History of Page County, Iowa : also biographical sketches of some prominent citizens of the county, Vol. II, Part 14

Author: Kershaw, W. L
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago : S.J. Clarke Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 656


USA > Iowa > Page County > History of Page County, Iowa : also biographical sketches of some prominent citizens of the county, Vol. II > Part 14


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M. B. WALKER.


M. B. Walker is the manager of the Coldbrook Stock Farm, which is owned by W. C. Brown, the president of the New York Central Railroad. It is a farm of four hundred acres on the Wall Street road two miles north of Clarinda and under the capable direction of Mr. Walker has become one of the leading stock farms in this part of the state. A native of Iowa, he was born at Maquoketa, on the 20th of September, 1880, and there re- sided until he came to his present place of residence. Ile was the elder of two sons, his parents being Eben N. and Eva M. ( Hall) Walker. The father was a native of Little Falls, New York, born in 1850 and in 1854 he came to lowa with his parents, spending the remainder of his life on the farm where his parents first settled on casting in their lot with the pioneer settlers of the state. Having arrived at years of maturity, Eben N. Walker was married to Miss Eva M. Hall, who was born in Jones county, Iowa, in 1850, and unto them were born two sons, the younger being Harold S .. who is now a train dispatcher for the Big Four Railroad Company at Danville, Illinois.


The usual experiences of the farm lad came to M. B. Walker in the days of his boyhood and youth. Ile worked in the fields through the sum- mer mouths and in the winter seasons attended the public schools. Ile was graduated from the high school of Maquoketa with the class of 1898 and for three winter terms engaged in teaching school but the remainder of


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his time was devoted to general farming and stock-raising upon the old home place. On leaving there he came to the Coldbrook Stock Farm which is the property of W. C. Brown, a cousin of his father, and he and Mr. Brown own the live stock jointly. The farm is an extensive and valuable tract of land of four hundred acres, pleasantly and conveniently situated two miles north of Clarinda. There he pays special attention to the breed- ing and raising of registered Angus cattle, having about sixty head in the herd. He also pastures and feeds two or three carloads of steers each year and he raises Percheron and standard bred horses. He likewise cultivates various cereals and his entire time is devoted to the farm on which he has lived for four years.


On the 10th of January, 1900, Mr. Walker was united in marriage to Miss Edna A. Dunn, who was born in Bellevue, Iowa, October 22, 1879, and is a daughter of M. S. and Mina ( Collins ) Dunn. Mr. and Mrs. Walker are well known in their locality, occupying a prominent position in social circles and the business capacity and enterprise of Mr. Walker have en- abled him to maintain an attractive home supplied with all of the comforts and many of the luxuries of life.


EZRA P. HARDEE.


Ezra P. Hardee, owning and operating a well improved and valuable farm of two hundred and thirty acres on sections 1, 2, and 11, Buchanan township, Page county, was born on this place on the 20th of September, 1861. He was the youngest son of William M. and Elizabeth (Farley) Hardec. His paternal grandfather, John Hardee, was a native of Din- widdie county, Virginia, and came of sturdy Scotch-Irish stock. He served for six years and nine months as a soldier in the Revolutionary war, par- ticipated in the battle of Bunker Hill and was also present at the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown. William M. Hardee, the father of our sub- ject, whose birth occurred in Bourbon county, Kentucky, in 1815, took up his abode in Buchanan township, Page county, Iowa, in 1842, being the third white settler in the county and the father of the first white child born in the county-Perry Hardee. As the years passed he became widely recognized as a most successful and enterprising agriculturist and also be- came prominent in public affairs, holding the office of township trustee for many years. He likewise served as captain of the militia. He passed away on the 29th of May, 1902, having for more than ten years survived his wife, who was called to her final rest on the 31st of January, 1892.


Ezra P. Hardee remained under the parental roof until twenty-two years of age, attending the district schools during the winter months and giving his father the benefit of his services in the cultivation of the old homestead farm during the summer seasons. In 1884 he drove one hundred and forty head of cattle to Wyoming, returning home in the fall of the same year. He has devoted his time and energies to general agricultural pursuits


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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY


throughout his entire business career and, with the exception of a period of two years which he spent in Wyoming, has always resided on the old family homestead in Buchanan township. It was in 1895 that he went to Sheridan, Wyoming, purchasing and locating on a ranch of one hundred and sixty acres but, not finding the country to his liking, he disposed of his property there and returned to Page county at the end of a couple of years. His holdings now embrace two hundred and thirty acres of roll- ing, well watered land in Buchanan township, in which tract is included ten acres of fine timber and the old homestead farm where his father lived for more than a half century. The property is equipped with all of the improvements and accessories of a model farm of the twentieth century, and in his general agricultural interests Mr. Hardee is meeting with a well earned and creditable measure of prosperity.


Mr. Hardee has been married twice. On the 6th of March, 1884, he was joined in wedlock to Miss Nancy Jane Adams, a daughter of John Quincy and Jane ( Kent) Adams, by whom he had seven children, six of whom still survive, namely: Otis, who lives near Spokane, Washington ; William Quincy, a resident of Omaha, Nebraska ; and Inez, Orpha, Nola and Emery, aged nineteen, fifteen, thirteen and nine years respectively, all of whom are at home. Sylvester App died on the 24th of April, 1905: at the age of thirteen years, one month and twenty-nine days. The wife and mother passed away on the 25th of April, 1904, and on the 30th of August, 1906, Mr. Hardee was again married, his second union being with Miss Mary L. Martin, a daughter of James Martin, of Andrew county, Missouri. Unto them has been born one son, Estes, now two years of age.


In his political views, Mr. Hardee is a stalwart democrat and at the present time is capably serving as township trustee and also as a member of the township school board. Fraternally he is identified with Plumm Lodge, No. 285, A. F. & A. M., at Siam, Iowa, while his religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Christian church. The name of Hardee has figured in the annals of Page county from the period of its carliest de- velopment to the present time, and Ezra P. Hardee is well entitled to men- tion in this volume as one of its representative citizens and worthy native sons.


HENRY SUNDERMAN.


Henry Sunderman, deceased, who was one of the most prosperous farmers and highly respected citizens of Douglas township and, in fact, of this part of the state, was born in Germany, October 14, 1834. He came to America with his parents when but six years of age and remained under the parental roof until he attained his majority, when he removed west- ward, arriving in Page county in 1858. Southwestern Iowa was at that time largely an unimproved district and he entered land here, upon which his widow now resides. He then began the development of a farm, making good improvements of a pioneer character thereon, and the log house he


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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY


erected stood on the site of the present residence. There was an old Indian trail passing through his yard and Clarinda contained but three log cabins. In those early days he hauled his grain to St. Joseph, Missouri.


Mr. Sunderman continued the work of cultivating his place until the winter of 1864, when he returned to Indiana and was united in marriage to Miss Sophia L. Fosbrink, who was born in that state on the 15th of February, 1844. She was a daughter of John H. and Catherine A. (Stel- tenpohl) Fosbrink, both of whom were natives of Germany. They came to America in 1839, locating in Maryland, where they lived for a year, after which they removed to Cleveland, Ohio, where they spent three years. On the expiration of that period they became residents of Indiana and Mr. Fosbrink entered government land, securing one hundred and sixty acres in Jackson county. The tract was entirely covered with timber and in the midst of the place he built a log cabin and hewed out a farm, con- tinuing his residence in the same county until his death. There he care- fully and successfully carried on general agricultural pursuits, becoming one of the well known farmers of the community. His wife died in 1871, while Mr. Fosbrink survived until the 15th of April, 1877, when he too, was called to his final rest. In their family were eleven children, of whom six are still living.


Following his marriage Mr. Sunderman came with his bride to Page county, where he lived until his death. At the time of his marriage there was a small log cabin upon his place, but as the years passed and his finan- cial resources increased he wrought a great change in the appearance of his farm. Upon it he built a fine house and good outbuildings for the shelter of grain and stock, while in the fields he used the latest improved machinery to facilitate his work. He also planted a fine grove of trees and made his place one of the model farms of the county. As he prospered in his undertakings he kept adding to his land from time to time until he became the owner of over thirteen hundred acres, having that amount in his possession at the time of his demise. Of this Mrs. Sunderman still retains four hundred and forty acres, constituting the farm upon which she now resides. The remainder of the land she divided among her chil- dren, who were thus comfortably situated in life.


Unto Mr. and Mrs. Sunderman were born eight children: John K., now a resident of Fort Morgan, Colorado; Katie, the wife of Charles Wil- liams, living in Nodaway township; George H., deceased; Hannah, the wife of William H. Endebrock, who resides in Jackson county, Indiana ; William H., deceased; Rosena, the wife of William Mascher, deceased ; Alvina A., the wife of Fred Roberts, living on her mother's farm; and Henry J., also a resident of Douglas township. Mrs. Sunderman now has twenty-two living grandchildren.


Both Mr. and Mrs. Sunderman were members of the German Lutheran church, in the work of which she is still taking an active part. In his politi- cal views Mr. Sunderman was a stalwart republican, always keeping well informed on the questions and issues of the day and giving stanch support to the principles of the party. He served as township trustee, but was


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never a politician in the sense of office seeking. He passed away on the 9th of February, 1905, and his remains were laid to rest in the German Lutheran cemetery in Nodaway township. He was a successful man, who owed his financial advancement to his own well directed efforts, business ability and unfaltering determination. Moreover, he was at all times loyal to his principles and to the teachings of the church to which he was affiliated and in his life he exemplified many of the sterling traits of the reliable citizen, the faithful friend and the devoted husband and father.


JOHN WILLIAMS.


John Williams, who is now living retired, was formerly actively and successfully identified with the agricultural interests of Page county for many years, and is still the owner of six hundred acres of rich and arable land in Valley and Douglas townships. His birth occurred in County Corn- wall, England, on the 10th of November, 1827, his parents being James and Millicent ( Oats) Williams, who spent their entire lives in that country. They reared four children but John Williams of this review is now the only surviving member of the family. He obtained a good practical education in the schools of his native land and continued a resident of the "merrie isle" until 1866, when he crossed the Atlantic to the United States, first taking up his abode in Wisconsin. He was there engaged in the operation of a rented tract of land for four years and on the expiration of that period came to Page county, lowa. purchasing the farm which has continued his place of residence to the present time. Ile brought the fields under a high state of cultivation and improvement and as the years went by his well directed and untiring labors as an agriculturist resulted in the attainment of a gratifying measure of prosperity. His property, comprising six hun- dred acres of productive and valuable land in Valley township, is the visible evidence of his life of thrift and enterprise, for it has all been accumulated by him since he landed on the shores of the new world. He has now put aside the active work of the fields and is living retired on his farin, enjoying in well earned ease the fruits of his former toil.


As a companion and helpmate on the journey of life Mr. Williams chose Miss Amy Rogers, their marriage being celebrated in England. Their union has been blessed with eight children, namely: William J. and James C., who are residents of Page county; Mary .A., who is now deceased ; Emma J., the wife of Ezra Fleenor. of this county : Carrie A., the wife of Edward Bolen, of Valley township; Charles .A., residing in Nodaway township; Ernest R., who makes his home in this county ; and Minnie, who resides on the home farm with her husband, Frank MeNeal. They have two children, Amy E. and Edith May.


Mr. and Mrs. Williams are members of the United Brethren church, of which he has served as trustee and has filled other church offices. lle casts his ballot in support of the men and measures of the republican


MR. AND MRS. JOHN WILLIAMS


ALUNO


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party, being convinced that its principles are most conducive to good gov- ernment. He has now passed the eighty-first milestone on the journey of life and receives the veneration and respect which should ever be accorded one who has traveled thus far on this earthly pilgrimage and whose career has at all times been honorable and upright.


CHARLES W. STUART.


Charles W. Stuart is filling the position of justice of the peace in Clarinda and for seven years has efficiently served as city clerk. He regards a public office as a public trust-and no trust reposed in him has ever been betrayed in the slightest degree. He is prompt and faithful in the execution of all of the duties that devolve upon him in these connections and that his work receives general endorsement is indicated in the fact of his continued incumbency. A native of central Pennsylvania, he was only two years old when the family removed to Virginia. His parents were David O. and Mary A. (Spiece) Stuart. The father was a minister of the Methodist church, devoting his life to the work of preaching the gos- pel in Virginia until 1865, when he removed westward to Iowa, settling in Warren county.


Charles W. Stuart was reared in the Old Dominion, pursuing his edu- cation in the schools of Morgantown, Virginia, and his liberal education enabled him to become a successful teacher. He taught school in lowa and Nebraska from 1866 until 1874 and in the latter year, having been ordained to the ministry of the Methodist church, he entered upon active connection with the church work in a pastoral capacity. During this time he also studied law and in 1886 was admitted to the lowa bar. In 1892 lie came to Clarinda, where he has since engaged in general practice. He is a thorough and discriminating student with comprehensive knowledge of legal principles and his ability is such as to merit the clientage that is ac- corded him and the important character of his professional work. In 1892 he was elected justice of the peace and again in 1902 and his since served as justice and notary public. He has also been city clerk for the past seven years, filling the position most acceptably. Over his official record there falls no shadow of wrong or suspicion of evil and that he has the endorsement of the general public is indicated in the fact of his reelection.


In 1875 Mr. Stuart was married to Miss Mary Jones, of Columbus, Nebraska, and they now have four children: Seba, now the wife of Lewis Steeve, a farmer of Page county ; James T., a traveling salesman ; Anna, at home ; and Maud, the wife of Victor Hull, a resident farmer of Page county. They also lost one daughter, Kittie, who became the wife of William F. Stipe, an attorney practicing in Clarinda.


Mr. Stuart is entitled to wear the Grand Army button, for in 1863 he joined the First Regiment of Virginia Independent State Troops and served


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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY


for over a year. In politics he has long been a republican, active in its local ranks, while fraternally he is a Mason. His life is in harmony with the teachings of the craft for he is a firm believer in its principles of mu- tual helpfulnes, and brotherly kindness.


FRED BAUMGARTEN.


Among the citizens of Page county of foreign birth, who are now num- bered among the most loyal and representative residents of this locality, is Fred Baumgarten, who was born in Brandenburg, Prussia, Germany, September 17, 1862. He was the only child of Frederick and Sophia (Shultz ) Baumgarten, who were likewise natives of Germany, the father having been born in Mecklenburg in 1825, while the mother's birth occurred in Prussia on the 14th of March, 1838. By a former marriage Frederick Baumgarten had a daughter, Marion Mary, who is now the widow of Wil- liam Meyers and lives in Oklahoma. For his second wife he chose Sophia Shultz and they remained residents of the fatherland until the spring of 1870, when they crossed the Atlantic to the United States and after a brief period spent in Chicago came to Page county, lowa, in July of the same year. The father first rented land in Douglas township and there carried on general farming for two years, after which he purchased forty acres of the farm upon which his son Fred now resides. llis remaining days were devoted to general agricultural pursuits and in the later years of his life he retired from the active work of the farm, which was taken up by his son. He died May 8, 1906, at the venerable age of eighty-six years, while his widow still survives and now resides with the subject of this review.


Fred Baumgarten was only seven years of age when, in the spring of 1870, he was brought by his parents to the new world and had not yet reached the eighth anniversary of his birth when the family arrived in l'age county. Ilaving lived for two years upon a rented farm in Douglas town- ship they took up their abode upon the farm which has since been the home of Fred Baumgarten. It was a tract of raw prairie when the family took possession thereof but in his boyhood and youth he assisted his father in the arduous task of developing the wild land. Their first home was a rude cabin but it served to afford shelter for the family until a more sub- stantial and commodious residence could be erected. Harvests were planted and fences built and with characteristic energy the work of general im- provement was begun. Mr. Baumgarten and his father set out all of the fine shade trees upon the place, which include black walnut. poplars, cotton- wwod, locusts and maples. Many fruit trees have also been planted and they yield a good product in season. Mr. Baumgarten and his father also erected the present residence upon the place and all of the outbuildings which constitute this a model farm and afford ample shelter for grain and stock. The fields present a most attractive appearance, promising golden


HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY


harvests in the autumn, and while making a specialty of raising Aberdeen Angus cattle Mr. Baumgarten also raises stock of other kinds. The various branches of his business are proving profitable, owing to his capable con- duct and unfaltering energy.


On the 6th of August, 1885, Mr. Baumgarten was married to Miss Sophia Puls, who was born in Mecklenburg, Germany, July 3, 1862, and came to the United States with her parents in 1882, when a young lady ot twenty years. She is a daughter of John and Henrietta ( Puls ) Puls, the latter now residing in Tonawanda, New York, in which place the death of the father occurred in the 5th day of February, 1905. They never lived in Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Baumgarten had three sons and a daughter : Anna, who died at the age of five years ; Albert, who was born February 4, 1893; Walter, born .August 12, 1894; and William, born August 8, 1897. The family is pleasantly situated in a comfortable home and the success which Mr. Baumgarten has achieved enables him to supply his family with all of the necessities and many of the luxuries of life. His political allegiance is given to the democracy and he is a devoted and interested member of the Lutheran church. Ilis life has ever been honorable and upright and con- stitutes an example well worthy of emulation. In all of his business affairs he has been actuated by laudable ambitions and his energy and strong pur- pose have enabled him to overcome all the difficulties and obstacles in his path.


FREDERICK HENNEMANN.


Germany has furnished many worthy citizens to the United States, the Teutonic element in our nationality having long been an important one. Among the representatives of the fatherland now living in Page county is Frederick Hennemann, who carries on general farming on section 1, Nodaway township. He was born in Prussia, Germany, November 4, 1861, and was the second in order of birth in a family of six children whose parents were Ludwig and Wilhelmina ( Shoultz) Hennemann. The father died in Germany when his son Frederick was but seven years of age. The mother afterward came with her son to the United States and is now re- siding with a daughter in this county. In the family were six children : Sophia, now the wife of Henry Sidenberg, of Valley township ; Frederick; Theressa, the wife of Henry Gribbert, of Clarinda ; Mary, the wife of Carl Bradyhorst, a resident farmer of Tarkio township; Henry, who died at the age of twenty-four years, and Carl, of Oklahoma.


Frederick Hennemann remained a resident of his native country until eighteen years of age and during that period acquired his education in the public schools. He was left fatherless at the age of seven and in the fall of 1880 came with his widowed mother to the new world, starting in busi- ness life here as a farm hand. He was thus employed for five years but being ambitions to engage in business on his own account he rented land which he cultivated for five years. During that period he carefully saved


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his earnings until he had a sufficient sum to invest in eighty acres of land in Douglas township, where he resided for eleven years. He afterward purchased his present farm of one hundred and forty-one acres on section I, Nodaway township, and after selling his eighty-acre tract he invested in an adjoining farm of one hundred and one acres in the same township, so that his total holdings are now two hundred and forty-two acres, con- stituting one of the valuable farm properties of the locality. On the place are two sets of good farm buildings and all of the modern accessories and conveniences which facilitate the work of the fields and make the place typical of the progressive spirit which has characterized agricultural lines in Page county in recent years.


Pleasantly situated in his home life, Mr. Hennemann was married in 1891 to Miss Paulina Krull, who was born in Prussia, Germany, January 20, 1873, and was brought to the United States in 1885 by her father and stepmother. She is a daughter of Henry Krull, who now resides in Douglas township. He married Wilhelmina Kohn and had four children by that marriage: Mrs. Hennemann ; Wilhelmina, who died at the age of four years in the old country ; Mary, who died at the age of six months; and August, living in North Dakota. After losing his first wife Mr. Krull wedded Fredericka Kluth and unto them were born two children, Johanna and Henry.


The home of Mr. and Mrs. Hennemann has been blessed with six chil- dren, Ludwig, Rosa, Albert, Alma, Emma and Lena. The parents are members of the Lutheran church and Mr. Hennemann is a democrat in his political views. He keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day but does not seek nor desire office. He may well be called a self-made man for he came to the new world empty-handed and worked as a farm hand until he could make a start in business on his own account. His life has been one of unremitting diligence and perseverance and his success is well merited.


JOSIAH M. RUMBAUGHI.


Josiah M. Rumbaugh, arriving in Clarinda in 1904, is now engaged in the dry-goods business. He came to Iowa from Nebraska but is an eastern man by birth, the state of his nativity being Pennsylvania, while his natal day was November, 8, 1863. His parents, William and Hannah Rum- baugh, were farming people who removed to Adams county, Illinois, where Josiah M. Rumbaugh spent his boyhood and youth, working in the fields through the summer months, while in the winter season he obtained his education in the public schools. In 1883 he removed to Lewis, Iowa, where he secured employment in a dry-goods house, remaining there for thirteen years. In 1896 he established a dry-goods store in Glenwood, Iowa, where he conducted business until 1900, when he removed to Red Oak. After a brief period he went to Nebraska and in 1904 came to Clarinda, where




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