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 45
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ANFORD F. WILLITS, the leading black- smith and artifieer in iron.of the central part of Monona County, now located at C'astana, came to the old village March 11, 1879. with but $120 in money. Investing the most of this in the purchase of the blacksmith-shop of JJ. W. Thatcher, he carried on the business at that point until the fall of 1886, when, having completed the building where he is now located, he removed into it, opening business there October 15. By hard work and judicious economy, he has succeeded in raising himself to a position of comparative wealth. IIe has a shop for blacksmith and wagon work, 20x60 feet in size, and a paint shop 16x24 feet, which is a model of its kind. He furnishes employ- ment for two men besides himself, and seems to be full of business. Close to his shop he has built a handsome and commodious residence in which he resides with his family. Mr. Willits was born in Sangamon County, IN., April 1. 1859, and is the son of William A. and Margaret (Burnell ) Willets. Ilis father was a farmer and in 1864 removed to Kansas where, April 11, 1872, he died leaving a family of five children, of whom our subject is the oldest. The mother and one brother resided in
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Fairview Township. this county. coming here from Kansas about 1875. In his early youth our sub ject received his education in the district schools and Inly 19, 1876, commenced learning his trade with R. T. Farley. at Medina, Kan. In 1877. he come to Monona County, arriving at Maple Land- ing January 24, and commenced work with A. T. Dailey, the pioneer blacksmith of that place, with whom he finished his apprenticeship. From there he removed to Castana as above noted.
Mr. Willits was united in marriage at Maple Landing, July 4, 1879, with Miss Barbara Genne- wein. a native of Stephenson County, Ill., who be- eame the parent of two interesting children, Lela and John W., but died June 25, 1886. Mr. Willits was united in marriage to Miss Jennie Rock, Octo- ber 2. 1887. The lady is a native of Pottawatta- mie County. Iowa,
ILLIAM ANDERSON, one of the early settlers of Lincoln Township, came to Mo- nona County. and took up a homestead on section 28. 84, 46. in July, 1867, upon which he has remained ever since. At that time this part of the county was nearly a wilderness, tall, waving grass covering the most of its territory. At the expiration of the term prescribed by law for his residence upon the claim, when he should have re- ceived his patent, the Northwestern Railroad Com- pany claiming his land as part of their grant, con- tested his rights to it and a long litigation ensued, which was not settled until after the election of President Cleveland. The decision being entirely in his favor, Mr. Anderson then received from the government, his deed or patent.
Mr. Anderson was born in County Armagh, in the north of Ireland, in October. 1833, and is the son of Robert and Ann Anderson. He was reared in the Emerald Isle and after attaining his man- hood, in March, 1857, with a brother, came to the United States. While making a stay of a short time in New York City, the brother died and our subject came West and located at McGregor, Clay- ton County, Iowa, In the fall of the same year he
removed to Worth County, this State, where he pre-empted a piece of land and remained until Oe- tober, 1859. Returning to Clayton County. he made his home in the village of Monona until Feb- ruary 25, 1864, when, filled with patriotism and a love for his adopted country, he enlisted in Com- pany L, Seventh Iowa Cavalry, and went into camp at Davenport. One month later he joined the regiment at Sioux City, and participated in the campaign through Dakota against the Sioux In- dians, and was present at the battles of the Little Missouri and Otoxicota, and returned to winter quarters at Sioux City. The next year was em- ployed in an expedition through Dakota to Ft. Sully, the Bad Lands, Devil's Lake country and thence on down to Fts. Rice and Randall, and went into winter quarters on the Niobrara or Run- ning Water, in Nebraska. They left that point in May following and were mustered out and dis- charged at Sioux City, June 24, 1866. He then returned to Clayton County where he remained till July. 1867, and then started with an ox-team for Monona County.
Mr. Anderson was united in marriage at Onawa, October 4, 1880, with Miss Phoebe Mckenzie, and is the parent of four children-Allic, May, James and Sarah J.
RS. MARY A. BUTTSNEE MOORHEAD. a resident upon scetion 15, Spring Valley Township, was born in Athens County, Ohio, February 13, 1832, and is the daugh- ter of John and Fannie (Park) Moorhead. natives of England and Scotland, respectively, and is the sister of John B. Moorhead, a prominent farmer of Monona County, a sketch of whom is given else- where. When but a child she removed with her parents to Ilocking County, in the same State, where after receiving her education, she was reared to womanhood, and was there married Febuary 19. 1857. to Joseph D). Butts a native of Ohio, born June 7, 1833. Her husband worked in the coal mines of the locking Valley until 1866. when they came to Iowa, and after spending about a year in
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Crawford County. in the fall of 1867 came to Mo- nona County, and rented part of the land owned by the Moorhead brothers, where Moorhead now stands. Mrs. Butts purchased the farm of one hun . dred and seventy acres where she now resides, in the fall of 1869. She is the mother of five chil- dren-Anna F., born May 24, 1858; Mary E., Feb- ruary 4. 1861 ; Clara (., August. 30, 1866; John D)., October 18, 1873; and James R., February 15, 1875, who died December 7, 1877. Mary E. was united in marriage with John W. Ballantyne, a native of Bandera County, Tex., born July 7. 1854, the ceremony taking place May 23, 1882. Mr. Ballantyne died August 22, 1881, leaving two children-Mary Jane, born April 26, 1883, and John Emery, born December 15, 1884. He was a farmer and owned sixty-five acres of land on sec- tion 2. Spring Valley Township, which is now the property of his wife.
R ICHARD STEBBINS, M. D., one of the pioneer merchants and prominent physi- cians of Onawa in the by-gone days, was was born in Springfield, Mass,, May 16, 1821, and is the son of Festus and Frances (Dick- inson ) Stebbins. lle was graduated from Harvard University in 1846, and took a medical course in the same institution and after that at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York. After a time spent in Europe, and a few years spent in practice in New York, he came West, and after a short time spent in Omaha settled in Onawa, and from that time on was connected with its growth. The Doctor was married January 17, 1879, to Miss Mary J. Billings and was the parent of two chil- dren. He now resides in Omaha.
NORGES C. TORRISON, of the firm of Se- verson & Torrison, dealers in general mer- chandise at the rising young village of Ute. was born in Manitowoc County, Wis., September
26, 1865, and is the son of Torges and Caroline Torrison. He remained at home with his parents and drew his education from the excellent schools of the Badger State until the spring of 1884, when he came to Monona County. For about two months he remained at the little hamlet of Soldier and then accepted a position as clerk in the gen- eral merchandise store of R. B. Hillas, at Dun- lap. After remaining with that gentleman about a year and in the store of R. C. MeMasters, at Soldier, some six months, he returned to his home in Wisconsin, from which he returned to Monona County in December, 1888. In April, 1889, he purchased the interest of Mr. O. B. Severson in the store at Ute, and the present firm was formed. He is a young man with excellent business principles and a great favorite with the people of the com- munity, and draws a large and Incrative trade from the surrounding country. The store is one of the best in the village, and their stock is large and well assorted.
ETHI A. HOWARD, of the firm of Pike & Iloward, cattle dealers and proprietors of the meat market at Onawa, was born at Leeds, Androscoggin County, Me., June 6, 1859, and is a son of Seth and Amanda ( Addition ) Howard, natives also of the Old Pine Tree State, where they still reside. llis father was born June 6, 1828, and has been somewhat prominent in the public affairs of the locality in which he resides and, besides holding many of the local offices, has served as a member of the State Legislature. The mother was born August 7, 1829, and is the parent of seven children, of whom Seth is the fifth.
Our subject remained at home upon the farm, attending the district schools until fourteen years of age, when he entered the Hebron Baptist Fitting school, at IIebron, Me .. after which he engaged in teaching school for some two years. In March, 1879, he came to Onawa and engaged in the gro- cery trade in company with C. S. Pike, but in the fall of the same year entered into his present ocen- pation. He was married in Galesburg, Knox
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County, III., September 27, 1883, to Miss Estella M. Tryon, who was born at Willoughby, Lake County, Ohio, January 29, 1862. Of this mar- riage there have been born two children: George A., who was born July 28, 1884, and Seth, February 28, 1886.
Mr. lloward is a member of Monona Lodge, No. 380, I. O. O. F., and of Monona Lodge, No. 184, K. of l'., of which latter he was a charter member. In polities he is a stanch Republican, and is serv- ing his second term in the city council. His wife is a member of the Congregational Church.
AMES R. DOROTHY, a prominent citi- zen of St. Clair Township, and residing on section 11, came to Monona County in the spring of 1871, and for a year resided with his brother-in-law, E. Vandover, on section 2. In June of that year he purchased the farm where he now lives, and did some breaking upon it. In the spring of 1872 he built a sod house upon his place in which he kept bachelor's hall until October I5, 1872, when he married Miss Sarah J. West, the daughter of William and Mary West. Taking up their residence in the sod mansion the young couple there resided until about October, 1873, when they removed to a frame house which Mr. Dorothy had just built. November 21, 1873, Mrs. Dorothy died, leaving one child, JJames A., born November 10, 1873, who, however, only lived until March 9. 1875. In his original purchase our subject had ouly one hundred and sixty acres, but has added to it until the farm embraces two hundred and forty acres, all well improved and under cultivation. In the spring of 1881 he erected a good and comfort- able barn, and in 1887 put up his new house, a neat and comfortable cottage.
Mr. Dorothy, December 21, 1877, again essayed matrimony, wedding Miss Pency Edwards, the daughter of John and Elizabeth Edwards.
Mr. Dorothy was born in Monroe County, Iowa. November 6, 1844. and is the son of Archibald and Jemima (Bullington) Dorothy, a sketch of whom may be found in connection with that of
William G. Dorothy in this volume. When about three years of age James was taken by his parents to the neighboring county of Wapello, and resided there with the family until he was twenty-one years old. Going to the mountains he spent some two years in Denver and Central City, Colo., and then returned to his father's house. There he remained until the spring of 187., when he came to Monona County in company with his brother-in-law, E. Vandover. The latter resided here until Novem- ber 24, 1874, when he died leaving a wife and four children. Mrs. Vandover, a sister of Mr. Dorothy, resided with her brother, lie being a widower at the time, for some three years, when, marrying C. H. Groom she removed to her own farm on section 2. She died there December 29. 1879. Three of her children. Lena, John and Mattie have been reared by our subject.
When Mr. Dorothy came to this county that portion of it in which he now lives was then but sparsely settled, there being but three dwelling bouses in the township that had shingled roofs upon them, and their nearest market place was Dunlap. lle was the first Clerk of St. Clair, being elected to that office in the fall of 1872, and has always held a prominent and influential position in the community, and well deserves the high respect in which he is held.
E DWARD Il. CHAPMAN, the genial and widely known proprietor of the Home Ilotel at ITte, was born in Oshkosh, Wis., July 1, 1863, and is the son of Chauncey and Margaret (Herrington ) Chapman. He received his educa- tion in that portion of the Badger State, and in April, 1876. was brought by his parents to Dunlap, Harrison County, Iowa. There he grew to man- hood, and having been brought up in the hotel business, naturally, on starting out in life for him- self, wished to engage in that business for which he was intended by nature. Coming to Onawa. December 13, 1887, he rented the Onawa House, the pioneer hotel. and carried it on until Octo- ber, 1888. when he removed to Ute, erected the
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hotel which he finished and opened for business to the public about the Ist of February, 1889. This is pronounced by the traveling men that fre- quent this district one of the best hotels within the limits of the county, and they shower praises upon its young and energetic landlord.
IIis father, Chauncey Chapman, was a native of Oneida. County, N. Y .. and his mother of Geneva, Kane County, Ill.
E DMUND J. SMITHI, long connected with the blacksmith business of Monona County, is carrying on that line of trade in connec- tion with the manufacture of spring wagons, car- riages, etc., at Whiting. Ile came to Monona County in April, 1868, and settled in Onawa, where he became the leading village blacksmith and there remained until 1873. At the latter date when there was nothing upon the town site of Whit- ing except Whittier's store, the Grange warehouse and a pioneer hotel, he started his forge. He erected the second dwelling house in that village in the spring of 1875, in which he still resides. In June, 1885 he commenced the erection of his pres- ent brick carriage shop. This is one of the best business places of the kind between Sioux City and the Missouri Valley, and in it he is still carrying on the business on an extensive scale. 1Ie is also deal- ing in carriage and wagon materials. iron and smithing eoal.
REDERICK D. WINEGAR, deceased, and , who was prominently identified with the early settlement of Monona County, but who passed to his long account a few years since, was a native of the State of New York, who settled in Ashtabula County, Ohio, about 1829. From there in 1837, he removed to Hancock County. Ill., and at the time of the exodus of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, under persecution. came to Pottawattamie County,
lowa, arriving there May 7, 1847. With him came his children: Edward, Revilo, Adelia, Mosiah, Mo- roni, lliram and Mary Ann. In the fall of 1855 with his family, or the most of them, he came to Monona County and settled in Preparation, Spring Valley Township, but three years later, owing to dissen . sions in the colony. removed to what is now Belvi- dere, where, purchasing a farm on section 12, he there made his home for a short time, and then took up his residence on the northeast quarter of section 19. Kennebec Township. On the latter he made his home until overtaken by death, January 16, 1881. To him was born in this county three chil- dren, to whom are given the following names: Amanda. Frederick and Ovandi.
REDERICK D. WINEGAR, JR., one of the leading representatives of that old pioneer family, owns and occupies the homestead of his father on sections 17, 18 and 19, in Kennebec Township, which he purchased in 1880. He was born in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, October 25, 1849, and in the spring of 1855 was brought by his parents. Frederick D. Sr. and Lodema Winegar to this county. They first settled at Preparation, from which they removed to Belvidere Township and shortly after to the farm where our subject resides, where the father pre-empted one hundred and sixty acres of land. This has been added to until it now contains about two hundred and fourteen acres.
Frederick D. Winegar, Jr., received an educa- tion in the schools of this county. and until attain- ing his majority assisted in working the parental acres. Ile then commenced working out by the month for a short time, but as he had some money, made his home with his father on the farm and dealt in stock with considerable success for some ten years. In the spring of 1880. be rented a farm on seetion 18, Kennebee Township, upon which he was engaged in agricultural pursuits until the spring of 1881, when, having purchased the place, he re- moved to the old homestead beneath whose roof
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his boyhood days were passed, and has there made his home ever since. Hle is one of the enterprising and intelligent farmers of the township and takes an active interest in all educational and other mat- ters calculated for the benefit of the community. llis father. one of the old settlers and leading spirits in the early days of its history. a sketch of whom is given in this work, died here after a long life of usefulness, January 16, 1881.
The subject of this sketch was united in marriage March 3, 1880, with Miss Sarah Gray, a native of Canada, born January 18, 1856, and the daugh- ter of John and Mary Gray. They have had three children, born to them as follows: James G., No- vember 11, 1881; J. Warren, March 14, 1885; and Bessie, September 21, 1886.
ILLIAM M. LEATIIERS, the senior mem- ber of the firm of W. M. Leathers & Co., one of the leading mercantile houses of Mapleton, was born at Covington, Kent County, Ky., August 25, 1821, and is the son of Benjamin W. and Sally (MeGlasson) Leathers. His father was born in Rockingham County, Va .. in 1789, and removed with his parents to Kentucky in 1793. His mother, who was born in Culpeper County, Va., in 1799, was taken to the same State by her father and mother in 1814. Mr. Benjamin Leathers was reared upon a farm, but was very successful in life, being a prominent merchant, manufacturer and banker at Covington. near which place he died September 16, 1822. The mother of our subjeet departed this life at the same place in 1875.
William M. Leathers grew to manhood in his native State and received an excellent academic education and, being the only surviving child in a family of four, was reared by his mother, who, after the death of the father of our subject married John B. Casey, who was the parent of nine children. Early in life our subject was inducted into merean- tile life, which he has followed ever since, with some slight exceptions. In 1846 he went to Liv- ingston County, between the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers, and erected the Hopewell iron
furnace. but after remaining there some three years, returned to his old home, and in 1850 em- barked in the mercantile business at Cincinnati. In 1857 he came to lowa and locating in Scott County, carried on a store there until the fall of 1860, when he returned to Covington and there made his home until 1879, at which date he re- moved to Cambridge, Ill., and at that place, and in Chicago, carried on business until 1882, when he removed to lda Grove. In the latter place he was engaged in business until August 18, 1885, when he came to Mapleton and took his place in the clothing and gents' furnishing goods store. which he had established in company with his son, April 1, 1884. Mr. Leathers was quite a prominent individual in the city of Covington, serving for several years as a member of its city council and was the first President of the water works at that place. He was also an organizer of the Covington City National Bank, of which he remained a director until his removal from that city. ITe has been a member of the Odd Fellows society for many years. uniting with the order at Covington, in Washington Lodge, No. 3, in 1842, and has been a Past Grand some forty-five years. Hle is also a charter mem- ber of Ida Grove Lodge, No. 259.
In Greenup County, Ky., October 20, 1841, Mr. Leathers was united in marriage with Miss Harriet D. Mc Connell, a native of that county, born August 28, 1822, and a daughter of Colonel John M. McConnell, a lawyer and farmer of that locality, a member of the State Legislature for several years, who was born in Bourbon County, Ky., in 1789, and died July 5, 1834. The mother of Mrs. Leathers, formerly Miss Lucy Bragg Lewis, was born in Greenup County, Ky., in 1801, and died in 1849, having been the mother of five children.
Mr. and Mrs. Leathers are the parents of seven children, as follows: Lucy M., born August 20, 1841, who died August 12, 1844; Mary and Caroline, born August 26, 1849, who died-Mary, July 28, 1850,and Caroline December 2, 1850; Will- iam II., born September 17, 1853; George, August 2, 1856; Charles, August 10, 1861, who died April 7, 1862; and Josephine C., born September 27, 1865. Mr. Leathers was formerly a Whig and cast his first vote for William Henry Harrison in 1840. In
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1860 he voted for Douglas, and being a strong Union man during the War, east his ballot for Lincoln in 1864. Hle voted for Grant in 1868 and 1872; Tiklen in 1876, Garfieldl in 1880. and Cleve- land in 1884 and 1888.
Mr. and Mrs. Leathers have been members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, for many years, he representing his church, as a layman, in the annual Conference for fifteen years and twice in the general or quadrennial Conference in 1872, at Memphis, Tenn., and m 1876 at Louisville, Ky.
G EORGE PATRICK. Early in the fall of 1865, before the frost had browned the foliage, there came to what is now St. Clair Township, a little band of emigrants seeking a home. It consisted of Robert Patrick and family. his son George and his family, and his other chil- dren. They found but one settler at that time located within its limits, William Spilhnan, who had come there the previous spring. Most of the early events are connected with the memories of these pioneer settlers, who have assisted so materially in the development and upbuilding of that seetion of the county, and they are rightly estimated among its most prominent and influential people.
George Patriek, the son of Robert and Nancy (Black ) Patrick, was born in Shelby County, Ky., April 30. 1835. In 1834 Robert Patrick removed with his family to Decatur County, Ind., where for many years they made their home. Our sub- ject was there reared, and, in the rough pioneer schools of the period, obtained his education. On obtaining his majority he purchased a farm within a few miles of his father's place, where, with his young wife, he settled down to agricultural pursuits, and pursued the even tenor of his way until the fall of 1865. Selling out, in company with his father and brothers, he drove through to Monona County, and settled in Ward's Grove, on section 22, St. Clair Township, where he rented a farm. In the fall of the following year he removed to his own land, on section 34, which had been pur- chased by his father in 1859, and bought by our
subject about the time of their coming to the county. The first schoolhouse in the township, a history of which is given elsewhere, was put up by Mr. Patrick in the fedll of 1867. The first religious services were held at the residence of his father, and many other of the first events are connected with him or his people. Upon his land Mr. Patrick put up the usual pioneer cabin, a two-room build- ing of logs, covered with slabs and dirt, one room being simply a "dug-out." But times have changed as well as circumstances, and now Mr. Patrick has a well-cultivated farm and a good, comfortable resi- dence, and is surrounded by all the comforts and conveniences of civilized life. Some of his ex- periences and the hardships endured by him appear elsewhere in the form of a reminiscence, to which the reader is referred for the story of pioneer life.
Mr. Patriek was married in December. 1855, in Decatur County, Ind., to Miss Emily Herndon. They are the parents of eight chikiren: Nancy A., Dora F., William T .; one unnamed that died in infancy; Montie, John R., Archibald and Living- ston.
OHN C. MOREHEAD, a leading farmer of Franklin Township, living on seetion 29, eame to Monona County in the spring of 1868. Hle settled at the city of Onawa, where he engaged in the retail liquor business and made his home there until the fall of the following year. In partnership with his brother, Hardy, he purchased the farm of one hundred and sixty acres, where he now lives and carries on general farming and stork-raising.
Mr. Morehead is a native of Muskingum County, Ohio, born March 8, 1829, and is a son of James and Matilda ( Hardy) Morehead. His father was a native of Washington County, Pa., bors about 1810, and his mother of Belmont County, Ohio. They were married in Muskingum County, that State, and in 1835 removed to Illinois, where the father died in 1848 and the mother in 1861. Our subject was about six years okl when his parents settled in Illinois and he there grew to manhood, re- ceiving his education in the common schools of
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