. He was entitled to wear the little bronze but- ton that proclaims a man a member of the Grand Army of the Rc-
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public, for he served throughout the entire period of the Civil war as a member of Company C, Seventh Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and was home on a furlough but once throughout the long period of hostilities. He never faltered in the performance of duty, was fre- quently in the thickest of the fight and took part in the long marches and strenuous campaigns. In days of peace he was equally loyal to his country and her welfare, and his devotion to the public good was manifest in many tangible ways. His death occurred March 27, 1882, since which time his widow has taken up her abode in Bus- sey, where she now makes her home.
LYMAN LEE BYBEE.
For a number of years Lyman Lee Bybee was actively engaged in agriculture and still owns three hundred and forty-five acres of fine land although he now devotes his time to other lines of work. He owns one of the best equipped garages in Knoxville and does a large business in that connection and also as agent for two well known makes of cars. He is a man of prominence in political circles of this part of the state and is now representing his district in the state legislature.
Mr. Bybee was born in Kosciusko county, Indiana, on the 3d of April, 1856, a son of Jacob and Anna (Mayer) Bybce, natives of Ohio and Pennsylvania respectively. His paternal grandfather, Washington Bybee, was born in Virginia and was a son of John Bybee, also a native of the Old Dominion. The last named was a veteran of the Revolutionary war and moved to Ohio at an early day in the history of that state. Washington Bybee was a farmer and stockman and well known in his locality. His son, Jacob Bybee, removed to Indiana when a young man and devoted his time to farming and the buying and selling of stock. Both he and his wife are deceased.
Lyman L. Bybee's educational advantages were limited to the course offered in the public schools and on the 7th of March, 1876, when a young man of twenty years, he came to Iowa, locating in Knoxville, where for a few years he followed his trade, that of a carpenter. He was married in 1878 and in 1880 purchased a farm in Washington township. He resided upon his place and personally cultivated it until 1902. He also owned another tract comprising two hundred acres, his real estate aggregating five hundred and
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forty-five acres, of which he still owns three hundred and forty-five acres, and his farm returns to him a gratifying annual income. He was much interested in the breeding of fast horses while farming and owned Franker, who made a record of 2:1034. In 1902 Mr. Bybee removed to Knoxville and has since resided in this city. In that year he assumed the duties of county sheriff, to which office he had been elected in the fall previous. He served two terms, or five years, and did good work in the preservation of the peace and the apprehension of malefactors. At the expiration of his second term of office he established a furniture and undertaking business, which he conducted for about six years, selling out in February, 1914. In 1913 he built a garage sixty by one hundred and twenty feet in dimen- sions, of concrete construction and with a living-room above. A complete repair shop is located here and he does a great deal of that kind of work. He also has the agency for the Ford and Overland cars and is proving an aggressive representative of the interests of the manufacturers.
In 1913 Mr. Bybee was elected a representative to the thirty- fourth general assembly and his record as a lawmaker has amply justified the trust and confidence placed in him by his constituents. The casting of his ballot has always been determined by the bearing of any proposed bill upon the general welfare and his vote has always been given in support of any measure that sought the public good.
Mr. Bybee was married in 1878 to Miss Elizabeth Emma Bel- lamy, of this county, a daughter of Wiley and Sarah Eliza (Snyder) Bellamy, both natives of Ohio. Her father died while serving in the Civil war. The family were among the pioneer settlers of this county, arriving in the early 'Los. To Mr. and Mrs. Bybee seven children have been born. Gertrude married William Bain, of Des Moines, and they have five children. Lloyd L., who is associated with his father in the management of the garage, married Gertrude Jordan and they have three children. Anna Eliza is the wife of William J. Whitlatch, of Indiana township, and they have one child. Allen P., who is engaged in the furniture and undertaking business, married Kathryn Clive and they have two children. Erwa A., who is engaged in farming the homestead, married Miss Ruby Reese, by whom he has one child. Stella S. is the wife of John J. Clark of Knoxville township. Othello B. is at home.
Mr. Bybee is a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church and contributes to the furtherance of its work. He is a republican and, as previously stated, has served as county sheriff and is the present state representative from his district. He is also chair-
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man of the republican county central committee and is one of the leaders in local political circles. Since coming to Knoxville he has served one term as alderman from the second ward. He belongs to a number of fraternal organizations, including Oriental Lodge, No. 61, A. F. & A. M .; Tadmor Chapter, R. A. M .; the subordinate lodge and the encampment of the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows; the Knights of Pythias; and the Modern Woodmen of Amer- ica. He has held all of the chairs in the lodge of Odd Fellows and has been noble grand twice. Both he and his wife belong to the Eastern Star and the Rebekahs. He has succeeded in all that he has undertaken and his achievement is more noteworthy when the fact that he has followed high moral standards in all relations of life is considered. He is among the most highly respected men in Knox- ville and the esteem in which he is held is fully deserved.
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JAMES A. HARTLEY.
James A. Hartley, a farmer and stockman who for the past three years has resided at Knoxville, is a native of this county, his birth occurring in Dallas township, March 20, 1876. His father, John David Hartley, is still living at Dallas and his mother, who in her maidenhood was Miss Catherine Stevenson, has passed away. They were pioneer residents of the county and contributed much to its early development. They had several children, who now are resid- ing in various parts of the country.
James A. Hartley received a good common-school education, which fitted him to take an intelligent part in the world's work. When he was but seven years of age he lost his mother and while still a youth assumed a large share of the management of the farm, as his older brother, who had been directing its operation, died. The self-reliance which he gained then has continued a salient trait of his character and has been an influential factor in his success in life. He has continued to farm and now owns some fifteen hundred acres of land in Dallas and Washington townships, Marion county, and in Pleasant township, Lucas county, Iowa. He also has other inter- ests, as he is a partner in the firm of Stotts & Company, who conduct a general store at Melcher; is likewise vice president of one of the banks there and owns stock in the other. He removed to Knoxville three years ago in order to give his family educational advantages, and this city has remained his place of residence ever since.
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Mr. Hartley was married in this county to Miss Carrie C. Wag- ner, a daughter of the late Daniel Wagner, and they have two children, a son and daughter: Byron Dale, who was born January 5, 1904, is attending school, being in the fifth grade; and Helen Deborah is in the third grade.
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