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 79
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Trustee three years, Assessor two years, and School Director two years. He is an I. O. O. F., Helvetia Lodge, No. 423. In religion, he is a Lutheran, and in politics, a Republican.
CHARLES WASSER, farmer, P. O. Avoca, is a native of Wurtemberg, Germany, born January 19, 1827, and is a son of Erhart and Rosina (Stein) Wasser, also natives of Wurtem- berg, Germany. Erhart Wasser was born in 1794; was a shoemaker by trade, and died in Pennsylvania in 1857; his wife, who was born in 1802, died at Blue Island, Ill., in 1868; they had three children, two boys and one girl. Subject received his education in Wurtemberg, Germany, and learned the shoemaker's trade in Germany. In 1853, he left his native coun- try and came to the United States, locating at St. Clair, Penn., where he worked at his trade ten years. In 1863, he moved to Illinois, where ยท he worked at his trade, and, in 1871, came to Pleasant Township, bought eighty acres of land at $11 per acre, improved it and remained on the place two years. He then worked at his trade for three years, renting his farm mean- while, and, at the end of that time, returned to the farm. In 1880, he bought eighty acres of improved land at $18.50 per acre, and carries on general farming. There is a good supply of living water on the farm, which is well adapted to stock-raising. Mr. Wasser has been Road Supervisor. In Germany, in 1851, he married Kate Anna Gebel, a native of Germany, born January 30, 1823, daughter of Elias and Katha- rina (Hiventhal) Gebel, natives of Germany, he born in 1790, she in 1798. Mr. Wasser was again married in Pennsylvania in 1857. He has three children-Lizzie, Jacob and Conrad Philip. He is a member of the Lutheran Church, and in politics, is Republican. Mrs. Wasser is a member of the Reformed Church.
BIOGRAPHICAL:
ROCKFORD TOWNSHIP.
H. L. ALDRIDGE, farming, P. O. Loveland, was born in Indiana in 1846, came to Potta -. wattamie County in 1854, and, with the excep- tion of a few years he lived across the line in Harrison County, this township has been his home ever since. His business has always been that of farming and stock-dealing. He received his education in this county, but, for several years after coming here, there was no school that he could attend. His father, John S. Aldridge, died while he was very young. The mother is still living ; she is a native of Indiana, and is now Mrs. Josiah Skelton, one of the old settlers of Pottawattamie County. Mr. Aldridge was married in this county, in 1867, to Miss MI. E. Selvy. He was first farm- ing in the Missouri River bottom, where he still has 156 acres of land, and also has a arm at his home place of 44 acres. This he bought more for a fruit farm, on which he now has quite a good many apple and other fruit trees. He has been engaged in buying and selling cattle, and now has about one hundred head of cattle, besides hogs and other stock. lle is Democratic in politics, and is a member of the Masonic fraternity. He has held ditferent township offices, and is now one of the Trust- ees. His first farm was raw prairie when he bought it, paying from $10 to $20 per acre. It is now well improved. His present home place cost $25 per acre. Mr. Aldridge started out for bimself with but little, and his present success he has gained by his own energy and perseverance. He is also in the bee business, having a number of stands, which are paying well. He also has an orchard of about five hundred trees, which is doing finely.
ELIHU CARTER. farmer, P. O. Loveland, was born in New York in 1827, son of Henry
Carter, who died in January, 1872. The mother of our subject is still living, and was seventy-five years old in March, 1882. Our subject came to this State in 1875 from Winne- bago County, Wis., and settled on his present place. He purchased 160 acres of land, for which he paid $3,000. There were no fences or other improvements with the exception that 80 acres were in corn, which he secured, and a house which was not completed. Our subject moved with his parents from his native State to Pennsylvania when he was about two years old. He lived there eight years, afterward moving to Wisconsin, and finally to this State, as before stated. He received his education mostly in Wisconsin, in which State he was also married to Miss Lucinda Knapp, a native of Pennsylvania, daughter of Hosea Knapp, who is still living. and was eighty-three years old in December, 1882. Mr. and Mrs. Carter have four children living, three boys and one girl, of whom one boy and one girl are mar- ried and are living in Rockford Township. They have buried one daughter, who died in September, 1881. When our subject first moved to Wisconsin, the Winnebago and Me- nomonee tribes of Indians were respectively located on the south and north sides of the Fox River. They would steal from each other, and both from the white population. Mr. Car- ter lived in Walworth, Fond du Lac and Win- nebago Counties, Wis., to which latter county he moved in 1850. In September, 1861, he enlisted in the Fourteenth Wisconsin Infantry, Company C, and served eight months under Col. Wood. The battle of Shiloh was the principal engagement in which he took part. He gives but little attention to political mat- ters. having voted but once in this State, except
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on questions pertaining to local school affairs. His present farm consists of his original pur- chase of 160 acres, which he has put in plow- land and meadow, and a subsequent purchase of 20 acres, which is in timber. He raises principally corn.
SAMUEL CLARK, farmer, P. O. Missouri Valley, Harrison County, was born in New York State in 1818. His parents moved to Indiana when he was a small boy. There he grew up, was married and made his home till | one of six children, one sister and one brother about 1853. He was married, in 1840, to Miss being deceased. When our subject and wife moved to this county, they came with a team of horses and two yoke of cattle. Mr. Clark's father came with them, and drove a light bug- gy, our subject driving one team of cattle and Mrs. Clark the other, while their son, L. H. Clark, drove the loose cattle. Sarah Harding, born in New York State in 1820, daughter of William Harding. Mr. Clark has always followed farming. From Indiana, they moved to Wisconsin and lived there about a year, and then came to Eastern lowa, where they lived till the fall of 1864 when they came to this county, and have made this their home ever since. The first year, they rented a farm, and then came on to their present farm. They bought it the first fall they came, but rented for a year, while they were making improvements on their own place. It was all raw prairie at that time. He paid $4.50 per acre for land, and bought 122 acres at first. His farm now consists of nearly 200 acres, which he bought of J. C. Foreman, of Council Bluffs. They have reared four chil- dren, three girls and one boy. All were mar- ried. The eldest daughter, who died in Feb- rnary, 1881, was living in Nebraska; their son is living in Kansas, one of the girls is in Iowa, and the other is in Nebraska. At first, Council Bluffs was their trading point. After buying his place, he did not have much money left, so for some time they had a pretty hard lot of it. but, by hard work and economy, they soon were in comfortable circumstances. For some time after coming, he was in the stock business, but now he does not farm himself, so he sold off his stock and rents his land. He is Republican in politics, but does not take much interest in political matters. He is a
member of the Masonic fraternity. His first house was 16x20 feet, and was made of cotton- wood, the lumber being sawed near here, and cost about $25 per thousand. Even the shin- gles were of the same material. The same house. they still use, but they have made con- siderable additions to it. Mr. Clark is a son of Erastus Clark, born in Connecticut, and one , of a family of eleven children, who are scat- tered over the United States. Mrs. Clark is
THOMAS N. COPELAND, farmer, P. O. Loveland, was born in North Carolina in 1811, but was raised in Indiana, to which State his parents had moved when he was seven years old. He lived in Indiana until he came to this State in 1852. He was married in 1835 to Miss Barbara Frazier, born in Tennessee in 1816. She moved to Indiana with her parents when she was small. Mr. and Mrs. Copeland have five children living, four daughters and one son, all of whom are married and are living near them. They have buried four children- three boys and one girl ; the oldest son dying in September, 1881. Our subject's oldest son, J. A. Copeland. two sons-in-law and four brothers were in the late civil war, which they went through without receiving a scratch. Our subject arrived in this county in the fall of 1852. He came across the country in wagons, and made the trip of 500 miles in just four weeks. The winter following his arrival he passed just over the line in Harrison County. In February, 1853, he bought a 700-acre claim of Isaac Cox, for which he paid $470. He entered this, and shortly afterward moved on- to it, living the first two years in a Mormon
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cabin. His farm now consists of 260 acres. With the exception of seventy acres which he sold, the balance of his original farm has gone to his children. His present home was built in the summer of 1855. It was con- structed mostly of cottonwood. Part of the original siding is still on. The house is 32x 32, part of which is two stories high and has a basement. Our subject has been engaged in farming ever since coming to this county. He also ran a mill for nine years. The mill was erected by Loveland & Crayton, our sub- ject purchasing the interest of Mr. Crayton. For nine years the firm name was Copeland & Loveland. His partner failing our subject took the mill, afterward selling it to Hawthorne & Co., who are its present owners. Our sub- ject has always taken an active interest in school and township affairs, and has done much toward the prosperity and advancement of his section. Although seventy-one years old, he can read readily without the use of glasses, and his eyes appear to be stronger than they were forty years ago. In politics, he was first a Whig and afterward a Republican.
BASEL FOX, farmer, P. O. Loveland. was born in Putnam County, Ind., in 1827, son of James S. and Elizabeth (Enoc) Fox ; he, born in New Jersey, she a native of Pennsylvania. They were married in Ohio and emigrated to Indiana in 1826. Both are deceased. Our subject has one sister living, Mrs. Eliza Mullinix, who resides in Harrison County, this State. He was educated in his native State, where he lived until he was twenty-five years of age, when he started across the country with an ox-team and settled on his present farm in 1852. His resources at the time he arrived were $20.50 in cash, half-interest in the three yoke of oxen and wagon and a note against his brother for $55. They purchased together a claim of 400 acres at a cost of $20 in money and two yoke of cattle. Our subject bought his brother's interest for $110, and the wagon.
He then got Judge Casady to enter eighty aeres of the land on time, paying him forty per cent interest. In this manner he struggled on, and now owns 385 acres of the original 400, most of which is fenced and is in a state of cultivation. He has made many substantial im- provements, including two barns, one of which is 22x75, and a two-story residence. Mr. Fox was married in Indiana in 1849 to Amanda J. Bell, born in the same State. They have had twelve children. of whom four boys and four girls are living; the eldest born in December. 1850, and the youngest September 16, 1879. April 7, 1862, our subject cnlisted in the Seventeenth Iowa Infantry, Company II, and after three years' service was mustered out at Davenport, this State. He took part in many heavy engagements, including Corinth, Iuka. Miss., Chattanooga and Mission Ridge. He was twice captured, once at Spring Place, Ga., and again at Tilton, Ga. He was five and a half months in Andersonville Prison, and was under medical treatment for ten months, being moved from one hospital to another. He is now a member of the Grand Army of the Re- publie, and in politics is a Republican.
A. FRAZIER, Postmaster and farmer, Honey Creek, came from Putnam County, Ind., in the fall of 1854, and settled on his present place, his father entering the same. Our subject was born in Indiana in 1837 ; son of J. T. Frazier, a native of Tennessee, but who was raised in Indiana, and is still living on the place they first settled. The mother of our subject is dead. He (subject) received his edu- cation in his native State. He was married, in 1857, to Miss Juliana Wild, a native of Eng- land. They have three children, one son and two daughters. all of whom are at home. When our subject and parents came to this county, they traversed the country in wagons, and were four weeks in making the trip. They purchased the improvements which the Mor- mons had made on the place, and entered it
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afterward. Council Bluffs was their trading point at this time. Our subject started a gen- eral store in Honey Creek in 1867. He is also the Postmaster at the latter place. His busi- ness. however, has been principally farming. He deals mostly in cattle, hogs and corn. His farm consists of 450 acres, 200 of which are under cultivation. He is a member of the Ma- sonie fraternity, and in politics is a Republican.
M. H. FRENCH, blacksmith, P. O. Loveland, is a native of New York ; born in 1838 ; son of Adoniram French, a native of Connecticut, and a farmer by occupation. The parents are both deceased. They had eleven children, six sons and five daughters, of whom six are now living. Our subject received his education in the common schools of his native State, which he left in November, 1867, and came to this State, settling in Loveland with just $7 in his pocket. He was married, in 1858, to Miss Elizabeth Johnson, a native of Ireland. They have the following children : Edwin C., born September 9, 1859 ; Ella M., born January 18, 1861 ; Willie L., born November 9, 1865 ; Jen- nie E., born April 22, 1870, and Arthur M., born August 30, 1873. The first three named were born in New York, and the latter two in this State. Ella M. was married, in September, 1879, to F. I. Haldeman, who is station agent at Clear Water, Neb., where they are now living. Our subject never farmed but one year. He sailed the lakes for three years, after which he settled on terra firma and went into the black- smithing business, which he has followed for about twenty-five years. He runs a shop at present but seldom does any work in it himself, being engaged in partnership with his son in a general merchandise business in Loveland, in which he carries a stock of over $2,000. He is also agent for the Shugart Implement Com- pany of Council Bluffs. Mr. French also has 109 acres of land in timber, from which he cuts from 200 to 250 cords per season. He also owns a good residence and two lots near
the depot. Mr. and Mrs. French are members of the M. E. Church. In politics, he is a Dem- ocrat, and has always voted that ticket.
H. W. A. GOSS, farmer, P. O. Loveland, was born in Illinois in 1845. His parents came to Iowa when he was but five years old, and set- tled in this county on his present place in April, 1851. This has been his home ever since, except one year he lived in Missouri Valley, Harrison County. He is the son of Sherman Goss, who died in 1855; the mother died in 1881, aged seventy-seven years. Our subject was educated in this county. His business has always been farming. He has three brothers, one in Council Bluff's, one in Missouri Valley, Harrison County, and one in La Veta, Colo. Mr. Goss was married, in this county, to Miss Ella Boyd, of Harrison County, daughter of John Boyd. They were married in 1874, and have two children, both boys. Our subject had four brothers who went into the army ; one was killed. Mr. Goss was too young to go at the time. He is Re- publican in politics. The Mormons had been here before Mr. Goss came, but all the im- provements they had made was to break our garden spots in the hollows, for they did not have teams sufficient to break up the heavy sod. They also had log huts covered with boards, and on these dirt. Mr. Goss' father bought a claim from the Mormons, and then entered land in 1853, as soon as it was open for entry. Entering at first 160 acres, most of it lying in the Boyer River bottom, but after- ward entered more. Mr. Goss now has 106 acres. lle is now living on the old place first settled. He remembers how they had to do the first year they were here. The very high waters washed out what mills there were within reach of them, so they did their own grinding, by putting corn in a large iron kettle and pounding it with an iron wedge. The finest they would sift out and make bread from, and the coarse they would make into mush and
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hominy. Hogs were so scarce it was almost a sight to see one, but game was very plenty. When coming here. Kanesville or Council Bluffs only had one hewn-log house, and that was a store. The rest were all round logs, and covered with dirt.
W. E. HOYT, boarding house and confee- tionery, Loveland, was born in Illinois in 1850, but came to Iowa when about five years old. His parents first settled twenty miles west of Iowa City, on the banks of the Iowa River. He is the son of H. B. Hoyt, who is still living. The mother died about 1866. In 1863, they moved to this county, and he has lived here ever since, except two years; one spent in the eastern part of the State and the other in Kan- sas. He was educated mostly in the schools of this county. He has three brothers and two sisters. He was raised on a farm, and for the first two or three years after starting out for himself, he followed farming. In 1879, he bought out the grocery stock of Mr. Joseph Moss, and continued in that business in Love- land for two years, then sold that out and started his present business of boarding house, restaurant and confectionery. He also owns and runs the Town Hall. He commenced on his present building March 1, 1881; the hall is 20x50, twelve-foot ceiling, and the restaurant department connected with the hall is 14x50. He was married, in 1875, to Miss Ellen Moss, daughter of Joseph Moss. They have one girl and one boy. He is Democratic in politics, and at present is Justice of the Peace; also, has a blacksmith and wagon repairing shop.
HARDIN JONES, farmer, P. O. Loveland, was born in 1810, in Kentucky, on the Green River, Casey County; then moved with his father to' Orange County, Ind., in 1817, and then to Putnam County, Ind., the fall of 1826, and remained there till the fall of 1855, when he came here. All of his family came at the same time, except one daughter, who came before. His only son now living, has been liv-
ing by him ever since, their farms adjoining each other. He first bought 280 acres of Cal- vin Beebe, paying $2,650. and since that, he has added to his farm. He and son together have since had over 1,000 acres. Our subject now has 435 acres. Their farming is stock and grain. Mr. Jones served as County Judge one year, Auditor one year, Justice of the Peace for about twenty-one years. He was elected to the office of Justice of the Peace six days after he was eligible, and has been in county and township offices of some kind ever since till within a year. In moving here, they came in wagons, starting September 11 and arriving October 22, 1855. They camped out whenever night overtook them, and followed what was called the old Mormon trace. He is Demo- cratie in politics. His first vote was for Gen. Jackson. He is a member of the Baptist Church. He was first married. October 18 1832, to Asenath Du Weese. She died Feb- ruary 12, 1860. He was afterward married to Mrs. Mary Skelton, October 18, 1860. She died in March, 1881. He was again married to Mrs. Brunetta Moss. He had five children by his first wife; both his other wives had five children each when he married them. and he had no chil- dren by either of them.
JOHN GREEN JONES, farmer, P. O. Love- land, came to this county in the fall of 1855. He was born in Indiana in 1834, son of Harden Jones, who is still living in this township. Our subject lived in Putnam County till coming to this State with his father. He bought from a man by the name of Beebe, who had improved the place to some extent, having about forty acres feneel and broken, and containing a log cabin 12x16 feet, in which our subject lived for two years. His father's cabin was about 16x20 feet. They bought about 280 acres when first coming, paying about $9 per acre. Although there was plenty of land that could be got for less, yet this suited them. and they were willing to pay the advance. Mr. Jones was married. in
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Indiana, in the fall of 1854, and then came West the following year. He was married to Miss Mary Ann Mace, born in Tennessee, but came to Indiana while small. IIer parents moved to this State and lived here till they died. Mr. and Mrs. Jones have six children, five sons and one daughter. Two sons are married. and the others are all at home. Mr. Jones has three sisters living, but no brothers ; four sisters came West with them. two of whom were married. Mr. Jones has a farm of 525 acres, about 250 be- ing in cultivation. the remainder is in timber and grass land. He is Democratic in politics.
OSCAR KELSEY, merchant and Postmas- ter. Loveland, came here and located perma- nently in the fall of 1875. He was born in Dearborn County, Ind., in 1847. He was raised on a farm and lived there until he came to Council Bluffs in 1871. He was educated in Moore's Hill College, Ind., which he left in his junior year on account of ill health, and came West and taught school till the spring 1
of 1876, when he accepted a position as a book- keeper in Copeland & Loveland's mill, in which capacity he was engaged up to 1880, when he and his brother bought their present store, where they carry a $1,600 stock of general merchandise, with annual sales of $5,000, which are steadily increasing. They purchased the store of J. A. Copeland, and have since continued in the business. They also run a farm. Our subject was married, December 25, 1875, to Miss T. E. Copeland, daughter of Thomas N. Copeland, whose biography appears elsewhere. They have three children-two sons and one daughter. In politics, our sub- ject is a Republican, and has been such sinee John C. Fremont ran for President, for whom be and his brother were the only boys in the district school who would burrab. Our sub- ject is the present Postmaster of Loveland, having been appointed in the summer of 1880. His father, L. H. Kelsey, and his (subject's) mother are still living in Indiana.
HENRY LOWE farmer and charcoal dealer, Honey Creek, was born in England in 1844, and came to America, when he was six years old, with his parents. They stopped in Fall River, Mass., for about two years, during which time the father followed his trade of boss-carder in a cotton factory. They then moved to St. Louis, Mo., where they remained until 1854, when they came to the present place in Rockford Township. Our subject re- turned to St. Louis, coming back in 1857, and remained here ever since. He is the son of William Lowe, who is now a teacher of phonog. raphy in Ogden, Utah. The father was in the army; he belonged to the Seventh Missouri Cavalry, and went through the entire service. Our subject's grandfather, Lowe, was in the cavalry at the renowned battle of Waterloo The mother of our subject died in St. Louis about 1855. Her parents-Mr. and Mrs. Allen -- came West about 1850, and both died on our subject's place. He was married, August 24, 1862, to Esther Aveyard, who was born in England in the same house as he was. Hiram Bostwick took her when she was six years old and raised her. Mr. and Mrs. Lowe have had ten children, nine of whom-four boys and five girls-are living, and are all at home. The farm now consists of 220 acres, of which fifty acres are in tillable land, the balance being in timber and meadow. Our subject started in life with nothing save determination to win. When he first came here, Mormon huts were the only im- provements, and there was a Mormon Church on his present farm. Ile started into the char- coal business in 1879, in which he has con- tinued since. He now has contracts for about 6,000 bushels. In politics, he is a Republican.
JOSEPH MOSS, agricultural implements, Loveland, was born in Greene County, Ind., in 1834, son of Aquilla Moss. His parents are both dead. He was edneated in Indiana and was married in Putnam County, of the same State, to Miss Mary Jane Jones, March 30,
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1854, and the next year came West, settling in Harrison County, where he lived two years, and then sold out and came to this county and bought land, but sold out and went back to Iudiana, where he remained four years and then came back in the fall of 1864, and has been here ever since, buying a place about two and a half miles south of Loveland. Was ap- pointed Deputy Sheriff, and served four years under George Doughty, and then came back to Rockford Township and has lived in the town- ship since, but as he has two farms and prop- erty in Loveland his time has not been given to either. In the two farms he has 380 aeres, about 200 aeres being in cultivation, forty in timber and the remainder in grass land. In 1878, he moved into Loveland and went into the grocery business for two years, and also was in his present business of agricultural im- plements. After two years, he sold his stock of groceries, and siuce has been giving his time to the implement business and to the carry- ing on of his farms. When he got to this State first, it was with a wagon and team and 30 cents in money. The first winter in Iowa was his hard winter, for he had no money, but worked at anything he could get to do. Shocked corn in the snow, bare handed, for John S. Goss, and got $I per day. Game of all kinds was plenty and that furnished them meat. Paid $9 per hundred for flour. Pork 9 cents per pound. In the next spring he went to work his father-in-law's farm and made his start that way, for part of the corn he raised he sold for $3 per bushel. With this he en- tered land, improved and sold, and kept this up for some time, buying and selling. Ile has been a Democrat all his life, and has held of- tices of some kind for over twenty years, is now a Justice of the Peace. He was at one time engaged in buying and shipping stock and trading of all kinds, but for four years he has not been engaged iu any very active busi- ness. He and wife are both very active mem-
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