USA > Iowa > Monona County > History of Monona County, Iowa; containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county > Part 40
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James Cook was married December 15, 1867. to Miss Sarah Bareus, a native of Ohio, and daugh- ter of John and Phidelia Barcos. They have been the parents of the five following children: George M .; Willie, who was drowned in the Missouri River in 1876; Addie May. James E .. Charles L.
n ELSON D. BEALL, the present Assessor of Spring Valley, of which township he is one of the leading farmers, residing on see- tion 22, was born in Linn County, Iowa, December 27, 1842, and is the son of Vincent and Rachel (Jenkins) Beall. llis father, a native of Virginia, was born in the western part of that State, August 15, 1811, and the following year was taken to Ohio by his parents, where he grew to manhood and there December 13. 1836, he was married. His wife was a native of Nova Scotia. The young couple emigrated shortly after marriage to Illinois, and from there in 1840 came to Iowa and settled in Linn County, among its pioneers. The
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family remained in Linn County until 1856, the father in the meantime serving as Sheriff for four years, and in other minor offices, when they re- moved to Taylor County and there took up farm- ing again. After having served as a member of the board of supervisors. Mr. Beall died July 28. 1885, his wife having preceded him in death in 1863. Mr. Beall had been engaged in school- teaching in his younger days, and he and his wife were zealous members of the Methodist Church.
Nelson D. Beall remained with the family in Linn and Taylor Counties, assisting his father in his farm labors until August 9, 1862 when, filled with the patriotism that covered our country with march- ing columns of men pressing forward in defence of the Union, he enlisted in Company F, Twenty- ninth Towa Infantry, and served out his term of service in the southwest. He participated in the battle at Helena, Ark. and the expedition that led to the capture of Little Rock, under General Steele, and at New Orleans and Mobile was sta- tioned for some time. Though this was one of the best disciplined and bravest regiments of the war, it was long kept from participation in active ser- vice by being stationed in Arkansas. Being on de- tached duty as teamster near Spanish Fort, in March 1865, our subject was taken prisoner and held for over a month, when he was paroled and came home until exchanged, but the war being then over he was mustered out of service and discharged at Davenport, June 19, 1865.
Returning to his home in Taylor County Mr. Beall engaged in farming, which he followed in that locality until coming to Monona County in 1882. with the exception of the summer of 1870, which he spent in Nevada. In politics he is a Democrat, and possesses considerable influence in the local councils of that party.
Mr. Beall was married April 7, 1867, to Miss Mary E. Cadle. a native of Claiborne County, Tenn., who was born February 2, 1849, and is the daughter of Green B. and Elizabeth ( Moore) Cadle, the former a veteran of the Mexican War. Iler parents, natives also of Tennessee, settled in Davis County, Iowa, in 1851. whence they removed s'tortly after to Taylor County, where her father died July 27, 1863. Her mother is a resident of
Colorado Springs, Colo. The latter was the mother of seven children, four boys and three girls. of whom Mis. Beall is the eldest.
Mr. and Mrs. Beall are the parents of three chil- dren: Cora May, born July 18, 1868, who died September 27, 1875; Frank L., born November 29, 1876. and Alta D., JJanuary 23, 1879. Mrs. Beall is a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
RNE SKOW, who was born in Norway December 13, 1859, is the son of Lewisand Rachel Olson Skow, and came to Monona County in the fall of 1884, and July 30. 1888, was united in marriage with Mrs. Annet (C'lemon) Thoreson, relict of Nels Thoreson, de- ceased, and is the parent of one child, Rungnvald Lorens, born February 26, 1889,
12 ELS THORESON. deceased. This respected gentleman who was engaged in farming on section 1, Spring Valley Township, came to the county in 1868, late in the fall, his family fol- lowing him in the next summer, and settled upon land purchased for him by his brother, Knud, in 1867, which contained about one hundred acres. His affairs prospering, owing to his energy and in- dustry, he was enabled to add to this so that at the time of his death he owned a farm of some three hundred and forty aeres. He was born in Norway, July 8, 1848, and was the son of Nels and Carrie (Knudson ) Thoreson. His father dying in 1851, in 1856 he came to the United States with his mother and settled in La Crosse County, Wis., from which he came to Monona County as above stated.
December 21, 1870, Mr. Thoreson was united in marriage, in Soldier Township, with Miss Annet Clemon, a native of Norway, born December 28, 1852, and the daughter of Ole and Elizabeth (Hansen) Clemon. The lady came with her parents to the United States in 1867, and settled in Rock
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County, Wis., from which, in 1870, the family came to Monona County and settled on the Soldier River. There her mother died September 23, 1888. her father still surviving. Mr. Thoreson departed this life May 13, 1885, having been the father of seven children: Clara L., born October 17, 1871; Theodore O., May 26, 1874; Carl O., July 26, 1876; Martin, November 26, 1878; llaldon, April 14, 1881; Alfred N., September 7. 1883, who died August 22, 1889; and Nels, born August 1, 1885,
EROME B. HARLOW, an enterprising farmer residing on section 31, in the town of Spring Valley, was born in the township of Egypt, Monroe County, N. Y., near the city of Rochester, August 1, 1833. 1Iis parents, Benjamin D. and Hannah ( Morrill) Harlow, were natives of Orleans County, Vt., born, the former in 1798, and the latter in 1803. After his parents' marriage in 1828. they removed to New York about 1831, where they resided until 1838, at which date they settled in Branch County, Mich. They remained in that State until 1850, when they re- moved to Lake County, Ill. In 1852, the father went to California, whenee he returned in 1857, and in 1860 they came to Iowa and located in Fayette County, where the father died in January, 1867. The mother of our subject died in Spring Valley Township, August 27, 1880. His father was a carpenter, wagon and carriage builder, and quite a musician, being a member of one of the Rochester bands in early life.
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Jerome B. Harlow removed with his parents to Michigan and to Lake County, Ill., and grew to manhood on a farm, receiving a common-school education in his youth, October 2, 1858, he was united in marriage with Miss llarriet S. Crawford, a native of St. Lawrence County, N. Y., born June 17, 1835, and daughter of William and Harriet (Ililliard) Crawford. Her parents were born in Orleans County, Vt., her father March 31, 1789, and her mother May 28, 1793, and both died in St. Lawrence County, the father August 6, 1844, and the mother, after a third marriage, in March, 1875.
In 1860, after their marriage, our subject and his wife removed to Whiteside County, IH., where he engaged in farming for about three years, In 1863, he went to the mountains and in the mines of Colorado, was engaged two years. Ile returned to his home, but in November, 1868, again went West and was in the timber business and railroad contracting in Wyoming Territory. In April, 1869, he was joined there by his wife, and in October of the following year came to Mo- nona County and bought the farm on which he now resides. His seventy-five aeres are well cultivated and fairly improved, and manifest the care he be- stows upon it. In politics he is a Democrat, and has held several of the local township offices.
Mr. and Mrs. Harlow have had two children: Almon Alphonso, born at Avon, Lake County, III., May 12, 1860; and Eugene Dorr, born in Taylor Township. Appanoose County, lowa, May 18, 1866. While upon a rented farm in Whiteside County, Mr. Harlow came to Iowa, and for a part of a year resided in Fremont County, and a part of a year at Strawberry Point, Clayton County, and then re- turned to Illinois.
W ILLIAM T. WRIGIIT, M. D., a practicing physician and surgeon, who located at the village of l'te, January 18, 1889, was born in Lewes. Sussex County, Del., September 1, 1856, and is a son of William and Rachel (Smith ) Wright. His parents were natives of London, England. ITis father, who came to this country in early life, was an architect in Baltimore, Md., but was educated for the ministry in the Episcopal theological semi- nary, at Alexandria, Va., and after his marriage, together with his wife, was engaged in mission work in Africa. Returning to America, he has been employed as a missionary in various States of the Union, locating finally at Grinnell, lowa, where he is at present living.
Our subject came to Iowa with his parents in 1866, and after receiving his elementary education in the common schools, entered the Iowa State University at lowa City, where he remained during
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the years 1873-1874, but completed the literary branch of his education at Kenyon College, at Gambier, Ohio. Here he became a member of the two old college societies Phi Beta Kappa and Beta Theta l'i and was graduated at the head of his class. After teaching school a year, he matriculated in the medical department of the Michigan State Univer- sity at Ann Arbor,in 1879, from which institution he was graduated June 29, 1882. Locating at Denison. Crawford County, lowa. he commenced the practice of his profession, and while a resident there, he held the office of County Physician for some five years. He came to Monona County and the village of l'te as above stated. Dr. Wright united with Dowdell Lodge. No. 90. K. of P., at Denison, and was one of the organizers and charter members of Silver Lodge. No. 221, of the same order, at Ute. IIe is also a member of the Modern Woodmen, of the camp at Denison, which he helped organize. In politics he is a Republican, and was chosen by the voters of Monona County at the November elec- tion of 1889, to be their Coroner for the ensuing two years.
EORGE E. LOYD. a prominent and well- known farmer of St. Clair Township, and one of its largest land owners, came to this county in the spring of 1874, and settled on eighty acres of land which he purchased on section 14. Tlaving broken about forty acres of the prairie and constructed a shanty, which was partly a "dug-out," he took up his home there, and for four years lived in that manner. Conquering adverse circum- stances, he has gradually improved his condition until the little farm has expanded into nine hundred wide-spread acres, and the inconvenient shanty re- placed by a modern cottage, neat and commodious.
Mr. Loyd was born in Washington County, Va., Jannary 6, 1838, and is the son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Marten) Loyd, natives of the "Old Dominion." His father, Thomas Loyd, was born in Fauquier County. Va., in 1813. his father, also. Thomas Loyd, having been born in the same county, in 1761. When a young man, Thomas Loyd, Jr.,
the father of our subject, removed to Tennessee, where be made his home until 1850. In the latter year he removed to Iowa, and settled in Appanoose County, but in 1880 came to Monona County, where he is now living, hale and hearty, on his farm in St. Clair Township, being now seventy- seven years old. Ile was twice married, the first time in 1834, to Miss Elizabeth Marten, and by this union was the parent of eleven children. His wife died in the spring of 1860, and in 1865, he was united in marriage with Mrs. Salinda Frast. Mr. G. E. Loyd's great grandfather, also Thomas Loyd, was a native of Virginia, but his father, the great great-grandfather of our subject, was born in England, and came to America when a young man in Virginia's colonial days.
With his parents, when he was a child of but seven years of age, George E. Loyd removed to Hancock County, Tenn., but in 1850, a strong tide of emigration setting toward Iowa, the family came to this State. and after a two years residence in Davis County, permanently settled in Appanoose County. In the latter locality our subject grew to manhood, receiving the benefits of the educational facilities of that county, and made his home with his parents until attaining his twenty-first year. Starting out in life for himself, he essayed farming in the same county, where he remained until the spring of 1874, at which date he sold out and came to Monona County.
Mr. Loyd was married September 28, 1861, to Miss Elizabeth Stapleton, and by this union there has been a family of thirteen children born: Lucretia. deceased, William A., Elizabeth, Dellead, Clara, Martha A., Thomas, Lemuel, Zadie, Eliza, Bessie, Grace and Jessie.
TEPIIEN TILLSON, JR., of the law firm of Oliver Brothers & Tillson, was born in in the county of Monona. December 9, 1859, and is the son of IIon. Stephen and Esther Davis (Case) Tillson, sketches of whom appear elsewhere. He is a graduate of the law department of the Iowa State University, and has
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charge of the abstract branch of the firm's busi- ness. He was married April 28, 1886, to Miss Tena M. Johnson, a native of Norway, and is the parent of two children: Ruth M., deceased, and Rufus S.
G EORGE A. DOUGLAS, the present County Auditor, was born in Remsen, Oneida County, N. Y .. March 19, 1845, and is the son of Samuel and Emily ( Roberts) Douglas. Our subject, at the age of eighteen, removed to ITamp- ton, N. Y., and engaged as a clerk in a store, and there and in Utica remained until 1867. when he came to Onawa, and entered into partnership with R. G. Fairchild, and continued in the mercantile trade until 1882. The fall of 1883 he was elected Auditor, and still holds that office. Mr. Douglas was married September 1, 1870, to Miss E. J. V. Meech, who died July 25, 1876. She was the mother of one child, that died when but eight days old.
OSEPH A. CALDWELL, whose pleasant residence is upon his well-situated and fertile farm on section 10, St. Clair Town- ship, although not one of the county's pio- neer settlers, is, by no means, behind the best in those qualities essential to a successful career and finaneial prosperity. le came to Monona County in the fall of 1871. on a tour of investigation, and after a few days returned to Marion County, Iowa, from which, the following spring, he came by team to this section, and located on a rented farm in St. Clair Township. For two years he tried single blessedness, keeping house in a dng-ont cabin, but the third year boarded with E. A. Stapelton, of whom lie rented a piece of land. In 1875 he squatted npon the land now occupied by the town site of Ute, and built him a sod honse, in which he lived and kept bachelor's hall until January, 1877. Again renting a farm, he there made his home for two years. at the expiration of which he purchased his present place, upon which there was no other
improvement than a small shanty. Ilere he re- sided. breaking up the land and bringing it into cultivation, until the fall of 1882, when he put up his present residence. There were but few settlers in this part of the county at the time of his coming here, and few, if any, frame houses, most every- thing in the way of houses being dug-outs or sod cabins.
Mr. Caldwell, a native of Marion County. Iowa. was born November 18, 1850. Reared upon a farm, he remained with; his parents, James and Maria E. Caldwell, until attaining his twenty third year, when he came to Monona County. January 11, 1877, he was united in marriage with Miss Catherine N. Loyd, the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Loyd, and a sister of George E. Loyd, a well-known resident of St. Clair Township, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere. Mrs. Caldwell was born in Davis County. Iowa, November 22. 1853, and when a child removed with her parents to Appanoose County. In 1873 she came to Monona County, and made her home with her brother George until her marriage. She is the mother of two children, Claud A., born October 14, 1877, and Dwight R., born July 5, 1883.
ACOB NODLE, the senior member of the firm of Nodle & Lieneman, the pioneer and leading hardware firm of the village of U'te, came to Monona County in the spring of 1886, and settled on a farm in Soldier Township, where he engaged in the stock business. In the spring of 1887, he disposed of his interest there and, forming a partnership with Mr. Lieneman, established the hardware business on section 26, just north of the present town site of Ute, which had not then been laid out. In June of the same summer they purchased some lots in the new vil- lage upon which they erected their present store building, and opened business therein in the fall of the same year. They carry a large and complete stock of heavy and shelf hardware, farm machinery and tinware, and are doing an excellent business.
Mr. Nodle was born in Stark County, Ohio,
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June 19, 1819, and is the son of Henry and Mary (Brumbaugh ) Nodle. In August, 1853, when some four years of age, he was brought by his par- ents to Iowa, the family locating in Jackson County. There he laid the foundation of his edu. cation and grew to manhood in his father's house, and there made his home until August, 1881, when he removed to Manning, Carroll County, and in the lumber trade was there engaged until the fol- lowing spring. The next year engaged in the lum- ber and grain trade, he lived at Earling, Shelby County, but selling out at the end of that time, was for a few months again interested in the sale of lumber at Manning. He was also engaged in the stock business, buying cattle in the eastern part of the State, until he came to Monona County, as above noted.
A thorough business man in all his methods, and one having a just appreciation of the wants of the trade, and these traits, coupled with his well known industry and activity, are gradually building up for him one of the best businesses in Ute.
OLUMBUS COFFMAN, is widely and fa- vorably known as the enterprising and successful agriculturist, whose property is situated on section 27, St. Clair Township. Upon this he settled in the spring of 1873, on coming to Monona County. For several years, owing to the fact of his land being in dispute between Cart- wright and the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Company, he did not purchase it nor did he make any improvements upon it to mention. The title being settled in 1878, he made the purchase and commenced in earnest, its improvement. Of his large farm of two-hundred and fifty-eight acres, hie has two-hundred and fifty of it under a high state of cultivation. In the winter of 1882, he put up a large barn of the Pennsylvania pattern, 36x46 feet in size, with eighteen foot posts, with a base- ment under about half of it.
Mr. Coffman, a native of Louisa County, Ky., was born September 30, 1817, and is the son of Zachariah and Susan Coffman. In 1856, his mother
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died and with his father he removed to Mason County, Va., where they remained about a year, and then coming to the Northwest, settled in Marion County, Iowa. There they remained until the fall of 1860, when they both removed back to our sub- ject's native county, on "the dark and bloody ground." A year later they moved back into Vir- ginia, where Columbus made his home, in Mason County, until 1865. After a short time spent in St. Louis, the latter came back to Marion County. lowa, and was there engaged in farming until the spring of 1873, when he came to this county as above noted. For fifteen years after the death of his mother, the father and his two sons, Columbus and Zachariah, did their own housekeeping, but af- ter the marriage of our subject his father took up his residence with the latter, with whom he re- mained until taken from this world by death, July 1, 1889, at the age of eighty-two years.
Mr. Coffman was married in Marion County, Iowa, August 20, 1870, to Miss Pantha J. Cald- well, a native of Marion County, Iowa, and a danghter of James and Maria Caldwell. By this union they are the parents of seven children: Ze- zola C., Francis C. C., Grace, who died in infancy ; Milo II., Blanche M., Goldie J., and James Z. S.
There where but few settlers in St. Clair Town- ship when Mr. Coffman settled here, and but two schoolhouses, and he has seen it grow from a com- parative wilderness, to its present populous and wealthy condition.
RED J. ROBERTS, the genial proprietor of the pioneer drug-store of the village of U'te, came to Monona County in April. 1884, and at the little hamlet of Soldier carried on the drug business until September, 1886, when he removed his building and the stock to Ute. This was the first building on the town site, and in it he made the first sale of goods ever made in that village. At first he was located somewhat north of the business portion of the town, but in June, 1887, he removed to his present locality, where he has carried on the business ever since.
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Mr. Roberts is a native of North Manchester, Hartford County, Conn., born February 20, 1857, and is the son of James L. and Mary ( Rogers) Roberts. In 1859 he came to Iowa with his father's family, but after a year's residence in Ilarrison County they returned to Connecticut. When he was about nine years of age they made another trip here, and again when he was eleven years old. At this latter time, with his mother and brother, he settled at Dunlap, Harrison County, where he grew to years of discretion. In January. 1878, he commenced life as drug clerk for Will- iam Giddings, the leading man in that line at Logan. lle spent five years as drug clerk and Deputy Postmaster in the store of Satterlee & Patterson, previously to his entering the employ of Mr. Gid- dings. He remained with the last-mentioned gen- tleman until Jannary, 1881, when returning to Dunlap, he was appointed Deputy Sheriff, which office he filled for two years. From that time he acted as Assistant Postmaster until coming to Monona County.
Mr. Roberts was married in Jo Daviess County, III., February 27, 1880, to Miss Hattie M. Dal- rymple, a native of that county, and daughter of Samuel and Harriet. M. (Stowe) Dalrymple, and is the parent of one child. Clara A.
G RIFFITII W. McMILLAN, one of the lead- ing attorneys of Onawa, and one of its prominent citizens, came to that city in February, 1870, and engaged in practice with II. L. Evans. A few months later he commenced by himself, but in 1874 formed a partnership with S. B. Martin, which continued until 1884, when the present firm of McMillan & Kindall came into existence.
Mr. McMillan was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, February 3. 1841, and is the son of Dr. Griffith and Eliza (McLaughlin) McMillan, natives also of Ohio. His parents died, the father in 1850 and the mother in 1851, but he remained in attend-
ance upon the common schools until his seven- teenth year, when he commenced to teach, in order to raise the funds to"finish his own education. In 1861 he was graduated from Miller Academy, and then studied law with Albert Shoher, at Car- rollton. Ohio, and afterward with Gen. Negley. Mr. "McMillan was admitted to the har in 1863. after which he enlisted in Company F, Ninety- eighth Ohio Infantry, from which he was dis- charged at the close of the war. Most of the time from that date until coming to Onawa was spent by him in school-teaching.
Mr. McMillan was married, January 13, 1876, at Onawa, to Miss Abbie M. Dunbam, wbo was born Sept. 18, 1854, in Vermont. They are the parents of two children: Marie Louise and Bessie L.
G EORGE R. JOSLIN, of the general mer- chandise firm of Joslin, Eggleston & Son, at Maple Landing, where he also carries on a a blacksmith-shop, was born in Cleveland, Ohio. January 25, 1847, and is the son of Welcome and Mary Joslin. At the age of seven years the fam- ily removed to Michigan, and three years later to Canada, from which latter place, with his parents, our subject came to Monona County. The family arrived here in the spring of 1868, and settled on seetion 16, Lincoln Township, where our subject remained with his parents, about two years. At the expiration of that time he went to Burt County, Neb., and there spent about three years in learning the blacksmith's trade. Coming back to his fath- er's farm, he remained upon it about eighteen months, but in the fall of 1873, after the big hail storm which destroyed their crop, he removed to the southern part of the township, and engaged in the rearing of bees. After three years of this bus- iness and two years spent on a rented farm, he pur- chased a tract of land on section 7, 84, 46. upon which he was engaged in agriculture until the spring of 1884, when selling the farm, he moved to Maple Landing, and bought a blacksmith-shop. This business he still carries on. About the same time he bought an interest in the store with Mr.
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Christie, who afterward soll out to John S. Eg- gleston, and the firm of JJoslin & Eggleston formed. The junior partner, Charles F. Eggleston was ad- mitted in August, 1888.
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