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 50
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Mr. Wooster is a member of Monte Christo Lodge, No. 205, K. P., and Mapleton Division No. 33, Uniform Rank, of the same order. He is also identified with Gem City Assembly, No. 10,029, K. of L.
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ETHI SMITHI. JR., the son of Seth and Sophia (Leach) Smith, the pioneer settlers of Grant Township, an epitome of whose life's work it has been our honor to write in another portion of this volume, is engaged in gen- eral farming and stock-raising on his fine place of one hundred and sixty aeres on seetion 14, Kenne- bec Township, eighty acres of which he owes to the beneficent homestead law of a fostering govern- ment. Ile was born in Lorain County, Ohio, May 29. 1844 and, while but a child eight years of age, was brought by his father to Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie County, lowa, then known by the name of Kanesville. In the spring of 1853, the the family removed to Monona County, where the father lived until his death in 1876, his wife pre- ceding him in July, 1856.
In the district schools of this county, in his youth, our subjeet gathered his education and re- mained at home with his parents until the spring of 1858, from which time for four years he spent the most of his life on the Omaha Reservation, assist- ing his father, who had been appointed Govern- ment blacksmith in that part of Nebraska. There he remained until Mareh, 1862. The toesin of Civil War resounded through the land and our youths were ealled upon to march forward in the defense of "The best Government the world bad
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ever seen," and for the integrity of the Union, and the war fever was at its greatest height. Imbued with the patriotism inherited in his nature, our subject, at the age of eighteen years. enlisted in Company II. Seventeenth Towa Infantry, and being forwarded to the front, took a gallant and noble part in that trying and terrible ordeal for new troops, the siege and capture of Corinth, Miss. Ill health, however, set in which unfitted him for military duties and by the advice of the surgeon he was honorably discharged from the service at Corinth, October 10, 1862. Returning to his home after spending one summer in Dakota, in 1864, he settled where he now lives.
APT. CHARLES G. PERKINS, a member of the mercantile firm of C. W. Perkins & Co., and Agent of the American Express Company, at Onawa, is one of that village's most prominent and influential citizens. He was born at Windham, Rockingham County, N. H., January 23, 1830, and is a son of James W. and Frances (Cochran) Perkins. llis father, who was a Congre- gational minister, was a native of New Hampshire, as was his mother. Of their family of five children. all boys, our subject was the second.
Charles G. Perkins remained at home, receiving his education in his youth, until reaching the age of fifteen years. when he shipped abcard a whaling vessel. on which he remained some three years, spending most of the time on the Pacific Ocean. visiting San Francisco in the winter of 1847. Re- turning to his home he engaged in the clothing trade at Mt. Vernon, N. HI., which business he followed until 1855, when he came West and settling in Adams County, Wis., engaged in farming. While peacefully pursuing the daily avocations of a farmer's life, he heard the tocsin of war calling to arms, but not being certain that his duty lay in that direction, he hesitated until February 5, 1862, when a reiterated call overcame his scruples, and rich that rare courage that sees a peril and dares it, he enlisted in Company G, Nineteenth Wiscon-
sin Infantry, and on the organization of the con !- pany was elected Orderly or First Sergeant. This position he held until July 1, 1863, when he was commissioned Lieutenant of the company, and in January, 1864, was promoted to the First Lieu- tenaney. which position he held at the time of his discharge May 5, 1865. Most of his service was with his regiment in Virginia and North Carolina, they being a portion of the Eighteenth Army Corps, and he participated in the battles of Suffolk, Black Water, Drury's Bluff, Seven Pines. Newberne, Pe- tersburg, and was one of the first to enter Richmond. After receiving his discharge he returned to his home in Wisconsin, and selling out in the fall of the same year came to Monona County, and en- gaged in farming. In 1870, he was elected County Recorder, and served in that capacity for some two years, and in 1872 was chosen to represent this district in the Fourteenth General Assembly. In February, 1873, he was appointed Postmaster of Onawa, and held that office until April 10, 1887, during which time he, also, had the ageney of the American Express Company, which he still holds. Besides these important positions, he has filled many of the minor local offices. lle is a member of Hanscom Post No. 97, G. A. R., at Onawa, of which he is the present Commander and is serving his third term in that capacity.
Mr. Perkins was married October 7, 1852, at Lowell, Mass., to Miss Ruth Stearns, a native of Waltham, that State, who was born August 2, 1826. and of this union there have been five children : Mary W., who was born September 20. 1854; Charles W., September 13, 1856; JJohn, August 17, 1858, and who died in 1865; Ada M., born June 2, 1862, and David S., September 18, 1861, who died also, in 1865.
Joseph Perkins, the grandfather of our subject. was born in England in 1728, and was one of three brothers who came to this country and settled, one in Connecticut, one in New York and one in New Hampshire. During the revolution he served as a privateer, was taken prisoner and kept in close con- finement until the close of the war, when he re- turned to this country and engaged in the mercantile trade. He died in 1822, at the advanced age of ninety-four years. His wife, Hannah ( Wood-
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bury) Perkins, was the mother of nineteen children and died at Mt. Vernon. N. H., in 1856, when some ninety-eight years of age.
James W. Perkins, the father of our subject, was born in 1795, and died at New Chester, Adams County, Wis , March 29, 1874, and his wife, who was born in 1796, died in October, 1875, at the same place.
ARON A. DAVIS is one of the old settlers of Monona County who came from their New England home and have so materially aided in the development of this section of the State. JIe is a resident of Kennebee Township, living on section 28. Ile first came to this county April 29, 1857, and located on section 8. coming from llallowell, Me., by way of Mt. Pleasant, Oska loosa. and Lewis, Iowa. He remained upon that claim during the winter, but in the spring of 1858 moved to section 19. There he made his home until December, 1862. having purchased the land of the county, it being in the Swamp Land grant, for $1.25 per acre. From there he removed to the southeast quarter of section 28, but, May 13. 1864, took up his residence on the northwest quar- ter of section 28, which has since that time been his home. Ile has now a tine farm of ave hun- dred acres of land, and is largely engaged in the cattle business, having commenced in that line about 1859. In 1877 he commenced grading and rearing Short-horn cattle, and in 1880, Hereford stoek, and has now a herd of one hundred and forty head of high grades and thoroughbreds.
Mr. Davis was born in Kennebec County, Me., August 19, 1827, and is the son of Aaron II. and Abby (Pilsbury) Davis. His father was a native of New Hampshire, who removed to Maine with his parents when about twelve years of age, and was a seaman by profession. He was a captain of a vessel during the war of 1812-15, and drew a pension for his services from the Government in his later years. About 1825 he gave up the sea and settled upon a farm near Richmond, Me., where he died in May, 1885. The mother of our subject, a nitive of Massachusetts, was taken to lIallowell,
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Me., by her parents when a small child, and died at Richmond, November 29, 1882, at the age of ninety years.
The subject of this narrative, until he was about fourteen years of age, attended a district school near his father's house, after which he spent about two years in the Hallowell Academy. Starting in life for himself, he followed the sea for about eight years, his first voyage being to the Pacific Ocean, Australia, and the islands of Oceanica. IIe was at San Francisco at the time it was taken pos- session of by Commodore Sloat during the war with Mexico, and has been as far north as latitude 57. twice. 1Te holds an American Seaman's Pro- tection. which is numbered 211 and dated May 30, 1845. This serves a sailor in foreign ports from impressment as an English seaman. and officially testifies to his American birth. Growing tired of a roving life, he finally abandoned a seafaring life. and settled down in his native county. where he followed the carpenter's trade until coming west. in 1857.
When Mr. Davis first came to this county he was in very limited circumstances, having been com- pelled to borrow the money with which to bring his wife to their new home. where she came in September, 1857. For several years they endured many hardships. The first cow that Mr. Davis ever owned he earned by building a bridge over the Soldier River, in St. Clair Township, whither he went to work, leaving his wife at home with Indians camped all about. He followed bridge carpentering for the county for some time, taking his pay in Swamp Land certificates, but finally set- tled down to farm life. The elegant residence which adorns his place is, for the most part, the work of his own hands, the finer portion of the carpentering being entirely so. This is one of the finest farm residences in the county.
Mr. Davis was married, January 20, 1850, to Miss Abbie Gray, a native of Lincoln County, Me., who was born September 28, 1827, and is the daughter of Henry and Abbie (Chase) Gray, both whom were natives of Lincoln County. Her mother, who was born in 1807, went to the island of llayti with her husband, who was also a sea cap- tain, and there died on the 6th of May. 1867. Capt.
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Gray returned to this country, and his next voy- age took out a metallic casket in which to bring home the body of his wife, but, owing to the Re- bellion then raging, was unable to do so, and left the coffin until his next trip. The insurrection continuing, he was never able to obtain the corpse, and finally died in that island, at the port of Petite Gonaive.
Mr. and Mrs. Davis are the parents of five chil- dren. whose births took place on the following dates: Clarence E., January 14, 1853; Ilarry G., October 18, 1856; May B., December 26, 1860; Ella A., June 5, 1863; and Arthur II., August 10, 1867.
E RNST GANTZ, farmer, living on section 13. township 83, range 46, in the precinct of Franklin, was born in Pomerania. Prussia, September 28, 1843, and is the son of Charles and Ernestina (Bedlefeld) Gantz, both of whom died in Germany.
Ernst was reared upon a farm, receiving in his youth an excellent education in the schools of his native land, and from the age of fourteen to twenty, assisted his father in his agricultural labors. Like all the young men of the Fatherland, on attaining his manhood he entered the army and was assigned for duty to the Second Company in the Third Regi- ment of Prussian Dragoons, a body of men who distinguished themselves on several fields of battle. He participated in several of the engagements of the war with Austria that terminated at Sadowa. and particularly on the field at Koeniggratz, July 3, 1866. At the close of that campaign. in August 1867, according to the rule in that country he was allowed to return to his home, but at the beginning of the Franco-Prussian War, in 1870, he was again called out and in June of that year was assigned to the same cavalry regiment as before. Ile served with them one year, participating in the glorious campaign that terminated with the siege and surren- der of Paris and the downfall of the French Em- lire. He was discharged from the service in June 1871, and returned to his home.
In June 1872, having concluded to seek in the
New World a better field for his efforts, and one where a man with limited capital would have a better chance, Mr. Gantz crossed the stormy Atlan- tic, and landed in New York City. Having friends in this vicinity, he came at once to Monona County, arriving here on the 21st of the month. Being without money and having a family to keep. he started to work in a sawmill, and continued in the same line for two years, after which he purchased the farm where he now lives. This latter com- prises some one hundred and seventy-three acres of land, about fifty-five acres of which is devoted to cultivation, the balance being used as pasture or in timber. lle keeps on hand about seven head of horses, twenty of cattle and thirty or forty of hogs.
November 28, 1868, Mr. Gantz was married to Miss Anstina lliden, a native of Germany, and daughter of Frederick Iliden, of Monona County, who came to this country in 1879. after his wife's death. Mr. and Mrs. Gantz are the parents of six children: Minnie, the wife of John Miller, of Franklin Township, this county; Mollie, Lizzie, Ernest, William and Zada.
OUIS E. ST. JOIIN, M. D., a practicing physician and surgeon, and the proprietor of the drug store at Blencoe, was born near Delhi, Delaware County, N. Y., March 8, 1834, and is the son of Liehard and Betsy Ann (Burroughs) St. John. His father is a native of the same county, of French-English descent and was born September 22, 1784. At Binghampton, Broome County, N. Y., in 1818, the latter married Miss Betsy Ann Burroughs, who was born in Cherry Valley, Otsego County, in the same State, in March, 1794, and died in New York City, October 22, 1866. She was of French descent. The elder Mr. St. John died in Sandusky, Ohio, October 19. 1856.
Dr. St. John was the youngest of a family of five children born to his parents, and when but one year of age, removed with the family to Sandusky, Ohio. He received his preparatory education in
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the schools of that city, and in 1855 entered the Ohio Wesleyan Methodist I'niversity, at Delaware, that State, where he remained a year and a half. Previous to this, like President Garfield in his youth, having a great longing for a sailor's life, he was engaged in sailing on the great lakes and the St. Lawrence River, for two seasons. At the Western Reserve College, in 1856-57, he attended a course of medical lectures, but the following year followed the water as Captain of the steamers "Comet" and "C. L. Burton." In 1859, while com- manding the tug "A. S. Field," at Detroit, Mich., the boiler exploded, disabling him so that he was laid up for some time. On recovering he went to Snachwine, Putnam County, Ill., where he taught school until 1862, when, being taken sick in the fall of that year, he was unable to do much and spent several years traveling through California and sev- eral other States and in Canada. In 1866 he re- moved to Grand Mound, Clinton County, lowa, where he practiced medieine for about a year, and followed the same profession at Lake City, Calhoun County, for two years more, and then returned to Toledo, Ohio. In 1871 he returned to Iowa, locat- ing at C'reston, but a year later removed to Ring- gold County, where he platted the town site of Engene, and made his home in that spot until 1883. At the latter period he removed to Tingley, in the same county, being the first settler of that village. where he erected a building and went into the drug business. On the 14th of March, 1884, Dr. St. John came to Blencoe, and there made his home until December 15, 1888, when he moved to Mer- rill, Iowa, but in July, 1889, returned to Blencoe, and July 17, of that year, started in his present business.
The Doctor received a certificate of professional ability from the Northwestern College, at Chicago. in 1881, and while a resident of Tingley, in 1883-4, was surgeon of the Humeston & Shenandoah Rail- road. He was also registered as a druggist by the Iowa State Board of Pharmacy, May 10, 1882.
Dr. St. John was married March 11, 1862, to Miss Sarah .1. Orr, a native of Michigan, of Seotel parents. By this union they have had a family of six children: one who died in infancy; Anna B., born June 12, 1868, who died January 23, 1877; Frank
L., born March 29, 1876; one unnamed that died in infancy ; Walter E., born January 28, 1881; and Effie Monona, October 8, 1886. The Doctor is a member of Afton Lodge, No. 130, I. O. O. F., of Afton. I'nion County, Iowa.
ILLIAM F. MCCLEEREY, one of the old pioneers of Monona County, has his resi- dence on section 34, Maple Township, where he settled in September, 1855. Ile had come to this county and entered the land the pre- vions month, and on taking up his location upon it made it his permanent home from that until the present time.
Mr. McCleerey was born in Mercer County, Ky .. December 15, 1814, and is the son of Robert and Nancy (Diekey) McCleerey, natives of Kentucky and Virginia, respectively. In 1823 the family removed to Indiana and lived in various parts of that State, mostly in Decatur County. The father of our subject, a farmer by occupation, died in Brown County, Ind., as did likewise the mother, the latter in 1865, having reached the age of three score and ten. They were the parents of ten chil- dren of whom William F. was the second.
Our subject remained at home and assisted his father in tilling the soil, and in acquiring the ele- ments of an education, until attaining his twentieth year, when he was married, March 27, 1833. to Miss Mary Lee, a native of Ohio, who died May 23, 1871, having been the mother of thirteen chil- dren: Elizabeth, Aaron, Robert. Francis M .. Jane, Martha A., William. Joseph, John T., Silas and Rose Althea. One died in infaney ; and one at the age of sixteen years. After his marriage Mr. Me- Cleerey was engaged in farming, in Indiana, until coming to this county, and on his arrival here he had just money enough to enter eighty acres of land and have two dimes left in his pocket for luck. By hard work and industry he has estab- lished a good home, brought up a large family, and, besides helping his boys, has increased his farm to two hundred and forty acres, besides other possessions. He was formerly a member of the
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Whig party, but since the formation of the Repub- lican party, in 1856, has been identified with that political organization.
Mr. McCleerey again entered into a matrimonial alliance September 31, 1873, wedding Mrs. Eliza beth J. Crouch, who was born February 20, 182 . and was the widow of Levi Crouch.
ENRY HEISLER, one of the pioneers of Monona County. is engaged in farming on section 10, Maple Township. He came to the county in the fall of 1858 and settled on land in section 7, in what is now Cooper Town- ship, where he resided until July, 1885, when sell- ing his place hie removed to his present home. His farm contains some two hundred and eighty acres, lying on sections 3, and 10, where he car- ries on general farming.
Mr. Heisler was born September 16, 1826, in Harrison County, Ohio, and is the son of Fred- erick and Elizabeth (Steffy) Heisler. His father was born in Northampton County, Pa., May 1, 1799, and his mother in Jefferson County, Ohio. May 10, 1808, and were married in the latter county. The grandfather of our subject, Henry Ileisler, was a native of Holland. and his grand- mother, Catherine (Weiant) IFeisler, of Germany. who came to the United States in an early day and settled in Pennsylvania, In 1800 they removed to Ohio, where the former died in 1838, and the latter in 1843.
llenry Heisler, of whom this sketch is written, grew to manhood in Harrison County, Ohio, and received his education in the subscription schools of that day, and assisted in carrying on the home farm until his father's death. . He then worked out by the month until 1856, when, after a trip to Kansas and Missouri, he came to Monona County. as above stated.
Mr. Heisler was married JJanuary 13, 1861, to Miss Elizabeth Maynard, which is said to be the first marriage in the township. The lady, a native of Delaware County, Ind., was born May 12. 1813. and is the daughter of Thomas and Margaret
(Hayes) Maynard. Her father was born in Tus- carawas County, and her mother in Starke County, Ohio, and removed with their parents in childhood to Delaware County, Ind, where they were married. In 1851. Mr. Maynard came to Towa, and lived in Guth- rie County, until the fall of 1856, when he came to Old Mapleton and purchased land on section 23. where he resided until 1863. Taking up a home- stead on section 8, Cooper Township, he there made his home until May, 188.4, when he sold out and removed to the Pacific Coast. In I'nion County. Ore., the father died February 6. 1886. The mother of Mrs. Heisler died in Delaware County, Ind., in January, 1845. and her father was again married to Miss Rebecca J. Lee, who is now living in Union County, lowa.
Mr. and Mrs. Heisler are the parents of the follow- ing children : Fannie, born April 22, 1864; Joseph Ross, June 22, 1867; William H., November 4. 1869, who died March 3, 1870; John T., born March 1, 1871; Elmer, born and died September 16, 1872. Bertie L., born November 16, 1874; Harry E., October 1, 1877; Frederick S., October 17. 1881; Earl, June 19, 1884. and Nora Estella, August 8 1889.
AMES M. McCLAIN. Among the self- made men of the county, who came bere comparatively poor, and who have grown with its growth, acquiring an easy compe- tenee, is the gentleman whose name heads this biography. He came here in the spring of 1872, and during that summer worked by the month for F. D. Wilson, at general farm labor. Renting a farm in Lincoln Township in the spring of 1871, be commenced the foundation of his own fortunes. Alternately working upon leased land, and upon farms which he purchased and sold as opportunity offered, he remained a resident in Lincoln Town- ship until the spring of 1876, when he removed to Lake. A season speut in honest toil upon a farm that he had rented; he then returned to Lincoln. There he remained until the fall of 1883. At that time the town of Whiting, that had been laid out
MONONA COUNTY.
some years previous, took a fresh start, and Mr. McClain who had by this time accumulated some capital, went to that place and after erecting a building. engaged in the hardware business. Not liking this line in life, he soon sold out and in the fall of 1884. removed to his fine farm on section 31. in Lake Township, which he had purchased a few years previous, and which contains two hun- dred and forty-three acres of land, upon which he had built anew house. There he has made his home ever since.
Mr. McClain was born in Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio, November 14, 1848, and is the son of Benjamin and Elizabeth McClain. Remaining with his parents until he had attained his twentieth year, he took Horace Greeley's advice and went West. for about one year making his home in Nebraska. After a visit of about six monthis spent in Wyoming Territory, he returned to Omaha, where he remained most of the time until coming to Monona County, as above recorded.
Mr. McClain was united in marriage in Lincoln Township, January 8, 1875, with Miss Ella M. Sis- son, the daughter of Thomas and Mary Sisson.
ALLACE D. GROW, a young. enterpris- ing and energetic farmer of the town of Lincoln, residing on section 16, 81, 46. is the son of Lorenzo and Harriet Grow. lle was born in Kennebec County, Me .. . July 19, 1856, and came to Monona County with his parents in July, 1865. Until the following fall the family remained in Onawa. when the father purchased the farm upon which Wallace now resides. Upon moving thither. there being no improvements upon the place, they took up their residence in a neighboring cabin in which there were two other families. By Christmas time they got up their own cabin, into which they immediately moved. There they resided until 1869. at which date they removed to a place about five miles southwest of Onawa, but soon moved back to their farm. In 1871 the family went to Onawa, again taking up their home there. In the spring of 1874 our subject startedl ont in life for himself,
running the farm belonging to his brother on sec tion 20, 84, 46, where he remained until the spring of 1882, his parents keeping house for him the sec- ond year. At the latter date Mr. Grow purchased the old homestead, where he now lives. In Feb- rnary. 1884, the old folks removed to San Bernar- dino County, Cal., where they now reside. In March of the following year Wallace followed them, but his wife's health failing in the climate of the Pacific coast, they returned in September. 1886, and have since made this their home.
April 7. 1880, Mr. Grow was united in marriage with Miss Anna Williamson, the daughter of Wil- liam and R. K. Williamson, and they have a family of four children: Samuel W., born August 21. 1881; Kate R., December 23. 1882; Paul II., No. vember 22, 1885, whose birth took place in Cal- ifornia. and Anna M., September 22, 1887.
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