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 82
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P ENDLETON HUBBARD, Attorney-at- Law, Onawa, came to that village in April. 1884. and engaged in the practice of his profession, and in the loan and insurance business. He is a native of Kentucky, born Au- gust 31, 1828, and is a son of Thomas and Ilannah (Goodrich) Hubbard. His parents, natives of Virginia and Massachusetts respectively, were mar- ried in North Bend. Ohio, and removed to Ken- tucky at an early day. In 1829 the family removed to Galena, Ill., and while a resident there the elder Mr. Hubbard served for several months as a soldier in the Black Hawk War. In 1835 the family re- moved to Seott County. Iowa, settling at what is now Princeton, the town site of which is on the land which he had entered and given to his son, Thomas Hubbard Jr., who laid out and platted the village. Here his parents remained until called away by death. the mother in 1860, and the father in 1867.
Our subject was reared to manhood in Scott County upon the farm and received his education in its district schools. After leaving home at the age of twenty he commenced farming for himself. having begun the reading of law some time pre- vious and continued his studies with D. IT. Solo- mon, of Glenwood, while carrying on his place. He was admitted to the bar, at the latter village, April 8. 1873, at a session of the court, Judge T. R. Stockton presiding. Ile engaged in the practice of his profession near Plum Hollow, Fremont County, Iowa, where he remained until 1875, and then removed to Magnolia, Harrison County, from which village, in April, 1884, he came to Onawa. Mr. Hubbard was married in 1846, to Miss Mar-
Mr. Olsen was united in marriage in 1870, in Chicago, with Miss Mary Jolmson, a native also of , garet McCoy, a native of Pennsylvania. who died
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having been the mother of four children-Ellen, Emma, deceased. Esther J. and Mary. In 1867 Mr. Hubbard was united in marriage with Miss Aurena Shoemaker, a native of Mercer County, Pa., who died February 20, 1886, leaving three children-Charles A., Anna B. and Lillie B. June 5, 1888, Mr. Hubbard wedded Miss Sarah E. Rob- inson, a native of Ohio. They are both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
EWIS IDDINGS, one of the representative farmers and leading, influential men of Cooper Township, came to Monona County September 1, 1865, and settled on section 6, upon which he now resides. This place he took under the llomestead Law and he was one of those who contested their claim against the Towa Railroad Land Company, and was a member of the Commit- tee of tive to represent the people of this county in that contest, a history of which is given elsewhere. Ilis farm now embraces some four hundred and forty acres upon which he carries on general farm- ing and stock raising. In polities he was formerly a Republican, but of late years has affiliated with the Union Labor movement. Ile has hekl several minor offices and has been a candidate for County Commissioner.
Mr. Iddings was born in Union County. Pa., February 23, 1811, and is the son of Thomas and Mary (Gephart) Iddings. His parents were also natives of that portion of the Keystone State, the father born May 12, 1818, and the mother May 25, 1811, and were of English and German descent respectively. His mother died March 10, 1851, and his father January 11, 1853, married Miss Elizabeth Mcclellan, who died October 27, 1870. Thomas Iddings followed farming in his native State until 1873, when he removed to St. Joseph County, Mich., where June 16, 1871, he married Mrs. Mary C. Hall. ner Ingerson, who had two children. He and his wife and two children are still residents of Michigan. His second wife had six children. She was a member of the Presby- terian Church. The mother of our subject was the
parent of six children, five boys and one girl. and was an exemplary Christian woman, having been connected with the German Reformed Church for many years.
. Lewis Iddings remained at home with his parents receiving his education and assisting in carrying on the farm until eighteen years of age, when he commenced life's conflict on his own account by working ont by the month at farm labor. Decem- ber 25, 1860, he was united in marriage with Miss Susannah Hursh, a native also of Union County, Pa., who was born March 25, 1841, and the daughter of George and Annie, (Royer) Hursh. In March, 1861, with his young wife, he removed to St. Joseph County, Mich., where he was engaged in farming until he came to Monona County, as stated above. Since his settlement here he has been prom- inently identified with the interests of the county and took a leading part in the Grange movement, holding several important positions in the order.
Our subject is the father of eight children, of whom the following is a record-George T. was born February 23. 1862, and died September 27, 1864; an infant unnamed, born January 18, 1866, died January 23, 1866; John R., born May 21, 1867; Annie A., May 1, 1870; Olive M., October 16. 1874; Adna Il., September 12, 1877; Viola Alma, April 9, 1881; and Jesse II .. February 7, 1885.
E DWARD J. NORCROSS is a prominent and highly respected eitizen living on section 5, Center Township, on a good and well-im- proved farm of two hundred and sixty aeres, three and a half miles from the village of Castana, and seven from Mapleton. Ile came to Monona County in April. 1873, from Rock County, Wis., and lo- vated on the southeast quarter of section 8 in 1874, where he rented for two years, when he bought forty aeres in the northwest quarter of the same section. lle accumulated to this until he owned abont two hundred aeres, but in the spring of 1883, selling out, he removed to his present home and that summer built the large and elegant house in
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which he now lives. But little improvements were made on this farm previous to his settlement here. but he now has about one hundred and thirty acres under cultivation, about one hundred acres in na- tive timber, the balance being pasture, and usually keeps about fifteen head of horses, one hundred of cattle and nearly as many hogs. For the past ten years he has been in the loan business for eastern parties.
Mr. Norcross, a native of Walworth County, Wis., was born August 25. 1851, and is the son of Walter W. and Lucy A. (Moore) Norcross. Ilis father was born in Syracuse, N. Y., February 28, 1821, and early in life adopted farming as a voea. tion. In 1841 he came to Wisconsin settling in La Grange Township, Walworth County, where he still resides. The mother of our subject, also a native of the Empire State, was married July 4, 1850, and became the mother of eight children -- Warren II., Leonard L., Zoe E., Edith M. Lucy A .. Justus and Sarah. Edith M. died January 5, 1885.
Edward J. Norcross laid the foundation of his education in the district schools of his native county and in 1869 was in attendance at the Milton College. By following teaching he gained the means for his further instruction in the State Normal school, at Whitewater, Wis., on graduat- ing from which he adopted teaching for a pro- fession. Being entirely thrown upon his own re- sources since boyhood, it is to his credit that he has acquired a fair education. Prosecuting the duties of his calling for several years previous to coming to this county, and for three terms there- after, he has made his mark on the minds of some of the rising generation, which is a sufficient re- ward.
Mr. Norcross and Miss Lucy A. Gray, were united in marriage in Rock County, Wis., October 14, 1873. The lady was born in Walworth County, Wis., November 12, 1851, and is the daughter of Nathaniel and Elvira (Kent) Gray, the former born in Oneida County, N. Y., July 16, 1821, and the latter near Troy, in the same State, October 4. 1823. She received her education in the schools of Johnstown. Milton, and Whitewater. Wis., and and at the age of seventeen years commenced
teaching. For ten terms in Wisconsin, and eight in Monona County, she was engaged in tutoring the youthful minds with notable success. Their family consists of four children, born as follows : Fred G., January 12, 1876; Clayton W .. October 23, 1877 ; George E. and William E., born October 18, 1885. One of their family, George E .. died August 3, 1887.
LOF LEFF. Among the successful citi- zens of Scandinavian birth, residing in Mo. nona County, there are probably but few who have attained more prominence as enterprising and business-like agrieulturists, than the subject of this sketch. lle is a resident of Belvidere Town- ship. living on section 24, where he purchased hundred and twenty acres of land on coming to the county in the spring of 1882. His intelligent efforts toward competency and wealth have thus far suc- ceeded to the extent of increasing his farm to four hundred and eighty acres, one hundred and sixty-five of which he is engaged in the cultivation of. the balance being devoted to stock purposes.
Mr. Leff was born near Falun, Sweden, Septem- ber 30, 1846, and is the son of Olof and Margaret (Johnson) Leff. His father was born in the same kingdom in 1815, and after having been engaged in farming all his life in that region, died there May 6, 1866. The latter had married in 1839, Miss Mar- garet Johnson, who was born near Falun, Septem- her 15, 1812, and who, in 1869, after the death of her husband came to the United States, in com- pany with her sons, John and Erick, and after liv- ing for a time in Illinois and Iowa, in Iss. removed to Phelps County. Neb., where she is residing with a son at present. She is the parent of seven children, three of whom are living, one in Sweden, the other two in the Unite I States.
Olof, the fifth child of his parents, received the education common to the youth of his country and was employed upon his father's farm until his twenty-first year. Crossing the ocean to America. he landed at Quebec. Canada, June 23. 1868, and from there traveled by railroad to Chicago, and a
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short time after went to Bureau County, HI. From there in a few months he removed to Galva, Henry County, and engaged in coal mining for three years, removing to Stark County in 1872, and there engaged in the same line of business for a like period. Purchasing a farm of ninety five acres. near Cambridge, Henry County, he commenced agricultural pursuits which he carried on there until the spring of 1882, when he came to Monona County. By his own ability, thrift and economy. he has risen to his present condition among the well-to-do people of the county, and has held sey- eral offices of honor and trust in the township.
Mr. Leff was married at Galva, Ill., September 8, 1870, to Miss Erica Erickson, a native of Sweden. born at Transtrand. February 1, 1844, who came to America in 1870, and settled in Henry County, Ill. They have had a family of eight el.ildren -- Albert, born in Stark County, Ill., October 7, 1872; Olive, in Henry County, Ill., March 15. 1876; Oscar, in the same place. December 1, 1878; Charles, in the same county, November 5, 1881 ; Nellie, in Monona County. Iowa, May 1, 1884; and Elsie. also in this county, February 5, 1887. The two first born were twins and were not named and died in infancy, the others are still living.
NTON HANSON. the well-known black- smith, located at Soldier Post- office, was born in Norway, April 29, 1859, and is the son of Hans and Ilellene Oleson Receiv- ing a fair education in his youth, he was appren- tieed to learn the blacksmith's trade at which he served until attaining his majority, on which, in April, 1882, he crossed the ocean to seek under broader and freer institutions a greater chance for his efforts and to better his fortune, financially, and landed at Philadelphia, Pa. For about a year he found employment there at his trade, but having the " western fever," crossed the broad continent to Washington Territory. where for about a month he was engaged in driving a team at Tacoma. Removing to Seattle, he worked at his trade for about six months, and
was then employed on a steamboat as a deek hand for a couple of months more. Going to the coal mines at New Castle, he acted as cook for a party for some three months, and then started baek east- ward and came to Monona County in the fall of 1884. Renting a smithy he commeneed business at Sollier and the following year erected the build- ing which he now occupies and there set up his forge. In August, 1887, Mr. Hanson purchased a farm on seetion 20, which was broken and fenced and upon which, the same fall, he ereeted a house, the main part of which is 14x22 feet on the ground, with an annex 14x1 t. Ilere he makes his home, carrying on his trade and cultivating the soil at the same time.
August 2, 1886, Mr. Ilanson was united in mar- riage with Miss Telle Peterson, a native of Norway, who was born March 21, 1863, and is a daughter of Peter and Maren Mortenson. Of this union there have been two children-Lilli B., born May 11, 1887, died August 30, 1887; and Mabel II., born January 30, 1889.
OSEPH D. BUTT, who came to Monona County in 1866, after his discharge from the service of the general Government, he hav- ing been one of the "brave boys in blue," that "stood in the lurid front of fierce battle in defense of home and country," and located in Spring Val- ley Township, on section 15, where he purchased some three hundred and twenty aeres of land upon which he resided for twenty years previous to his removal to the village of Turin, where he is en- gaged at the present time in the livery stable busi- ness.
He is a native of Ohio, born in Athens County, June 7, 1833, and is the son of Joseph and Annie ( McCune) Butt. Ilis father was born in Laneaster County, l'a., about the year 1807, and when some six or seven years of age, was taken to Ohio by his parents who settled in Tusearawas County. At the age of twenty-one, he located in Athens County, in the same State, where he died about 1850. Ile had been a farmer all his life and was somewhat successful in that line. His wife was a native of
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terest in the store for one hundred and sixty acres of land lying in section 15, Lincoln Township, and sections 11 and 14, Franklin, to which he removed with his family and resumed the pursuit of agricul- ture. He remained upon the farm for about three years and then came to Whiting and assumed his present position. Ile is still the owner of his fine farm which contains one hundred and sixty acres and is well improved and stocked, and gives it his personal supervision, hiring the manual labor neces- sary to carry it on.
Mr. Christie is a native of the county of Gren- ville, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, born January 21, 1845, and is the son of Robert and Maria (Boyd) Christie, and is of Scottish anees- try. His father was born in Sterlingshire, Scot- land, September 29, 1809, and came to Canada with his parents in 1820, Dunean Christie, the grandfather of the subject of our sketch, settling in Grenville County. The latter had been quite well to do in his native land and the owner of ex- tensive woolen mills, but owing to a panic in the woolen market. caused by the long sustained wars with Napoleon. came to this continent and en- gaged in agriculture. This he followed until his death. which occurred about 1859, when about ninety. His wife died some three years previous. Robert Christie, the father of our subjeet, the second in a family of ten children, was engaged in agricultural and mercantile pursuits for many years. Mrs. Christie, the mother of Lawrence. was born in Grenville County. Canada. in 1814, and is the daughter of David and Maria Boyd.
L. E. Christie may almost be termed a self- made man, leaving the paternal roof at the age of fifteen to work out his own path through life. Determined to acquire a higher education, he de- voted his summers to teaching school to obtain the means of attending college through the win- ter months, and in this manner was enabled to complete a course of study at the Toronto Uni- versity and the Normal School at the same eity, being graduated from the latter institution in 1863. By a law of the Province a prize of a rebate of $1 per week from the tuition bill for the time of
attendance of the student was given to the pupil being graduated at the end of the first term. and this coveted distinction was easily won by our subject. Removing to Folbrook, Pa., Mr. Christie entered the employ of the Folbrook Coal Com- pany at that place, where he remained some three years but at the expiration of that time returned to Canada. The next seven years of his life were spent as principal of Trowbridge High School but failing health and the advice of his physician caused him to relinquish the position and he then came to the United States, and to Monona County.
Mr. Christie was united in marriage, October 20. 1869, with Miss Mary Humphries Brewer, the daughter of Humphries and Julia (Orton) Brewer. with whom he became acquainted at Folbrook, Pa. By this union there have been born two children. William Humphries who was born July 27, 1871. and Edmund Willard, born April 9. 1874. both of whom are still residing with their parents.
The father of Mrs. Christie, Humphries Brewer. was born at Bath, England, February 29, ISIS, and was educated at London. Adopting eivil en- gineering, he was prominently identified with sev- eral notable engineering enterprises. Submitting plans for the great bridge across the Danube River, which unites the two cities of Buda and Pesth. in Hungary, the feasibility of construction of which, was much doubted by engineers, he was awarded the prize and built the bridge, which is a marvel of skill. He was also the author of the Thames tunnel at London, and in 1849 came to America and became the president and manager of the Folbrook Coal Mines, in which position he died December 25, 1867. He was one of the most re- markable me i of the period and was highly appre- eiated by all with whom he came in contact. Ile was married in London, England. February 18. 1846, to Miss Julia Orton, a native of that city. born May 20, 1820, who became the mother of seven children. Mrs. Christie was born at London. October 22. 1849, and came to America with her parents the same year. She received her education at the Geneva Seminary, New York, and finished at Musicvale Seminary, Conn.
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