USA > Iowa > Pottawattamie County > History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa. Containing a history from the earliest settlement to the present time biographical sketches; portraits of some of the early settlers, prominent men, etc. > Part 76
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HENRY GATROST, farmer, P. O. Wes- ton, was born in this county July 31, 1848; he is the son of Philip and Catharine (Graybill) Gatrost. His father was a native of Germany and came to Pennsylvania when he was a boy. From there he moved to Illi- nois and afterward to this county, locating in Garner Township in 1846. His mother was born in Ashe County, N. C., in 1814; was brought to Ohio when an infant, and is still living in this county. Our subject was edu- cated in the common schools of this county, and was an unusually diligent and attentive student. He worked on his father's farm till he was twenty years of age, when he was married to Emily, daughter of Asa and Dru- silla Downs, who settled in this county in 1552. Our subject then farmed his father's place for five years, since which he has been engaged in farming on lands which he rents. His mother became connected with the Latter- Day Saints Church, in Obio, in 1833; came to Caldwell County, Mo., where she experi- enced all the hardships of that people. They were mobbed and driven out of Missouri, when they went to Adams County, Ill., near Quincy. She came with the colony that founded Kanesville, this county, in 1846. Our subject's father was connected with the same church, after coming to Iowa, and died in that faith. November 5, 1870. Mr. and Mrs. Gatrost have eight children-Alvin J., Michael E., Ira E .. John W., Forest A., Ada A., Laura M. (deceased), Caroline I. and Eva
mother was two weeks older than her hns- band. Our subject's parents came from Ger- many to Council Bluffs in 185S. when he was a boy. He received a common-school educa- tion, and spent his youthful days in helping his father in the brick business. He was married, in Council Bluffs, in 1873, to Lena Lubbers, a native of Hanover, Ger- many. She was born in IS48, and came alone to Council Bluffs about 1871. She is the daughter of John and Angella Gertrude (Haka) Lubbers. Her father was born in Altenberg, in January, 1820. He came to Council Bluffs in IS76, and died May 18, 1882. Her mother was born in the same place in 1821, and died in Germany Septem- ber 20, 1869. Mr. and Mrs. Grote have four children-Henry, born January 9, 1874; Minnie, born April 18. 1876; Fred, born De- cember 30, 1877, and Harmon, born June 9, 18S1. Mrs. Grote is a member of the Cath- olic Church. In politics, Mr. Grote is an In- dependent. He has 160 acres of land.
JAMES HEYWOOD, farmer, P. O. Coun- cil Bluffs, was born in this county August 15, 1848. He is the son of Jonathan and Mary (Matheson) Heywood. His father was a shoemaker by trade, but was engaged most of his life in farming. He was born in Ver- mont in 1806. He came to this county thirty-seven years ago, and is still living three miles east of Council Bluffs. Our sub- ject's mother was born in New York about 1824, and died at the age of thirty-six. Our subject received a common-school education
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and worked on his father's farm until he was nineteen years of age, at which time he be- gan farming for himself. He was married, in Norwalk Township, February 10, 1870, to Ruth J. Price, born in Dowliss, Wales, All- gust 29, 1848. She is the daughter of Rees D. and Jane (Jones) Price. Her father was born in Wales in 1812, and her mother in the same country in 1813. Mrs. Heywood was but five months old when her parents brought her to America. They came all the way to Council Bluffs by water, and was on board the first vessel that had ascended the Missouri to Trader's Point. Our subject has 240 acres of land, most of which is in a good state of cultivation.
F. T. C. JOHNSON, farmer, P. O. Neola, was born in Augusta County, Va., June 16, 1834. He is the son of Francis and Mary Jane (Hall) Johnson. His father was an old Virginia planter, and was born in Augusta County, Va., in 1808. The old Johnson homestead is known in Virginia as Bushy Neck. It is a tract of land lying in a loop of the Middle River, a branch of the Shen- andoah. It has come down through the family for 200 years, and was granted as a considera- tion for services rendered the crown of Eng- land. Our subject's father had two brothers. both of whom died in the West Indies. Neither raised any children. Our subject's mother was born in Albemarle County, Va., in 1810. His advantages for an education were very limited. being confined to the old subscrip- tion schools. At the age of seventeen, he began an apprenticeship of three years to the carpenter's trade. For two years and eight months, he attended the University of Vir- ginia, at Charlottsville, near Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson. Our subject con- cluded to come West, and arrived in Council Bluffs March 4. 1855. He came as far as Rock Island, Ill., by rail. crossed the Missis-
sippi on the ice; came as far as Winterset, Madison Co., Iowa, by stage, and walked the balance of the distance, arriving several days ahead of the stage. The first summer he worked at his trade, doing the first work on the capitol at Omaha, and also working on George Izzard's house, the first Governor of Nebraska. The following winter he spent in Eastern Iowa. He returned the next spring and worked at his trade as a contractor. He built the court house and nearly all the schoolhouses up to 1870; also the residences of P. Batchell, John Bearsheim, L. Kirch and William Groneweg, together with most of the business houses on Broadway, up to 1870. He then settled on his present farm, Section 17, Norwalk Township, and has re- sided there since. September 20, 1857, he married Caroline, daughter of Col. L. W. and Mary Ellen (Farmer) Babbitt. She was born in Cleveland, Ohio, August 30. 1836. Her father was born in Ovid. Seneca Co., N. Y., January 30, 1812. He was one of the first settlers of this county. He first came as Register of the Land Office; was afterward the editor of the Council Bluffs Bugle. Mrs. Johnson's mother was born in West Virginia. Our subject has had six children, five of whom are living-Lysander, born July 4, 1558: Alexander. born November 29, 1859, and died in December, 1861; Mary Ellen, born July 30, 1861; Francis Lee, born April 7, 1863: Julian, born October 3, 1864, and Daisy, born December 9, 1873. In politics, Mr. Johnson is an old school Democrat.
PATRICK KENNEDY, farmer, P. O. Neola, was born December 15, 1814, within one mile of the seashore, at Inniscron, County Sligo, Ireland. He is the son of Thomas and Hannah (Fox) Kennedy. His father was a farmer and was born in Ireland about 1782. His mother was also born in Ireland about 1782. His parents had three
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children-two sons and a daughter. Our subject was educated in subscription schools in Ireland. He lived and worked with his father until his marriage, which occurred in 1844 at the place of his birth. His bride was Winifred Bourke, born September 20, 1815, the daughter of Thomas and Bridget (Fox) Bourke. The parents were both natives of County Sligo, Ireland. Our subject came to America in 1847, accompanied by his brother. He landed in New York City, and lived over three years in Pennsylvania. He then moved to Clark County, Ohio, where he lived about twenty-one years, afterward going to Caldwell County, Mo., where he lived about three years. An investment in land proved disas- trous to the extent of $9.000, which repre- sented his all. He then came to Council Bluff's, arriving in 1872, at which time he had just ten coppers left. He went to work with a will. and this year (1882), he was able to purchase 160 acres of well-improved land. for which he paid $3,500. Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy have had eight children, three of whom they have buried in Ohio. Those living are Mary, born March 25, 1845. she is the wife of Patrick Hannan: Margaret, born March 25. 1858, she was married to T. C. Brougham, and bore him three children, she died in February, 1880; Thomas, born September 18. 1847: John, born February 22. 1860, and Kate, born May 21, 1862. In religion, Mr. Kennedy is Catholic, and in politics, a Democrat.
AUGUST KLOPPING. farmer, P. O. Downsville, was born in Prussia, Germany. July 20, 1835: he is the son of Frederick and Sophia (Lukermann) Klopping; his fa- ther was a farmer and was born in Prussia about 1807, and died in that country about 1S62. His mother was born in Prussia in 1810; she came to this country from Prussia in 1SS1, being in her seventy-
second'year, and is still living. Our subject was educated in his native land, and worked at home until he was twenty-one years of age. In April, 1854, he came to the United States. arriving in New York in May of the same year. He went at once to Freeport, Ill .. where he lived for one year. He then came to Council Bluffs, where he worked as team- ster for about two years. He was married, in Council Bluffs, November 21, 1858, to Maria Hatcher, who was born in Prussia May 2. 183S: she is the daughter of Peter and Maria (Myers) Hatcher, both of whom were natives of Prussia and both died in that country. Mrs. Klopping came from the old country to New Orleans in 1856. From there she went to Quincy, Ill .. and finally. to Council Bluffs in 1857. After his mar- riage, our subject farmed for four years in Shelby County, Iowa. He then went to Freeport, Ill., where he stayed nearly a year. He then lived one year in Jasper County. Iowa, after which he returned to this county. He rented land for two years, and in 1866 he purchased 120 acres of his present farm. He then went to the Bluffs, and teamed again for two years. In the spring of 1869, he re- turned to his farm. and by successive pur- chases now has 520 acres, over 300 of which are under cultivation, the balance being in grass and timber. His specialty is raising cattle. Mr. and Mrs. Klopping have had ten children, seven of whom are living-Sophia. born November 27, 1859; Henry F .. Decem- ber 6, 1861, died January 28. 1863: Karl. born December 15, 1863; Edward, February 21. 1866. died July 27. 1867: Adolph, born March 25. 186S; Anna M., July 17. 1870; Emma, September 12, 1872; Louis, March 3. IS75: August, March 6, 1877; Louisa. July 18, ISSO, died May 18. 1881.
F. A. LARKIN. farmer, P. O. Downsville. was born in Jackson County, Iowa. October
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23, 1857; he was the fourth child of Arthur and Bridget (McGivern) Larkin. His father was born in County Armagh, Ireland, March 1, 1829, and died in Jackson County, Iowa, April 1, 1873. His mother was also born in County Armagh, Ireland, February 1, 1828. The parents were married in 1852, in the Catholic Church, in Elgin, Ill., by the Rev. Father Pheely. They had nine children, of whom but four are now living-Felix A. (our subject), Arthur J., James E. and Alice E. The others were Peter, Michael, Margaret, Mary Ann, and John Frank. Our sub- ject lived with his parents until his fa- ther's death, but is now working a farm of his own, consisting of 160 acres, as well as 120 acres in Hardin Township, owned by his mother. Mrs. Larkin, mother of subject, came to America in 1849, and her late husband when he was quite young, living at various places from New York City to Clinton, Iowa. The family are members of the Catholic Church.
J. P. MAXFIELD, farmer, P. O. Neola, was born in Prince Edward's Island in Au- gust, 1839; he is the son of William and Sarah (Pickets) Maxfield. His father was a farmer and was born in England April 1, 1809, died in September, 1850. His mother was born on Prince Edward's Island Nov. 1, 1818, and died in November, 1871. Our subject received his early education in the common schools of this county. His parents left Prince Edward's Island June 1. 1850, and arrived in Council Bluffs July 17, of the same year. When a boy, our subject lived at home and worked upon his father's farm. He soon afterward made a start in life for himself, and was engaged in threshing for nine years. He now owns 195 acres of land. 120 acres of which are under cultivation, the balance being in timber and pasture. December 28, 1865, he was married. in Council Bluffs, to Sophro-
nia E. Mott, born July 9, 1842, in the State of Illinois. She is the daughter of Lyman and Electa (Parish) Mott. Her father was born in Canada April 27, 1804, and died in January, 1880. Her mother was a native of New York. Mr. and Mrs. Maxfield have four children-Frank Albert, born October 9, 1867; Charles Edwin, born July 5, 1870; Nellie May, born November 1, 1874, and Ada Caroline, born June 21, 1877. In politics, Mr. Maxfield is a Democrat.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS, farmer, P. O. Ne- ola, was born in Carmarthenshire, Wales, October 27, 1836. His father, William Phil- lips, was a farmer, and was born in Glanmor- ganshire, South Wales. He came to the United States in 1854, and located in the northern part of Utah, where he died about 1862. Our subject's mother, Gwenfred Thomas, was born in Glanmorganshire, South Wales. She died in Idaho, in November. 1873. Our subject was educated in select schools in Wales, which he attended until he was twelve years of age. He was then ap- prenticed to a cabinet-maker for four years. during which time he attended evening schools. After he had learned the trade, he worked at the same till he came to America with his father. He followed his trade for about two years in Utah, after which he was engaged in freighting, farming and stock- raising until 1865. Mr. Phillips raised all kinds of grain, but mostly wheat, oats and barley. A half of an acre sowed in corn was considered a good acreage. The land was fertilized by irrigation. He bought and sold freight from Utah to Montana, and in 1863 started for the Yellowstone mines, taking his freight train and cattle with him. He learned from the prospectors that the mines were not a success, and he was obliged to take a large portion of his freight to Virgin- ia City to get rid of it. He also sold his
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cattle on the Gallatin River. After giving up the idea of mining, he turned his atten- tion to gardening and dairying, about eighty miles northeast of Virginia City, in which latter place he paid $75 for the last pound of onion seed in the market. In the summer, he sold his claim and garden. That summer the Crow Indians made a raid through the country, but did not disturb him. Mrs. Phil- lips was with her husband during these times, and was one of five women who constituted the feminine population of Gallatin Valley. After selling out, our subject went to Virgin- ia City. He returned to Utah and engaged in freighting and dealing in stock until he left that State. He was married, in Utah. in March, 1859. to Amelia Morgan, who was born in Glamorganshire. South Wales. March 22, 1843. She is the daughter of John and Mary (Meredith) Morgan, both of whom were natives of Wales. Her mother died in her native land when Mrs. Phillips was an infant. Her father came to Conesville, Muscatine Co., Iowa, in 1850. He farmed two years on Lit- tle Mosquito Creek, when he went to North- ern Utah, where he farmed and raised stock for a good many years. In 1865, he went to Idaho; where he died in 1969. Our subject left Utah and came to this county in Septem- ber, 1865. He spent the summer in traveling through several States. looking for a location. He returned to this county, and in the fall of 1866, he bought and settled upon his pres- ent farm, in Norwalk Township. which con- sists of 400 acres. Here our subject has lived and farmed ever since he first purchased it. His specialty is raising corn, of which he has about 370 acres. Mr. Phillips has been Township Clerk, School Director, Trustee and Road Supervisor. He has seven children -Thomas William, born December 12. 1860; John M., born February 11. 1962; Mary A., born January 12, 1864: Evan, born March 6,
1867; Celia, born February 7, 1869; Morgan, born April 23, 1871, and Howell, born Octo- ber 13, 1872. Mr. Phillips belongs to the Masonic order and also to the I. O. O. F.
HENRY SHARP, farmer, P. O. Downs- ville, was born in Lincolnshire, England, June 3, 1957. He is the son of Spencer and Martha (Holmes) Sharp. His father was a farm bailiff, was born in England about 1820, and died in 1866. His mother was born in Lincolnshire, England, in 1825, and died in 1863. He received his education in Christ's Hospital, London, which was founded in 1532 by Edward the VI. Leaving school at the age of sixteen, he came to America. He left Liverpool May 6, 1873. arriving in New York the 17th, and in Council Bluffs the 24th day of the same month. From this time until 1875. he worked at home. In 1875, he and his brother rented the home farm. In 1877, in company with an elder brother, he rented a farm near Wes- ton. During the year 1878, he worked for Mr. Heywood. He rented land for the fol- lowing two years. In December, 1880, he bought forty acres of land from a brother, and in the spring of 1882 he added forty acres more, and is engaged in breaking the same. Mr. Sharp is not married. He is a member of the M. E. Church, and in poli- ties a Republican.
D. J. SMITH, farmer. P. O. Neola, was born in Blue Rock Township, Muskingum County, Ohio. May 28. 1851. He is the son of Jonathan and Lois (Allen) Smith. His father was born in Virginia. January 16 1804, and died April 19, 1875. He was one of the early settlers in Muskingum County. Ohio, emigrating from Virginia in 1SOS. Our subject's mother was a native of Massa- chusetts, and was born September 4, 1811 : she is still living. Our subject received his education in Ohio. He lived at home till
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twenty-two years of age, when he went to Kansas, where he remained for two years. He then came to Page County. this State, where he lived for two years. He was mar- ried, at Clarinda, Page County, this State, in October, 1875, to Miss Sarah C. Gallup, who was born in Kingston, De Kalb Co., Ill., De- cember 17, IS57; she is the daughter of Oli- ver R. and Mary (Anderson) Gallup; her father was born in Cambridge, Guernsey Co., Ohio, May 1, 1825; her mother was born in the same place May 1, 1831. Both the par- ents are living. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have three children-Ira M., born July 30, 1877; Nathan O., born March 24. 1879, and Mary L., born December 16, 1881. After his mar- riage, our subject came to this county. He rented land for three years, after which he purchased the farm on which he now resides, on which he has made substantial improve- ments. He votes the Republican ticket.
GEORGE T. WARD, farmer. P. O. Downsville, was born in Tazewell County, Va., October 15, 1837; he is the son of Milton and Martha D. (Thompson) Ward. His father was born in Tazewell County, Va., March 29, 1797, and died in February, 1879. His mother was born in the same county, in Virginia, in May, 1801, and died October 29, 1864. The Thompsons were one of the first families of Virginia. Our sub- ject's grandmother, Rebecca Peery (maiden name), was born in a block-house in Tazewell County, Va. His grandfather Thompson was a Major in the Provincial militia. While out as a scout and in search of deer, he narrowly escaped capture and probably death at the hands of the Indians. The string of one of his moccasins fortunately be- came loosened, and, in stopping to tighten it, he fell considerably behind the rest of the little party, who were surprised by a band of Indians in ambush, who fell upon them, capt-
uring tive and killing the balance of three. Our subject's advantages for an education were extremely limited, there being no com- mon schools in Virginia at that time. He worked at home with his father, who was a farmer and cattle-raiser, until the breaking- out of the war of the rebellion. In 1861, he enlisted as a private in a confederate regi- ment, but ranked as Lieutenant Colonel in the militia of his native State. According to newspaper reports, at the time the Union forces were driving Gen. John S. Williams out of the Sandy Valley, our subject was the bearer of a dispatch from Gen. Marshall, ordering Williams through the mountains, from Kentucky to Virginia. Our subject was promoted to the rank of Captain. After be- coming disabled, he sent in 'his resignation, which was never accepted, so he remained a commissioned officer till the close of the war. He was with Gen. Morgan at Greenville, Tenn., at the time the General was killed. At the close of the war, in June, 1865, he surrendered at Charleston, W. Va. He was married, in Buchanan County, Va .. November 12, 1861, to Jane Ratliff, who was born in Buchanan County, Va., May 29, 1843. She is the daughter of Abednego and Louisa (Matney) Ratliff. Her father was born in Tazewell County, Va., in 1801, and is still living. Her mother was also a native of Tazewell County, Va., and was born in 1799, and died December 3, 1868. Mr. and Mrs. Ward have had five children, of whom three are living-George E. (deceased), Archibald N., Eliza R., Lydia and Sarah E. (deceased). In religion, Mr. Ward is a Quaker, and in politics, a Democrat.
D. E. WIGHTMAN. farmer, P. O. Downs- ville, was born at Saratoga Springs, N. Y., December S, 1833. He is the son of David and Elizabeth (Degroff) Wightman. His father was born in Pawlet, Vt., in 1806, and
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died in 1856. His mother was born in Con- necticut in 1813, and died in 1848. Our subject emigrated from his native town, with his parents, to the western part of the State of New York, when he was a boy. At the age of sixteen, he went to Ellicottsville, the then county seat of Cattaraugus County, N. Y., to learn the carpenter's trade. When he became twenty years old he went to Otta- wa, La Salle Co., Ill., where he stayed for
one year. He then went to Rock Island, Ill., where he worked at his trade for four years, thence going to Iowa City, Iowa, where he remained for four months, finally return- ing to Ottawa, Ill., where he engaged in building houses and barns for the farmers. During this stay in Ottawa, he married Amanda L. Millikin, at Bruceville, La Salle County, February 1, 1860. She was born near Ottawa, Ill., January 21, 1S33, and is the daughter of Samuel and Rebecca (Will- iams) Millikin. Her father was born in Greensburg, Westmoreland Co., Penn., No- vember 24, 1801, and died February 25, 1866. Her mother was born in Etna, Licking
Co., Ohio, February 24, 1807, and is still living in Ottawa, Ill. Before her marriage, Mrs. Wightman was engaged in teaching school. She is a very intelligent lady, and is decided and earnest in her advocacy of re- ligion and temperance. After the birth of two children, our subject went to Nebraska, with the intention of settling in that State, but not liking the country, he returned East as far as Council Bluffs, where he worked at his trade for six years. At the end of this time, he moved on to his present farm, in Norwalk Township, where he and his family have resided for the past ten years. Mr. and Mrs. Wightman have had four children -- Mary E., born November 14, 1860; Rebecca E., born March 10, 1864; Charlie E., born July 17, 1867; and Ada, born July 4, 1869, died July 16, 1873. Mary E. is married, but her place at home is filled by her little son-Edward, a bright and interesting boy, who is the delight and pride of his grand- parents. Mr. Wightman is at present Justice of the Peace.
PLEASANT TOWNSHIP.
F. BENEDIX, farmer, P. O. Avoca, was born in Mecklenburg, Germany, April 23, 1844; son of F. and Friedriche (Ripke) Benedix, both na- tives of Mecklenburg, Germany; he was born in November, 1810; is a cooper by trade; she, born in October, 1814. Both the parents are still liv- ing, in Rock Island County, Ill. They are the parents of eight children, three sons and five daughters, of whom one son and four daughters arc deceased. Our subject received his educa- tion in Seott County, this State, and started in life as a farmer, in which occupation he has since been engaged. He came to the United
States in 1852, and lived in Scott County, this State, till 1865, and afterward in Illinois, until 1872, when he came to Pleasant Township, and in the following year purchased eighty acres of wild land at $10 per acre, which he built on and otherwise improved. In 1874, he bought forty acres at $10 per acre, which he also improved. He now carries on general farming. He was married in Scott County, this State, October 20, 1871, to Christina Johnson, born in Schleswig, Germany, January 23, 1848, daughter of Henry and Christina (Hull) Johnson; he, a native of Denmark, and died in 1876; she. born in North
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Schleswig, Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Benedix have nine children-Mary, Anna, Lena, Emma, Dora, Christina, Ida, Friedrich and Henry. Our subject has filled several township offices, in- cluding Constable, Road Supervisor and School Director. In religion, he is a Lutheran, and in politics a Republican. He is also a member of the A. H. T. S.
A. C. BERGMAN, farmer, P. O. Avoca, was born in Webrden, in Prussia, Germany, August 24, 1833. and received his German education in his native town, but in the English language he has educated himself. He is a son of Henry and Carolina (Hesse) Bergman, natives of Wehr- den, Prussia, Germany, who had a family of five sons and two daughters. Henry Bergman was born February 4, 1794; his wife, who was born in June, 1799, died April 9, 1869; they both died in their native place. In May, 1855, Mr. Bergman came to the United States, land- ing at New Orleans, La., and thence proceeded to St. Louis, Mo., where he remained three months; then went to Knox County, Ill., where he engaged in farming. He remained in Illi- nois for seventeen years, traveling, however, in I865-66, in Minnesota and Missouri, and in 1870 in Kansas, looking for a suitable place to locate. In 1871, he came to Pleasant Township and bought eighty-three acres of land at $9 per acre, improved it, and built on the place a house and other buildings. In 1872, he bought forty acres at $9 per acre, which he improved. He set out 2,000 shade trees-maples. box-elders, black walnut and Lombard poplar-and also many fruit trees, and in 1881 built a large one and a half story frame dwelling-house. 18x28 and 14x22 feet, with two porches. This is one of the finest residences in this township. At La Fayette. Stark County, Ill., December 27, 1859, he married Katy Johnson, a native of Sweden, born August 22, 1841, daughter of Peter and Catharine (Olson) Johnson, natives of Sweden; he, born March 11, 1800; she, born July 15, 1798. By this union they have one |
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