USA > Iowa > Page County > History of Page County, Iowa : also biographical sketches of some prominent citizens of the county, Vol. II > Part 28
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being one of the fine residences of this section. It is supplied with hot and cold water, bath, furnace, and all modern improvements. As he prospered in his undertakings he also added to his landed possessions and in 1892 purchased a tract of eighty acres adjoining his first purchase. while in 1898 he added another eighty acre tract, so that his home farm now em- braces three hundred and twenty acres in Grant township. In 1900 he pur- chased a farm of eighty acres a mile south of his home farm, and in 1903 he bought one hundred and twenty acres in Morton township, so that he owns altogether four hundred and forty acres of rich and productive land. Mr. Morhain's capital consisted of but three hundred dollars at the time of his arrival in this country but his wise investment of this has led to his present financial success.
In 1878 Mr. Morhain was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Nies, of Hamburg, Fremont county, Iowa, and their union has been blessed with two sons and one daughter : William, who follows farming in Grant town- ship : John Joseph, who operates a farm belonging to his father ; and Eliza- beth, at home.
Mr. Morhain gives his political support to the republican party and for thirteen years served as a member of the school board, the cause of education ever receiving his hearty cooperation. He has made wise use of his talents and opportunities and has met with well merited success. A public-spirited citizen, he is loyal to his adopted country and since coming to Page county has made many friends, by whom he is highly esteemed.
JOHN MIDDAUGH.
Jolin Middaugh, a representative agriculturist of Page county, owning a well improved and productive farm of two hundred and forty acres in Nodaway township, was born in Mercer county, Illinois, on the 4th of May, 1851, his parents being George and Susan (Oswalt) Middaugh. The family is of German extraction. George Middangh, the father of our sub- ject, whose birth occurred in Indiana, removed to Illinois in his boyhood days and in 1871 came to Iowa, locating on a farm in Douglas township, Page county. He continued to reside upon that place until the year 1880, when he took up his abode near Neck, Jasper county, Missouri, where he has made his home to the present time. His time and energies have been given to general agricultural pursuits throughout his entire business career and he has won a gratifying measure of success in his undertakings. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Susan Oswalt and whom he wedded in Illinois, was a native of the state of Ohio. Her demise occurred in 1875 at Villisca, Iowa, where her remains were interred. By her marriage she became the mother of eight children, as follows: John, of this review; Anna, who passed away when two years of age; James, who died at the age of nine years; Louisa, whose demise occurred in 1877; Rosa, who passed away at Maryville, Missouri, in 1881; one who died in infancy ;
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Lydia, the wife of Frank Reeder, an agriculturist of Neck, Missouri; and Susie, the wife of B. J. Hoffman, of Pittsburg, Kansas.
John Middaugh obtained his education in the common schools and re- mained under the parental roof until twenty-four years of age. Ile then began farming the place on which he now resides, first renting the property for three years. On the expiration of that period he bought forty acres of land across the road, erected a house and barn, as well as all necessary outbuildings, and as the years have gone by has equipped the place with all modern improvements. His farm now embraces a tract of two hundred and forty acres of rich and arable land and in its cultivation he has won a substantial and well merited degree of prosperity, annually garnering boun- teous harvests. The success which he today enjoys is due entirely to his own efforts, for he started out in life empty-handed and through his own energy, economy and perseverance he has gradually worked his way up- ward until he is now numbered among the prosperous and enterprising cit- izens of the community.
In 1876 Mr. Middaugh was joined in wedlock to Miss Mary Fisher, by whom he had one child, Charley, now deceased. In his political views Mr. Middaugh is an unfaltering republican and an active worker in the local ranks of the party. Ile has held the office of trustee for nine years and is now serving as president of the board. Fraternally he is connected with the Knights of Pythias Lodge, No. 139, at Clarinda, in which he has filled some of the chairs. His interests are thoroughly identified with those of Page county and at all times he is ready to lend his aid and cooperation to any movement calculated to benefit this section of the country or advance its wonderful development.
WILLIAM C. DOW.
William C. Dow, numbered among the pioneer residents of Page county, was born in Cattaraugus county, New York, December 2, 1836. He is a son of John and Eliza (Weber) Dow, natives of Connecticut and New York re- spectively. They were pioneer settlers of the western portion of the Empire state and William C. Dow was there born in a log cabin in the midst of the forests. His parents were reared and married in New York and there spent their remaining days. The death of the mother occurred in 1856 when she was about forty years of age and the father, long surviving her, died in 1897 at the age of eighty-eight years. John Dow was the son of Daniel Dow, a native of Connecticut, who died near College Springs, Iowa, in 1859, having come to this state to live with his sons. He was a farmer by occupation and in following that pursuit provided a comfortable living for his family, which numbered seven children: Dan, John, Benjamin, James, Aaron, Isa- belle and Rachel. William C. Dow was the second in order of birth in a family of five children. The others were: Daniel, of Washington ; Mary, now the wife of William M. Woods, of Nodaway; James, who died in
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Kansas ; Mrs. Gertrude Teft, deceased; and Belle, the wife of Charles H. Fleckenstein, of New York, was a child of the father's second marriage.
As previously stated, William C. Dow spent the days of his boyhood and youth in the place of his nativity and on attaining his majority came to Page county, Iowa, with an elder brother, Daniel M. Dow. They made the journey by rail to Mount Pleasant, which was then the nearest railroad point to this county, and from there they walked the remainder of the way. William C. Dow resided with his uncles, Aaron and Daniel Dow, who had preceded them. Aaron Dow assisted in laying out College Springs and the family were closely associated with the early progress of the community. William C. Dow made his home with his uncle, aided in breaking the raw prairie and otherwise assisting in the arduous labor of developing the farm, and in the winter months he engaged in teaching school for two seasons. There came an interruption to his labors on the 6th of August, 1861, when he enlisted as a member of Company K, Fourth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, under Captain Joseph Cramer, of this county, with whom he served for three years, being honorably discharged in September, 1864, at Jonesboro, Georgia. He took part in the battle of Pea Ridge and in the engagements at Vicksburg, Look- out Mountain, Missionary Ridge and those of the Atlanta campaign. Dur- ing the latter part of his services he was detailed for duty with the pioneer corps and all during his connection with the army he was never wounded nor taken prisoner, remaining with his regiment throughout the entire time.
When the country no longer needed his aid, Mr. Dow returned to Ohio, where he spent the winter after being mustered out. In the spring of 1865 he removed to Mercer county, Illinois, where he resided until the fall of 1867, when he came to Page county, Iowa, and has since made his home here. For fifteen years he resided on a farm four miles northeast of Col- lege Springs and since that time has lived in the town. Here he has con- ducted a wagon repair shop, but at length, becoming unable to do manual labor, he retired and is now enjoying a well earned rest.
On the 24th of March, 1865, Mr. Dow was united in marriage to Miss Lucinda M. Lafferty, who was born in Ashtabula county, Ohio, March 17, 1841, and was a daughter of Samuel and Margaret (McDowell) Lafferty. She went with her parents to Illinois in the spring of 1865 and there resided until her marriage, after which she came with her husband to Iowa and here lived until called to her final home in June, 1907. She was one of a family of fourteen children and by her marriage became the mother of six children: W. Newton, who is superintendent of the rural telephone system of Clarinda ; Nettie L., the wife of Edwin S. King, of Rich Hill, Missouri ; Gertrude L .. the wife of George R. Murray, of Holt county, Missouri; Chester, living in College Springs, where he is well known as the owner and publisher of the Current Press ; Oella, the wife of D. Brichard, of Amity township; and Walter E., of Carroll county, Missouri.
Mr. Dow was a member of the Congregational church until it was dis- banded about two years ago. He has always been interested in Amity Col- lege, in which he has educated his children, and his influence and aid are ever given on the side of intellectual and moral as well as material progress.
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He has become widely known during the long years of his residence here and his many substantial and sterling qualities have gained him the high re- gard in which he is now uniformly held.
JOHN BEAM.
John Beam, who since 1902 has lived retired in Clarinda, was born in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, on the 20th of January, 1831, his parents being Jacob and Margaret ( Clendening) Beam, both of whom were natives of the Keystone state. The father, who was an iron worker by trade, passed away on the 16th of May, 1884, when he had attained the age of eighty-six years. His political allegiance was given to the democracy, while his relig- jous faith was indicated by his membership in the Evangelical Association. The death of his wife occurred in Pennsylvania on the 17th of April, 1846. The eight children born of their union were as follows: Eliza ; Jacob ; Kath- erine, who is deceased : John, of this review ; Margaret, Christian and Samuel, all of whom have passed away ; and William.
John Beam obtained his education in the district and subscription schools and remained in the county of his nativity until twenty-two years of age, there learning the miller's trade. In 1853 he crossed the Allegheny moun- tains and came to Iowa, making the journey by canal boat. Locating in Louisa county, he there carried on general agricultural pursuits for a year and then went to Muscatine, Iowa, where he conducted a transfer business until 1858. Subsequently he made his way to Nodaway county, Missouri, and during his year's residence there assisted his brother-in-law in the im- provement of a farm. In 1859 he returned to Muscatine, Iowa, where he was engaged in general farming until 1865, when he again went to Noda- way county, Missouri, there remaining until April, 1866.
At that time he came to Clarinda and purchased the hotel known as the Clarinda House, which stood on the northeast corner of the public square, continuing as the proprietor of this hostelry for fifteen years. On the ex- piration of that period, in 1882, he sold out and bought a farm of two hun- dred and six acres, situated two miles north of Clarinda. in the cultivation and improvement of which he was successfully engaged for twenty years. At the end of that time he sold the property to the state for one hundred dol- lars an acre, being the first man in Page county to secure that prize. In 1902, having accumulated a handsome competence, he put aside active business cares and took up his abode at No. 204 East Lincoln avenue in Clarinda, where he owns an attractive and commodious residence. At one time he was the owner of considerable property but has divided it all among his children. Untiring, persistent and well directed labor was the basis of the prosperity which crowned his efforts and which now enables him to spend his remaining days in well earned ease, surrounded by all of the comforts and many of the luxuries of life.
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On the 26th of February, 1856, in Muscatine, Iowa, Mr. Beam was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Shoemaker. Her maternal great-grand- father, Mr. Scudder, participated in the Revolutionary war as a member of the commissary department and Mr. Beam now has in his possession the book in which he kept his accounts. Stephen Bell, the grandfather of Mrs. Beam, was a native of New Jersey, born on the 18th of August, 1774. He was very influential in the affairs of the Methodist Protestant church and was sent as a delegate to the first conference of that denomination, which was held in Baltimore in 1827. He was the first mayor of Springfield, Ohio, and also represented his district in the Ohio legislature in 1839. His de- mise occurred on the 14th of November, 1852. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Beam were born four children, namely: Belle; Allie, who is deceased ; Charles ; and Ervin. The wife and mother was called to her final rest on the 28th of February, 1899, her demise being the occasion of deep and widespread re- gret.
In his political views Mr. Beam is a stalwart advocate of the democracy, while fraternally he is identified with the Masons, belonging to Clarinda Chapter and Pilgrim Commandery. His life in its varied relations has ever been honorable and upright and throughout the county where he has now made his home for more than four decades he is recognized as a leading, respected and representative citizen.
MRS. A. K. CHRISTENSEN.
Ars. A. K. Christensen is a resident of Coin and in addition to the town property which she owns she has a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Washington township. A native of Denmark, she was born in 1847 of the marriage of Madison and Carrie (Henderson) Madison, both of whom died in Denmark. Mrs. Christensen spent her girlhood days there and when nineteen years of age came to the United States with her brother, set- tling in Illinois. In 1868 she gave her hand in marriage to N. B. Christ- ensen, also a native of Denmark, born April 18, 1840. The wedding was celebrated in Illinois, where they resided until 1871, when they came to Page county, Iowa, where Mrs. Christensen has since lived. They purchased one hundred and sixty acres of raw land on which a dwelling was erected and for four years they made that farm their home, Mr. Christensen carefully cul- tivating the fields. At length, however, he sold the property and bought an- other farm of one hundred and sixty acres. It was a tract of raw land, not a furrow having been turned nor an improvement made upon the place, but with characteristic energy he began its development, erected buildings there which furnished ample shelter for grain and stock and for a long number of years made the place his home. As he prospered in his under- takings he added to his holdings until in addition to the home farm he owned three hundred and twenty acres, which at his death was divided among the children. He was quite prosperous in his business career, basing his
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business principles upon the rules which govern unfaltering energy and strict unswerving integrity. He was seldom at fault in matters of business judgment and his success was honorably won. He continued a resident of this county up to the time of his death, which occurred May 9, 1888. The community thereby lost a representative farmer, the county a reliable citi- zen, his neighbors a faithful friend and his family a devoted and loving husband and father.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Christensen have been born nine children. Peter, now a farmer of Morton township, married Sadie Wilson and has five children : Glenn, Grace, Roy, Paul and Boyd. Augusta is the wife of Walter Dougherty, who resides upon the old Christensen homestead in Washing- ton township, and they have four children: Benjamin, Lester, Elsie and Dale. William, who is a graduate of Highland College of Des Moines and is now engaged in school teaching at Dubuque, Iowa, married Ora Spencer, who died leaving one child, Alfred, who makes his home with his grand- mother, Mrs. Christensen. Charles, who follows farming near Fuller- ton, Nebraska, wedded Mabel Bently and they have two children : Ralph and Clyde. Carrie is the wife of Ed Gamble, a farmer of Morton town- ship, by whom she has three children : Merle, Esther and Thelma. Emma is at home with her mother. John, living in Colfax township, married Clem- mie Jeffrey, and they have two children: Newell J. and John F. Anna, a graduate of the Coin high school of the class of 1903, is at home. Edwin completes the family and is yet under the parental roof.
In 1905 Mrs. Christensen removed to Coin, where she now makes her home. She is a member of the Methodist church of that place and is well known in the town and throughout the county where a large circle of warm friends entertain for her high regard.
ALEXANDER B. CLARK.
Alexander B. Clark, a prominent and successful attorney of Clarinda, practicing in partnership with William F. Stipe under the firm style of Stipe & Clark, was born on the 18th of March, 1874, a son of Talton E. and Mary B. (Burtch) Clark. The father was a resident of Clarinda from 1867 until the time of his demise on the 20th of April, 1902. He was admitted to the bar in this city and throughout his entire career remained a leading and suc- cessful member of the legal profession, while for ten years he ably repre- sented his distriet in the state senate. His widow still makes her home in Clarinda, where she is a well known and highly esteemed resident.
Alexander B. Clark first attended the public schools of Clarinda and then entered the law department of the Iowa State University, being graduated from that institution in 1894. A year later he began the practice of law in partnership with his father under the firm style of Clark & Son, while subsequently he prosecuted his profession in Kansas City, Missouri, for two years. In 1908 he formed a partnership with William F. Stipe for the prac-
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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY
tice of law in Clarinda and the firm has since enjoyed an extensive and dis- tinctively representative clientage. While yet a young man, Mr. Clark has attained an enviable position in professional circles, the favorable decisions which he has won in the courts attesting his comprehensive knowledge of the principles of jurisprudence and his correct application thereof to the points in litigation.
On the 23d of December, 1903, Mr. Clark was united in marriage to Miss Anna Rex, a resident of Creston, Iowa, and a daughter of C. S. Rex, who is a retired lumber merchant. By this union there is one son, Talton Rex Clark.
Mr. Clark casts his ballot in support of the men and measures of the republican party and is an active party worker. In January, 1907, he was elected to the office of justice of the peace and in 1909 was re-elected, so that he is now the incumbent in that position, the duties of which he dis- charges in a most able and impartial manner. He likewise served as deputy clerk of the county court for one year. In his religious faith he is a Presby- terian and has served as trustee of the church of that denomination for the past two years. Practically his entire life has been passed in Clarinda, where he has a wide and favorable acquaintance, many of his stanchest friends hav- ing known him from his boyhood.
J. H. HUSEMAN.
It is a noticeable fact that young men are continually forging to the front in commercial and industrial lines, the truth of which statement is found in the life record of J. H. Huseman, who, although one of the recent addi- tions to the business activities of Yorktown, has already gained a creditable place for himself among the merchants of this city. A native of Page county, Iowa, he was born in Lincoln township, January 14, 1879, and is therefore but thirty years of age. He is a son of William and Minnie (Segebade) Huseman, natives of Germany, the former born in Hanover and the latter in Oldenburg. The father came to the United States about thirty-six years ago and the mother arrived here about two years later. They were married in this country and became the parents of four children, namely : J. H., of this review ; Lena, the wife of Henry Miller, of Lincoln township; William and Martha, both at home. The parents are both living and now make their home on a farm of two hundred acres in Lincoln township, Page county.
Reared to farm life amid the scenes and environments of his native town- ship, J. H. Huseman there attended the district schools in the acquirement of an education and remained upon his father's farm, assisting in the work of the fields, until 1905, when he came to Yorktown, where he purchased his present hardware store. He has since directed his energies toward the con- duct of his business, and although his residence in this city covers only four years, he has, nevertheless, already attained a place among the prosperous and progressive merchants and is enjoying a most gratifying patronage.
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Energetic and industrious, he possesses good business ability and the power to carefully manage his affairs, two features which are essential in the ulti- mate attainment of success. He also owns the building in which his business is located, a brick structure consisting of one story and basement, twenty- five by fifty-four feet.
In August, 1907, Mr. Huseman was united in marriage to Miss Ida List, born in Frankenmuth, Michigan, on the 29th of August, 1889, and a daughter of J. M. List. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Huseman has been blessed with one child, a daughter, Lucy. Mr. Huseman is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran church, in the work of which he is helpfully interested. Although one of the younger members of mercantile interests of Yorktown, he has already attained a measure of success that augurs well for the future. Dur- ing the four years of their residence in this town he and his wife have gained a number of warm friends and are numbered among the highly esteemed young people of the community.
C. C. POLLY.
C. C. Polly, a representative citizen and a grocer of Shenandoah, Iowa, was born in Randolph county, near Union City, Indiana, February 12, 1848, the son of Dr. Samuel and Anna ( Mote) Polly. The father was a native of either Virginia or Ohio, the mother was born in Darke county, the latter state, where the couple met and were married. Dr. Polly had considerable practice in his profession there, but shortly after his marriage he took his family to Randolph county, Indiana, and there made a place for himself as a physician. In 1856 he came to Iowa, locating in Osceola, where he practiced his profession for some eighteen or nineteen years. His next move was to Monona county, this state, in which he made his home until his death, which occurred in 1896. His wife survived him some five years. Both parents were members of the Christian church and were held in high regard.
C. C. Polly received his fundamental preparation for life at home and in the common schools. When he had attained the age of twenty he began life for himself as a farmer, at first renting a farm in Clarke county, near Osceola, and one in Warren county. After four years' trial of this kind of work he removed to Monona county, where he purchased his first farm. This he cultivated until 1882, when he decided to enter upon another phase of life. Having disposed of this piece of property he embarked in general merchandising, opening up a store first in Whiting, Iowa. Eleven years later he sold his interest in the business and for the next seven years was variously employed. In February, 1900, he came to Shenandoah, and, see- ing a suitable opening, the following July he opened a grocery store at his present location, 519 West Sheridan Avenue. Here he has won the con- ficence of the people and has built up an extensive trade.
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On the 25th of February, 1868, Mr. Polly was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Farley, of Palmyra, Warren county, Iowa. No children have been born of this marriage. Mr. Polly is a member of Page Camp, No. 1049, M. W. A., of Shenandoah and is a conspicuous person at many of its social gatherings, besides being closely identified with its interests and those of his fraternal brothers. When called upon to exercise his franchise he casts his vote for the candidate of the republican party as upholding the political principles with which he is most in sympathy. Mr. Polly is a man highly esteemed among the citizens of Shenandoah, for he has been found to be honorable in all his dealings, and ever evinces a strong desire to satisfy the wants of those that give him their custom.
JAMES H. WHITEHILL.
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