History of Monona County, Iowa; containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 48

Author:
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago, National Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 666

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 48

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Maryland. In 1860 they emigrated to Illinois where Henry Hazlitt followed his trade of a wagon-maker in various localities until November, 1868, when he came to lowa and settled on a farm in Sioux County. where he is still living.

Our subject grew to manhood in Sioux County, receiving his education in its common schools, and besides assisting in carrying on the farm, at the age of eighteen engaged in school-teaching, which he followed for about four years and a half. In May, t878 he entered the office of the Lincoln County Independent, at Lenox, Dak., to learn "the art pre . servative of all arts." The following fall he pur- chased a half-interest in that journal, which in De- cember, 1878, was removed to Marion Junction, Turner County, Dak., where he remained, engaged in editorial duties, until July 28, 1888, at which time he came to Monona County. A stanch Re- publican in politics. the paper under his charge is a fair reflex of his personal predilections and is one of the ablest edited and most newsy local sheets of this section of the State. Mr. Hazlitt was married April 4, 1884, to Miss Mary E. Evans, a native of Herkimer County, N. Y., born December 31, 1852, and the daughter of Griffith and Elizabeth (Rob- erts) Evans.

Mr. Ilazlitt is a member of Anniversary Lodge No. 22, I. O. O. F., of Marion, Dak.

G EORGE W. CORK, a retired agriculturist, came to Monona County in the spring of 1869 and settled on a farm on section 10, Belvidere Township, where he was actively engaged in farming until March, 1887, when he came to Onawa and there he has since been living a retired life. Ile at first purchased some two hundred acres which were partially improved, to which he added from time to time until he owned one thousand acres. He has sinee disposed of a portion of this but is still the possessor of some seven hundred acres, which are well improved, with good build- ings, and watered by the Little Sioux and Maple

122

MONONA COUNTY.

Rivers. This is one of the finest stock farms in the country, he having devoted himself extensively to that interest, and had the reputation of being one of the heaviest hog raisers in the county.

Mr. Cork was born near Chillicothe, Ross County, Ohio, January 27, 1822, and is a son of John and Rebecca ( Raby ) Cork, natives of Virginia. llis parents had emigrated to Pennsylvania and Ohio in an early day and settled in Ross County. where they remained until 1831, when they took up their residence in Union County, where the father died in 1843, aged forty-nine years. The mother died in Delaware County, the same State, at fifty-eight years of age. George W. Cork, the grandfather of our subject, a native of Virginia, of German descent, died in Ross County, Ohio, about 1836, aged seventy-five. His wife, Susan, died in Marshall County, Ill., at the age of eighty-five.

Our subject removed with his parents to I'nion County when about twelve years of age, and was reared upon a farm, receiving his education in the subscription schools of the period and helped clear up the farm, which lay in the heavy timber com- mon to that region. He remained at home until attaining his majority when he purchased a tract of land and engaged in clearing it up and making it into a farmi. There he remained until 1851. Selling out, he then removed to Henderson County, Ill., and engaged in farming and made his home until coming to this county in 1869.

Mr. Cork was married, February 22, 1844, to Miss Lydia Yarrington, a native of Carroll County, Ohio, boro September 15, 1825, and daughter of Eplnaam and Elizabeth (Hendricks) Yarrington, natives of Pennsylvania. Her parents were early settlers of Carroll County and moved to Union County about 1838. In 1853 they emigrated to Bureau County, Ill .. where they died, the mother in 1857, and the father in 1870.

Mr. and Mrs. Cork have had a family of eleven children: John N., born April 21, 1845, who died August 30, 1858; James Il,, born June 12, 1846; Eusebia, August 9, 1817; Thomas J., November 6, 1848; Solomon HI., January 20, 1850; Francis M., December 9, 1857; Theodore, May 18, 1853; Mary, August 15, 1856; George W., April 21. 1858; William S., born December 3, 1859, who died Jan-

uary 9, 1872, and Ephriam R., who was born Feb- ruary 10, 1864, died December 7, 1871. Mrs. Cork united with the Methodist Church at the age of twelve years, but on the conversion of her hus- band, in Illinois, they both associated themselves with the United Brethren. Since coming to this county they have again taken an active part in the Methodist church affairs, and Mr. Cork was the first Superintendent of the pioneer Sabbath school of Arcola, in 1869.

NDREW RUDE, who is extensively en- gaged in agriculture on his fine farm of of three-hundred and sixty acres in Spring Valley Township, resides upon section 11. and is somewhat interested in stock-raising. Ile is a native of Norway, born November 21, 1845, and is the son of Ole and Carrie Rude. Receiving an excellent education in the common schools of his native land and in the Normal Institute, he grew to manhood on a farm, and was married Angust 10, 1867, to Miss Anna Onstand, also a native of Norway, who was born July 20, 1847. In 1869, with his wife and child, he crossed the wide ocean to the free shores of America in search of that for- tune denied him under the institutions of the land of his birth, and, after landing at New York, came West and settled in Greene County. Wis. All that summer he worked out at farm labor, ac- quiring some knowledge of the English tongue, but in the fall removed to Pope County, Minn., where, declaring his intention of becoming a citi- zen of the U'nited States, he took up a homestead claim, upon which he remained until 1873. when he came to Iowa and took up his residence in Webster County, near Ft. Dodge. There his wife died, on the 7th of November, 1875, having been the mother of four children: Carrie, born September 20, 1868; Ole A., July 14, 1870; Mary T., Feb- ruary 13, 1872; and Otto N., August 26, 1873. In the spring of 1878 Mr. Rude came to Monona County and settled on the spot where he now re- sides, purchasing one hundred and seventeen acres of land, to which he has added until he has three-

123

MONONAA COUNTY.

hundred and sixty acres. He is one of the heaviest feeders of cattle in the township, shipping some- thing like four or five carloads each year.

Mr. Rude was again married, in Eau Claire County, Wis., March 10. 1877, the bride upon this occasion being Miss Aster Olson, a native of Nor- way, who was born January 19, 1845. Of this union there have been born two children upon the following dates: Minnie O., July 28, 1878; and Annie M., January 6, 1881. Mr. Rude and his fam- ily are members of the Lutheran Church, a faith in which they were reared. In polities he is a staneh Republican.

G ERMAIN SCHURDEVIN, a leading farmer of the town of Lake, living on section 31, was born in France, December 22, 1825, and is the son of Jacques and Therise Schurdevin. He was reared to manhood and resided in the beautiful land of his birth until February, 1852, when he crossed the stormy Atlantic to America in search of a new home, landing at New York on the 8th of April. After a few days spent in the me- tropolis he started for Indiana by way of Albany. Buffalo and Rochester, and settled at Ft. Wayne. There he learned the cooper's trade, which he fol- lowed in that place for four years, and from there removed to Lisbon, Noble County, in the same State. One year later he removed to Kendallville. in the same county, where he remained until June 28, 1858, then renting a farm in the vicinity. Twelve months later he went to the town of Avilla, and worked at his trade for about a year. After clearing up a piece of timber under contract, he leased a farm, upon which he resided at the time of the breaking out of the war.

In the spring of 1862 Mr. Sehurdevin enlisted with a party supposed to be getting up a company. and was to meet them at Ft. Wayne, twenty-five miles distant. On his arrival at the latter place, he found that he was the only man in the company. Three days later his wife walked down to see him on business, and on application to his captain for the loan of $2.50, with which to send his wife

home on the stage, found that he had no money. and could not let him have it. He at once set ont for home with his wife, walking the whole distance. There he staid until February 15, 1865, when he en- listed in Company C, One hundred and fifty-second Indiana Infantry, and with them went into camp in the famous Shenandoah Valley, where they remained until after the surrender of Gen. Lee. From that time they were stationed on the Kanawha River, in West Virginia. Mr. Schurdevin was mustered out at Charleston, W. Va., and discharged August 30. 1865. He then returned to DeKalb County. where · he had bought a farm previous to his enlistment, and sold his property, moving to Avilla. One year later he purchased some land in Noble County, 1 upon which he again engaged in farming. After selling this out and spending a short time in Lis. bon, in October, 1869, he came to Monona County. Purchasing a piece of land on section 32, in Lake Township, upon which there were no improve- ments except a log cabin and two acres of the land broken, be set about bringing it under cultivation. For seven years he lived and labored there. In the spring of 1879 he purchased the farm on sec- - 1 tion 31, where he now lives, upon which he moved shortly after.

Germain Schurdevin and Miss Susan Bowers were united in marriage at Avilla, Ind., JJune 28, 1858, and have had a family of eleven children, as follows: Frank; Mary and Jolin, deceased; Will- iam; George, deceased; Lawrence; Jacob I. and Charles T., deceased; Lillie E .; Esther and Arthur, deceased.

E DWARD MONK, an enterprising and indus- trious agriculturist of Franklin Township, has his fine residence upon section 32, where he owns two hundred and forty acres of land. It has been brought to a high state of culture, and in fer- tility and productiveness is the equal of any in the county. He gives the greater share of bis atten- tion to general farming, but carries on stock-rais- ing in the same connection.

Edward Monk was born in Macoupin County, Ill., December 16. 1840, and is the son of Edward

124

MONONA COUNTY.

Monk, Sr., a native of Ireland, and one of the early settlers of that county. While our subject was yet a small child, he was bereft of both parents by death, and he was bound out as an apprentice until he was fifteen years of age. At the expiration of his indenture, he commenced life for himself, en- gaging in working by the month at ordinary farm labor, and has been the architect of his own for- tunes. Ile remained a citizen of the great Prairie State, until 1874, when he came to Iowa and loca- ted in Crawford County. For four years he was engaged in working on several of the dairy farms in that region, but in 1878 came to Monona County. in search of work. He was employed by various farmers in different places in the county, until February 19, 1887, when he was united in marriage by the Rev. C. N. Lyman, with Mrs. Mary Butcher Her O'Leary. He then settled down upon the place where he now lives.

Mrs. Monk, born Mary O'Leary, March 25, 1830, in County Wexford, Ireland, is the daughter of Michael and Elizabeth (Clary ) O'Leary, both na- tives of the Emerald Isle. Her father, who was also born in Wexford, is a stone-mason by trade, and a general mechanic, and makes his home in the place of his birth. Her mother died about 1835, at the age of twenty-eight years. She had a family of two children: William. who died in New York. Angust 20, 1852, of cholera, and Mrs. Monk. Both she and her husband were members of the Roman Catholic Church.

Mrs. Monk remained in Ireland until August 20, 1852, when she took passage at Waterford, on board the ship "Alert," Capt. Burke commanding, and crossed the Atlantic to the refuge of her race, America. She landed at Quebec, October 27, and a short time afterward went to New York City, to find her brother, William O'Leary, but on arrival there, learned that he had died the very day that she started from home, when but twenty-four years of age. Ile was a ship carpenter, and was buried in St. Mary's Cemetery, Williamsburg, N. Y., Au- gust 20, 1852. Three months later, she went to Schoolcraft, Kalamazoo County, Mich. While liv- ing there, April 9. 1855, she married Edmund Butcher, Squire Dickenson performing the cere- mony. She and her husband made their home in

that locality until February 17, 1866, when they came to Monona County, arriving at the farm where she now lives, five o'clock in the afternoon on the 17th of March. This place had been pur- chased the year before, and had, at that time, about twenty acres of the land broke and feneed, and upon it was a frame house, partly finished.

Mr. and Mrs. Butcher lived together until Au- gust 18, 1873, when the property was divided and owing to differences in the family, she and her hus- band separated. The lady applied to the courts for a bill of divorce, which was duly granted. She is the mother of three children: Frederick, born December 28, 1856, now living in Franklin Town- ship: George E., born October 27, 1860, and Ro- bert born September 11, 1863; the two latter in Washington Territory. Mrs. Monk has brought up her family to be honored and respected men and they enjoy the esteem of the whole community.

-dp-

E RNST STRANTZ, an enterprising and pro- gressive farmer of Franklin Township, hav- 4 ing his home on section 15, came to Monona County, in 1872. He arrived at Onawa on the 11th of June and from that time until 1878, followed carpentering work in that city and vicinity. He purchased a farm on the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 15, Franklin Township, to which he removed and commenced its improve- ment. lle had but little means on coming here but by the exercise of considerable exertion, thrift and economy, has placed himself in good circumstances. llis farm now consists of about eighty-seven acres the bulk of which is under cultivation.

Mr. Strantz is a native of Prussia and was born October 12, 1841. His father, Charles Strantz, was born in the same kingdom in 1799, and was a car- penter by trade. He died in the fatherland in 1869. The mother of our subject, Dorris ( Lubner) Strantz, died there in 1859, at the age of fifty-three. Both she and her husband were members of the Lutheran Church.

Ernst, the fifth in a family of six children, re-

425

MONONA COUNTY.

ceived the elements of a good common school edu- cation in his youth and grew to years of maturity in his native land. He learned the carpenter's trade of his father in early manhood, and followed that business in the old country until 1872, when, with a desire to better his fortunes, he crossed the At- lantic to the United States. He came at once to Monona County, as above stated, and has made his home here ever since.

Mr. Strantz was married at Onawa, January 13, 1877. to Miss Minnie Donner, the daughter of John and Sophia Donner of this county, a sketch of whom may be found in this volume. They are the parents of four children-llenry, born November 11, 1877; Ernst, July 31, 1882; Walter, October 11, 1885, and Jessie, July 31, 1887. In his politi- cal views Mr. Strantz coincides with the Demo- cratic party and supports the principes formu- lated in the platforms of that organization. Both he and his family are highly respected in the con- munity and are looked upon as among our leading German citizens.

6 HOMAS H. PEABODY, a practical farmer and stock-raiser of Lincoln Township. re- siding on section 16, 84, and 46, came to Monona County in the fall of 1870. He rode on horseback from Oshkosh, Wis., his family follow- ing him by rail, and settled in Lincoln Township. Ile had purchased a piece of land, but there being no improvements upon it, the family resided until the following fall in the house of Charles Cutler. It seems that Mr. Cutler had been the Postmaster of Maple Landing, since the first establishment of the office in 1869, but about the time of Mr. Peabody's moving here, Mr. Cutler took a notion to go to California, and offered his house to Mr. Peabody if the latter gentleman would accept the office of postmaster, which he did the more for the sake of the house. than anything else. Building his own house during the summer of 1871, Mr. Peabody moved there and carried with him the post-office, which he kept at his residence for about seven years. !! not being a very desirable position, paying only

about $12 a year, he then resigned in favor of Frederick Greno, the merchant at Maple Landing. as related elsewhere.

Thomas II. Peabody was born in Trumbull County, Ohio, February 7, 1837, and remained at home with his parents, John and Maria Peabody. receiving a common-school education in his youth, until he was about twenty years of age. lle spent the summer of 1856 in Michigan, and the two suc- ceeding years in a sawmill in his native State, and in that business and in an oil works, passed the time until the spring of 1860. During the summer of the latter year be made a trip through Louisiana. Texas, and Arkansas, and returned to his home in the fall, where, on the breaking out of the rebellion, in response to the first call of the President for men to suppress the rebellion. he enlisted in Com- pany B, Twenty-third Ohio Infantry. The regi- ment went into camp, but, instead of being muis- tered in as three-months men. re-enlisted as a three-years regiment, and was sworn into the ser- vice at Camp Chase, June 11, 1861. Rutherford B. Hayes was the major, and afterward the colonel of this famous body of men. Two months after their muster the regiment was forwarded to Northern Virginia, and with them Mr. Peabody participated in the battle at Carnifax Ferry. After frequent skirmishing that fall. they went into winter quar- ters at Fayette, Va .. and the next year our subject was present in the sanguinary second battle of Boll Run, and the direful struggles at South Mountain and Antietam. In the engagement near Winches- ter, Va .. July 24, 1864, our subject was captured by the rebels, and remained in the prison pens of Lynchburg, Danville, and Richmond, until Feb- ruary 21, 1865, when he was exchanged. The hor- tible den at Danville, where he passed the most of his time, he considered the worst of the three, At the time of his capture he weighed about one hundred and seventy pounds, but on the day of his exchange, only about ninety. He returned home on a furlough, but not recovering until the close of hostilities, he was discharged from the ser- vice at Camp Chase, June 12, 1865.

Mr. Peabody returned to Trumbull County. where he made his home until September, 1867, and then removed to Oshkosh. Wis., from which he

426

MONONA COUNTY.

came to Monona County as above stated. He was married August 1, 1866, in Trumbull County, Ohio, , June 12, 1858, who died June 25, 1886; Mary, to Miss Emily Perry, a native of Portage County, that State, and a daughter of Thomas and lane C. Perry. By this union Mr. and Mrs. Peabody have had a family of three children: May J., born De- cember 17, 1868; Lillie B., born October 30, 1872, died February 5, 1874; and Rosy B., born Novem- ber t5, 1874. born November 20, 1860, John F., born March 31, 1862, who died. March 27, 1863; Theresa IL., born April 11, 1864; Frederick .J., born September 3. 1866; Margaret A., born March 18, 1869; and Frank L., whose birth took place May 12, 1871, and passed away in death July 15, 1871. Mrs. Jennewein died in Stephenson County, Ill., March 14, 1872. just previous to the family removing hither, and at the age of thirty-seven years, seven months and seven days.

- OHN JENNEWEIN, one of the intelligent and progressive members of the farining community of Lincoln Township, came to Monona County in the fall of 1871, locat- ing on section 17, 84, 46. Ile returned to Illi- nois, and in the spring of 1872 moved out with his family and made their home with his brother until he could get a house in habitable condition. Ile commenced breaking the sod that summer and has since brought his farm to a high state of cultivation and has here made his home ever since.

.lolin Jennewein is the son of John and Mary lennewein, and was born beneath the flag of Ger- many, and on its classic soil, February 9, 1832. Ile received his early education in the land of his birth, and on the 2nd of July, 1847, when about fifteen years of age, sailed with his parents for the United States, and landed at New York on the 23rd of August. The family settled in Howard Town- ship, Winnebago County, Ill., September 13, 1847, at a time when there was no railroad running west of Chicago, and they were compelled to travel by team to their new home. Our subject remained with his parents until he was some twenty-three years of age, and then. starting out in life, rented a part of his father's farm and engaged in tilling its soil, and carried on his labors there until coming to Monona County.

Mr. JJennewein, October 22, 1855, at Rockford, Ill., took unto himself a life partner in the person of Miss Margaret Monaghan, a native of Ireland, and the daughter of Patrick and Catherine Monaghan, and unto them have been born a family of eight children, whose births are registered as follows.

Thomas. born October 10. 1056; Barbara A.,

Mr. Jennewein's parents both died on the farm where they first settled in Winnebago County, the mother, March 28, 1862, having passed her fifty- sixth birthday; and his father, December 27, 1866, at the age of sixty-two years. He had two brothers in the late war, Thomas and Frank J. Thomas en- listed Angost 15, 1862, in Company I, Seventy- fourth Illinois Infantry, and at the sanguinary battle of Murfreesboro, was severely wounded, Dec- ember 31, 1862, and died January 1, 1863. Frank enlisted February 3, 1865, in Company G, One Ilundred and Fifty-third Illinois Infantry, under Capt. Kronin Miller, and died of the measles at Tulahoma, Ala., April 1, 1865, when about twenty years of age.

HARLES GANTZ, deceased, one of the old residents of Monona County, was a native of Prussia, and the son of Charles and Chris- tena Gantz. Ile was reared at home in the German Fatherland, and received the education which is the right of every youth in that favored land. He was married November 12, 1853, and in 1858 started for the United States, landing at Castle Garden, New York. From there he went to Buffalo, in the same State, where for two years he was engaged in whatever he could I'nd to do. With the idea of bettering his fortune, he came to Iowa in 1860, and settled in Poweshiek County, where he re- inained for four years. In the spring of 1864, he removed to Monona County, and for the first sea- son rented a farm and then purchased the place

427

MONONA COUNTY.

upon which his family now reside. This is upon section 11, 83, 46, and at first contained ninety- three acres to which there has since been added ninety-two acres more. About eighty acres of it are under cultivation. the balance being in meadow and pasture, and supports about four head of horses and forty of cattle. When he first moved on to this place he put up a log cabin in which the family lived some seven years and then erected their pre- sent large and commodious residence. He was the parent of four children: Mary S., Amelia E., Will- iam C'. and Minnie J., all of whom are married ex- cept the last named.

Mr. Gantz was killed Tuesday, December 24, 1879, by his team running away with him. He had been to Onawa in a high box wagon loaded with corn, and on the way home the horses becoming scared, ran away, throwing him out on the banks of Blue Lake. He fell upon a stump in such a way as to break his neck, killing him instantly.

William Gantz, his son, now carrying on the home- stead, was born in Poweshiek County, Iowa, Aug- ust 10, 1861. His mother, was Miss Fredericka Weir. previous to her marriage, a native of Prussia and came to the United States with her husband, in the spring of 1858. William was reared in this county, and February 17, 1884, was united in mar- riage with Miss Elizabeth Miller, a native of Ohio, by which union they have two children: Iva and Mary.

LBERT T. FESSENDEN, a prominent and influential citizen and business man of Onawa, came to Monona County in Au- gust, 1867, and settling in Onawa, engaged in the manufacture of brick, which he carried on that year. The next spring he formed a partner- ship with his brother-in-law, IT. D). Becker, and purchasing a farm, engaged in its cultivation, carrying on at the same time brick-making. This was continued for some three years, when Mr. Fessenden purchased his partner's interest. He has been extensively engaged in the lumber and wood business both at this point and at Mankato, Minn., for several years, and in contracting in the

construction of railroads. Among other roads he was engaged in grading the Lake Crystal branch of the Sioux City & Pacific Railroad, to Elmore, Minn., in the summer of 1879. Since 1885 he has devoted his entire attention to the wood and lumber business, and to carrying on his farm. Hle is a member of the Onawa Improvement Company.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Monona County, Iowa; containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 48

Author: Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Chicago, National Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 666

Author:
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago, National Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 666