USA > Iowa > Page County > History of Page County, Iowa : also biographical sketches of some prominent citizens of the county, Vol. II > Part 11
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It was in the public schools there that Charles Tunnicliffe acquired a knowledge of the common branches of English iearning. His youthful days passed uneventfully, his time being divided between the work of the schoolroom. the pleasures of the playground and such tasks as were as- signed him by paternal authority. At the age of eighteen years he came to Page county and began farming, following that pursuit for eight years,
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after which he entered the lumber business at Shenandoah as a representa- tive of the Green Bay Lumber Company. He remained at that place for one year and was then transferred by the company to Clarinda as manager of their interests at this point, where he successfully conducted a lumber yard for nine years, building up a good trade for the house. At length he re- signed his position, seeing broader business opportunities in other directions, and in 1908 joined a party of enterprising citizens in the organization of the Clarinda Lawn Mower Company, which established a plant and began business. The factory is equipped with the latest improved machinery and all accessories for facilitating the work. A force of competent workmen are employed and the business is carefully systematized and managed, so that maximum results are obtained by a minimum expenditure of time, labor and material, which is the basis of all success in business. At the time of the organization of the company Mr. Tunnicliffe was made secretary, treasurer and general manager of the firm and the success of the under- taking is largely attributable to his control and keen discernment into the details of every business situation. Moreover, he is the president of the Clarinda Patent Exchange.
On the IIth of August. 1892, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Tunnicliffe to Miss Georgia Nye, of Shenandoah, Iowa, a daughter of Wil- liam and Ilarriet Nye, farming people of this county. The children of this marriage are five in number, namely: Ralph, Vera, Carl, Max B. and Norma.
The parents hold membership in the Baptist church, are interested in its various activities and Mr. Tunnicliffe is serving as one of the church trustees. Ile is interested in everything that pertains to the welfare and upbuilding of the community, has been a member of the school board and was vice president of the Chautauqua Assembly at the time of the erection of the first auditorium. He has cooperated in this movement which is of important educational valne here, nor is he slow to assist every enterprise which he deems will prove of public good.
CHARLES HART.
Macaulay has said that "the history of a country is best told in the lives of its people" and therefore in this connection Charles Hart deserves prom- inent mention, for he is one whose efforts have been effective forces in molding the material and moral progress of the community in which he lives. For a long period he was closely associated with agricultural in- terests and is now one of the extensive landowners of the county. He is equally prominent in financial circles as the president of the Farmers & Merchants State Bank at Coin.
Mr. Hart is numbered among the worthy citizens that Ohio has fur- nished to Page county, his birth having occurred near Cleveland in Cuy-
Charles Hart
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ahoga county, on Christmas day of 1844. His parents were Mr. and Mrs. Martin Hart but the mother died when her son Charles was very young. The father was a sailor on the Great Lakes and when Charles was about six years of age he went to Mexico, since which time no news has been re- ceived from him. In the family were six children : Mrs. Mary Phillips, of Cleveland, Ohio; Benjamin, deceased; Elizabeth, who makes her home in Cleveland ; Kathryn, who has also departed this life ; Charles, of this review ; and Luther, a resident of Hudson, Ohio.
Thrown upon his own resources at a very early age, Charles Hart may justly be called a self-made man, for the success which he has achieved is due entirely to his own efforts. He early began to earn his living by work- ing as a farm hand and was thus employed in his native county until sixteen years of age. The only educational advantages which he received were those afforded by the district schools, and the necessity of providing for his own support prevented him from attending school to any great age. He had, however, been an apt pupil in the school of experience and has learned many valuable lessons which have made him a sagacious business man.
On leaving Ohio Mr. Hart went to Illinois, where he was employed at farm labor until after the outbreak of the Civil war, when, in 1863, he offered his services to the government, enlisting at Rochelle, as a member of Company A, Second Illinois Cavalry. He joined the regiment at Spring- field, Illinois, and at Camp Butler the command was instructed in military tactics and duties for three months. They then proceeded south to New Orleans and participated in the battles of Mobile and Fort Blakely and saw active service all the time. As he was a member of the cavalry, how- ever, Mr. Hart was mostly engaged in skirmishing and after the war he was mustered out at San Antonio, Texas, in 1865.
In that year he returned to Illinois, where he remained until 1870, when he married and came to Iowa. He drove across the country with Mr. Davidson, a neighbor, and reaching his destination, purchased eighty acres of land about three miles southwest of Coin, paying for the property six dollars and a quarter per acre. When he had erected a dwelling he sent for his wife, who joined him in their new home, and they lived upon that farm until 1891, when Mr. Hart purchased his present farm, comprising eighty acres just at the edge of Coin. 'On this property he has since made his home. In the midst stands a very commodious and beautiful residence, while all around are the other improvements of a model farm and highly cultivated fields. As the years have passed he has made further invest- ment in property and is now the owner of five hundred and sixty acres of improved farm land in this part of the state. Moreover, he has become an active factor in financial circles. He is a large stockholder in the Farm- ers & Merchants State Bank of Coin and in 1906 was elected to the presi- dency, so that he is now the chief executive officer of the institution. He has also helped open up and develop the mines of the Coin Coal Company near Coin. His farming interests have been turned over to others, while his attention is now given only to the supervision of his investments.
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In April, 1870, Mr. Hart was married to Miss Lucy Harleman, who was born in Pennsylvania. They became the parents of two children: Josephine, who is acting as her father's housekeeper; and P. R., at San Francisco, California. The wife and mother died in 1907, her death being the occasion of deep and wide-spread regret to many friends who esteemed her highly for her splendid traits of heart and mind.
Mr. Hart is a prominent and active member of the Presbyterian church, in which he is serving as elder, and fraternally he is connected with the Grand Army post at Shenandoah. His is a notable record of the self-made man, his history being another proof of the fact that it is only under the stimulus of necessity that the strongest and best in man is brought out and developed. Thrown upon his own resources when but a boy he became self-reliant and learned to use his native talents and powers to the best advantage and also to improve every opportunity leading to honorable suc- cess. As the years have passed the steps in his orderly progression have been easily discernible and have carried him into important relations with the agricultural and financial interests of the county.
TILFORD L. PUTMAN, M. D.
Tilford L. Putman, physician and surgeon, whose close and comprehen- sive study has gained him a high measure of proficiency in his chosen field of labor, while the trust reposed in his professional skill is manifest in the extensive patronage accorded him, was born in Princeton, Missouri, on the 8th of February, 1859, his parents being Green M. and Mary E. (Kelsey) Putman. The father was a native of Fulton county, Illinois, while the mother's birth occurred at Greencastle, Indiana, upon the farm where De Pauw University now stands. Green M. Putman was reared in the place of his nativity to his tenth year, when he accompanied his parents on their removal to Davis county, lowa, where he attained his majority. After his marriage he acquired the ownership of the farm upon which the town of Belknap, lowa, has since been built. In 1860 he became one of the very first settlers of southwestern Jowa, taking up his abode at Locust Grove, Fremont county, where he lived for four or five years and then removed five miles south to what was known as Iligh Creek. There he resided until 1886, when he retired from active farm life and established his home in Hamburg, lowa. He had led a busy, useful and active life. bringing him a substantial measure of success so that in his later years he was enabled to enjoy the comforts and some of the luxuries of life with- out further recourse to labor. He passed away in the fall of 1897 at the age of sixty-two years, while his wife died in 1899 at the age of sixty-three years. Both lie buried in the Locust Grove cemetery. The father was a radical republican in politics for many years, giving unfaltering support to the men and measures of the party, and his opinions constituted an im- portant factor in its councils. His fellow townsmen, appreciative of his
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many good qualities and his progressive citizenship, called him to serve in various local offices, the duties of which he discharged with promptness and fidelity. For a long period he ranked as one of the influential, valued and honored men of this section of the state and lived to witness its trans- formation as the evidences of frontier life were put aside and those of mod- ern civilization were assumed.
Dr. Putman, reared in his father's home, acquired his early education in the country schools and afterward had the benefit of instruction in the Southern Iowa Normal at Bloomfield, Iowa. When twenty-one years of age he began teaching and followed that profession for four years, spending one-half of the time in Fremont county, Iowa, and the other half in Fulton county, Illinois. He regarded this, however, merely as an initial step to other professional labor for during this time he devoted all of his so called leisure hours to the reading of medicine, having as his preceptor Dr. T. H. Bragg, of Hamburg, and Dr. J. V. Harris, of Canton, Illinois, a brother of Bishop M. C. Harris of Japan and Corea. Then in further preparation for the medical profession he matriculated in Rush Medical College, of Chicago, in the fall of 1883 and was graduated therefrom with honors in the class of 1885, he being one of six in a class of one hundred and sixty-three who passed a perfect examination.
Following his return home Dr. Putman learned of the removal of Dr. C. T. Clark, of Riverton, and determined to locate there, becoming Dr. Clark's successor. He remained in active and successful practice at that point for six and one-half years when, seeking a broader field of labor, he came to Shenandoah in October, 1891, and has since remained in this city, where he has built up and enjoys an extensive and growing practice. He is a leading physician of the city and has spared no effort to perfect him- self in his chosen line of work. He has carried his investigations far and wide into the realms of scientific knowledge and has pursued post-graduate courses in the Chicago Polyclinic in 1895, in 1897 and again in 1900. In 1905 he made a tour of the eastern cities, visiting the hospitals and witness- ing the work of some of the ablest surgeons of America, while in 1909 he pursued a post-graduate `course in the University of Maryland in Baltimore. Thus he has availed himself of every opportunity to promote his effi- ciency that he may give valuable service to his patrons. He is a man of sympathetic nature and this, as well as his skill, has enabled him to do effective work in professional lines.
Pleasantly situated in his home life, Dr. Putman was married March 25, 1886, to Miss Jessie D. McKean, of Columbus, Nebraska. Unto this marriage has been born one child, Lynn J., who is now a graduate of the medical department of the University of Maryland, at Baltimore.
Dr. Putman gives his political allegiance to the republican party, but the honors and emoluments of office have no attractions for him. He be- longs to the Methodist Episcopal church, is a member of its official board and for five years has acted as one of its trustees. He also belongs to Juniata Lodge, No. 295, K. P. ; to Shenandoah Lodge, No. 1122, B. P. O. E .; to Nislina Lodge, No. 249, A. O. U. W .; Shenandoah Lodge, No. 261,
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I. O. O. F. ; to Lodge No. 176, Yeomen of America ; and is a charter member of Page Camp, No. 1049, M. W. A., of Shenandoah. He has appreciation for the social amenities of life and is interested in the different organiza- tions which have for their object not only the promotion of social interests but also the promulgation of a spirit of brotherly helpfulness and mutual kindness. He is a genial, courteous gentleman, whose companionship is ap- preciated by those who know him but he never allows outside interests to interfere with his professional duties, being recognized as a most able sur- geon, while at the same time he is most successful in the administration of remedial agencies.
Through the efforts of Dr. Putman the Shenandoah City Hospital was founded, of which he is now surgeon in chief. He is also physician to the Western Normal College and gives considerable attention to education, delivering lectures to the students as well as attending them in sickness. He is a member of the Southwestern Iowa Medical Society and the Med- ical Society of Missouri Valley. He is also a member of the Association of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad and is serving as trustee for the state of Jowa in that association. He is surgeon for the Wabash Railroad Company and a member of its Association of Surgeons; is also a member of the Tri-State Medical Society, of lowa, Illinois and Missouri; and a charter member of the American Association of Railway Surgeons.
J. K. HARLAN.
Careful analyzation into the life history of the great majority of men gives incontrovertible proof of the fact that success is won by earnest, persistent and unfaltering effort. It is in this way that J. K. Harlan has worked his way upward, for although he started out in life empty-handed, he has made progress in the business world and is now the owner of an excellent farm on section 26, Harlan township. Moreover he is entitled to representation in this volume as one of the native sons of the state, his birth having occurred in Henry county, Iowa, February 19, 1860. His parents, William C. and Emily ( Johnson) Harlan, were natives of Indiana where they were reared and 'married, and in the year 1854 they took up their abode in Henry county, where the father turned his attention to general agricultural pursuits. At the time of the Civil war he responded to the country's call for aid and enlisted from Henry county as a member of Company K. Twenty-fifth regiment of Iowa Volunteer Infantry. After doing active duty at the front for about two years he returned to Henry county and died soon afterward on the 27th of February, 1864, when he was thirty-two years of age. His widow afterward became the wife of William Burrows and they now reside at Gravity, Taylor county. By the first marriage there were four children : Nannie, the wife of A. M. Walker, of Nebraska township: Alice, the wife of N. J. Gardner, who is living in Texas ; Mereb, the wife of W. W. Anderson, who is living at New Market,
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Iowa; and J. K., of this review. By her second marriage there were three children.
No event of especial importance occurred to vary the routine of farm life for J. K. Harlan in his boyhood and youth, which were spent in his native county where he continued to the age of twenty years. In the fall of 1880 he removed to Adair county and resided for one winter in Green- field, but in March, 1881, went to Taylor county, where he started upon an independent business venture by renting a tract of land which he con- tinued to cultivate for six years. He then came to Page county and again rented land and for the past six years has owned his present farm, which comprises one hundred and twenty acres on section 26, Harlan township. The soil of Iowa is naturally rich and productive and responds readily to the care and labor which are bestowed upon it. The unceasing effort and intelligently directed diligence of Mr. Harlan have made of his place a well improved farm. It is supplied with new buildings, is well fenced and a substantial annual income is enjoyed from the fact that both branches of his business-the raising of grain and the raising of stock, are proving profitable.
In his political views Mr. Harlan is a republican but does not seek nor desire office. He desires, however, that the best interests of the community may be conserved, and gives his cooperation to various movements for the public good. He was married September 16, 1889, to Miss Bertha Sheets, who was born in Indiana, July 8. 1862, and in her early girlhood came to Page county with her parents, Edwin and Elinor ( Abbott ) Sheets The mother is now deceased and the father makes his home with his children. Mr. and Mrs. Harlan have one daughter, Arda E., at home.
WILLIAM C. PHILLIPS, M. D.
Dr. William C. Phillips, actuated by strong purpose and high ideals in the work of his profession, has firmly established himself in public re- gard as a physician of ability and the confidence of the community is in- dicated in the liberal patronage extended him. Sure of himself and the ground which he occupies in all professional relations, he is continually studying along progressive lines to promote his efficiency and to achieve results which shall be enduring and of credit to the field of labor in which he is putting forth his efforts.
Hle is one of the native sons of Page county, born December 12, 1876, his parents being Rosiel F. and Sarah A. Phillips. The father was a con- tractor who came to Page county in 1873. His son was educated in the public schools until he had passed through consecutive grades and was graduated from the high school with the class of 1894. He began clerking in a drug store when his school days were ended and in 1897 he entered upon the course in pharmacy at the Northwestern University, becoming a registered pharmacist in March, 1898, while in 1899 he was graduated.
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The same year he began the study of medicine and was graduated from the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Chicago with the class of 1903. From 1900 until 1902 he was the pharmacist in the United States public health and marine hospital service, both at Chicago and at Tampa, Florida, spending a year in the latter place. He then returned to Chicago and completed his medical course. His knowledge of pharmacy has been of the utmost value to him in his practice as a physician, for his previous prep- aration for the drug business gave him intimate knowledge of the proper- ties of medicinal agencies and the effect produced under various health con- ditions. Following his graduation he served an interneship at St. Eliza- beth's Hospital in Chicago, where he remained until November, 1904, when he came to Clarinda and entered upon the general practice of medicine and surgery, in which field of labor he has since continued. He is competent and capable, conscientious and considerate. In the diagnosis of a case he is rarely, if ever, at fault and his judgment seldom errs in forecasting the outcome of disease.
Dr. Phillips belongs to the Page County Medical Society, the Iowa State' Medical Association and the American Medical Association and through his connection with those organizations as well as by private read- ing and investigation, he keeps in touch with the advanced thought of the day. He is now secretary of the United States board of pension examiners, while in fraternal relations he is connected with the Knights of Pythias and with the blue lodge and Eastern Star of the Masonic fraternity. He is district lecturer for the Masonic grand lodge of Towa in the twenty- first district. In manner he is courteous and genial and in all non-profes- sional relations is signally modest but his salient qualities are of such sterling character as to make him popular among a large circle of friends in his adopted city.
DAN J. DE LONG.
Among the residents of Clarinda whose former years of toil now make it possible for them to live in retirement in the enjoyment of well earned rest is Dan J. De Long. He was born in Louisville, Kentucky, on the 3d of October, 1839, a son of Joseph and Sarah C. (Blue) De Long, natives of Muskingum county, Ohio, and of Zanesville, Ohio, respectively. The maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Blue, were born in Pennsyl- vania. The father of our subject was a tanner by trade. His death oc- curred in 1852. A strong supporter of the democracy, he was recognized as an active and influential worker in the party ranks of the city where he resided. Ile was a Catholic in religious faith, while his wife was affiliated with the Methodist church. She passed away in New London, Towa, where her father also died. In the family of this worthy couple were six children, namely : Emmons, who died in childhood : Dan J., of this review ; Gilbert E., who passed away in Kansas ; Mattic, the deceased wife of J. V. Chandler,
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who has also passed away; Bernard A., residing in Nebraska ; and Eliza- beth, who died in Zanesville, Ohio.
Dan J. De Long accompanied his parents on their removal to Zanes- ville, where he acquired his education as a pupil in the parochial schools. He remained in that city until seventeen years of age, when he came to Iowa, settling in New London, where he taught school for some time. He also became identified with other interests and was occupied in various capacities until the outbreak of the Civil war. At the country's first call for troops he enlisted in April, 1861, as a member of Company F, First Iowa Infantry, for three months' service. At the close of this term of service he made a trip to the Pacific coast, his destination being the state of Oregon. He took with him four yoke of oxen to haul the provisions and walked the entire distance, the journey covering six months. He re- mained in Oregon about a year, during which period he taught school and also worked for several months for a steam navigation company, operating on the Columbia river. He also spent some time in Portland, following the carpenter's trade. The trip back to Iowa was made by the water route, returning by way of Central America. He made his way back to New London, where he taught school for a while, and then again enlisted in the Union army as a member of the First Iowa Battery. His second term covered a year and a half, being mustered out on the 5th of July, 1865. He saw much active service, participating in the battle of Kenesaw Moun- tain and many engagements about Atlanta, Jonesboro and Nashville.
When the country no longer required his services Mr. De Long re- turned to New London and from there removed to Hawleyville, Iowa, where he engaged in teaching school for three years. In 1868 he was elected to fill the office of county recorder and served in that capacity for about three years, when, in 1871, he made a second trip to Oregon, where he remained for several years. During this interval he was engaged in teaching school and also devoted much time to gardening, though he made a specialty of fruit-raising. For nine years, or from 1873 until 1882, he acted in the capacity of salesman in Oregon, and in the meantime made several visits to Iowa. In the latter year he arrived in Clarinda and be- came identified with the loan and abstract business in connection with a partner under the firm style of the Iowa Security Company. In 1884 he was compelled to dispose of his interest in the concern on account of ill health, and he has since lived retired in this city. He owns the home in which he now resides at 201 West Main street and is also in possession of six valuable lots and a two story brick store building on the public square.
In April, 1864, Mr. De Long was united in marriage in Henry county, Iowa, to Miss Emma McColley, whose parents came from Indiana to Iowa about 1839. She is well known and liked in Clarinda and is a lady of refinement and culture, holding membership in the Clarinda Reading Club and also in the Chautauqua Assembly. In politics Mr. De Long has given stalwart support to the republican party ever since age conferred upon him the right of franchise, and he has served as city clerk of Clarinda and also as county recorder. He has never sought nor desired office as a reward
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