USA > Iowa > Pottawattamie County > History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, from the earliest historic times to 1907, Vol. II > Part 35
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When a young man of seventeen years Mr. Morgan returned to Council Bluffs and entered the drug store of Dell G. Morgan. & Company, the senior partner being his uncle. He was with the firm for ten years and on the ex- piration of that period purchased the stock and has since engaged in business on his own account. His long connection with the trade had thoroughly quali- fied him for the responsibility which he then assumed and as the years have gone by he has enjoyed a constantly increasing prosperity.
In 1897, in Council Bluffs, Mr. Morgan was united in marriage to Miss Minnie P. Whitaker, and they are well known in the social circles of the city.
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Mr. Morgan is a member of St. Paul's (Episcopal) church and although he never seeks to figure in any public light, outside his business interests, he is yet known as one whose aid and influence can be counted upon to further progressive public movements.
It will be interesting in this connection to note something of the history of Mr. Morgan's family. He is a son of Frank P. Morgan, of Omaha, who was born in Jamestown, New York, in 1847 and came to lowa in 1864. In May of that year he joined the Forty-seventh Regiment of Iowa Infantry, with which he served until October, when he was mustered out at Davenport. Ile was married in 1868 in Des Moines, to Miss Elizabeth Harrison, and they have three children: Frank H .; Carrie M., the wife of W. L. Perkins, of Granite, Oklahoma; and Robert P., of Omaha.
The elder son has spent his entire life in this state and it has been through his close application and unremitting diligence in business affairs that he has gained the creditable position which he now occupies as a successful merchant of Council Bluffs. He has recently removed to the new building, just com- pleted by F. T. True, at the corner of Broadway and Eighth street, which af- fords finer facilities for the conduct of his business.
DELL G. MORGAN.
Dell G. Morgan, prominent in business and political circles in Council Bluffs and well known to the drug trade throughout the state, is now engaged extensively and successfully in dealing in drugs, paints, oils and glass, but though his business makes heavy demands upon his time and attention he vet finds opportunity to co-operate in many progressive measures and the city has benefitted by his efforts in its behalf. He comes of a family of Welsh ancestry and ex-Governor Edwin Morgan, of New York, and J. Pierpont Morgan are also descended from the same line. The founder of the family in America was the great-great-great-grandfather of our subject, a native of Wales, who in the seventeenth century settled in Herkimer county, New York, where the family was represented for three generations, or until Russell Morgan, the father of Dell G. Morgan, removed to Chautauqua county, New York.
Russell Morgan was born in Herkimer county. New York, in 1819, and lived at various points in his native state and in Pennsylvania. He was en- gaged in the manufacture of furniture at Jamestown, New York, and about 1861 removed to Corry, Pennsylvania, where he conducted an undertaking es- tablishment until 1876, when he came to Council Bluffs. Here he continued in the same line of business for twenty years, or until 1896, when he retired. His death occurred in December, 1906. He was married in 1843 to Miss Clarissa Palmer, a sister of Frank Palmer, late publie printer under Presi- dents Harrison, Mckinley and Roosevelt. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Morgan were born eleven children, seven of whom are yet living: Frank P., Alton B., Carl A., Emma J., AAmos S., Fred E. and Dell G. The daughter is the wife of W. J. Lauterwasser.
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Dell G. Morgan, whose name introduces this record, was born in St. Clairs- ville. Chautauqua county, New York, on the 27th of August, 1861, and when still quite young was taken by his parents to Corry, Pennsylvania, where the family lived for seven years. When about nine years of age he came alone to Iowa, making his way to Glenwood, where his eldest brother, Frank P. Mor- gan, was then editor and owner of the Glenwood Opinion, a weekly republican newspaper. After a year the brothers came to Council Bluffs and Dell G. Mor- gan here completed his education. He left school at the age of eighteen years and entered the drug store of Harle & McKune, with whom he remained for about four or five years, thoroughly acquainting himself with the business dur- ing that period. He then opened a drug store, in which his elder brother Frank became the silent partner under the firm style of Dell G. Morgan & Company, which relationship continued until 1896, when he opened his pres- ent store. He has a well equipped establishment, carrying a large line of drugs, paints, oils and glass, and from the beginning the new enterprise has proved a profitable investment. Regarding no detail of the business as too in- essential to claim his attention, watching carefully for every indication point- ing to success, keeping abreast with the modern methods of the commercial . world, he has gained recognition as one of the leading merchants of the city in which he has now resided for almost a third of a century.
On the 6th of July, 1887, Mr. Morgan was married, in Council Bluffs, to Miss Ada G. East, and they have two children, Grace E. and Paul Morgan. Mr. Morgan is prominent in fraternal circles, being a valued member of the Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks, the Woodmen of the World, the Mod- ern Woodmen, and Excelsior lodge, No. 259, A. F. & A. M., of which he is a past master. He also belongs to the Presbyterian church and is deeply inter- ested in all that pertains to the welfare and progress of the city along intel- lectual, moral, social and political lines. He has co-operated in many move- ments for the public good, was for three years a member of the school board and for one year its president ; and for two years administered the public af- fairs of the city as mayor. He is a stanch advocate of republican principles but never allows partisanship to stand in the way of faithful performance of public duties. That he is prominent and well known in drug circles is indi- cated by the fact that he was honored, in 1903, with the presidency of the Iowa Pharmaceutical Association. His social qualities render him popular and all who know him have thorough respect for his strength and worth of character.
STEPHEN SUMNER RUST.
Stephen Sumner Rust, vice-president of the Citizens State Bank of Oak- land, is prominently connected with the business life of that town, his energy and well directed labor proving an element in its present commercial pros- perity. He is the owner of one of the principal business blocks of Oakland and aside from his interests here he has large land holdings in Nebraska and
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MR. AND MRS. S. S. RUST.
FADE NEW YORK P> , iC LIBRARY
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HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY
Colorado. His life proves the value of unremitting diligence and strong pur- pose, for his success has largely been attained through his own labors.
Mr. Rust was born in Henderson county, Illinois. February 23, 1848. and his father. Jacob Rust, was a native of Ohio county, West Virginia, his natal place being near Wheeling. The family is of English lineage and four of the uncles of Jacob Rust were soldiers of the Revolutionary war. enlisting from Virginia, one holding the rank of captain and another that of first lieu- tenant, while still a third was promoted to office. The family was represented in the engagement at Yorktown, which brought an end to the war through the final surrender of the British troops to General Washington.
Jacob Rust was reared in Hardin county, Kentucky, and volunteered for service in the war of 1812. He was a farmer by occupation and also possessed much mechanical ingenuity, being able to do almost anything with tools. In early life he was quite successful. In 1855 he came to Iowa and took up gov- ernment land in Valley township, Pottawattamie county, erecting thereon a log house of one room. After living upon that farm for five years he removed to Center township, where he continued to make his home throughout the re- mainder of his life. passing away in 1887 at the age of ninety-two years. He was a well preserved man but met with an accident that resulted in his demise. Of the Christian church he was an active and faithful member and of the re- publican party a stalwart supporter. For about ten years he filled the position of justice of the peace and the decisions of his court received the endorsement of all those who favored law and order.
Jacob Rust was twice married and by the first marriage had fourteen children, of whom three are now living: Mrs. Melvina Ward and Mrs. Char- lotte Chastain, both residents of Oregon ; and Mrs. Didamie Brunk, a widow living in Missouri. For his second wife Mr. Rust chose Mrs. Eda (Palmer) Morris, who was born in South Carolina and died in 1898 in her ninety-fourth year. She was of German-English stock. Her people were early settlers of South Carolina, where they owned and conducted plantations. At an early day in the development of Indiana her parents removed to the southern part of that state. They were members of the Baptist church and were influential factors in promoting the material and moral development of their community. Mrs. Rust was married twice and by her first marriage had six children, of whom three are living: Ben, James and William Morris. Unto Jacob and Eda Rust were born three children: Isabelle, the wife of Reuben Morris, a farmer of Center township, this county; Stephen S., of this review; and Sam- . uel, who died at the age of seven years.
Stephen Sumner Rust began his education in a log schoolhouse in Cen- ter township, the furnishings of which were very primitive, the seats being made of slabs. He later walked three miles to school. He was reared upon a farm, remaining at home until thirteen years of age, when he began working by the month and was in the employ of one man for five years with the ex- ception of six months when working for his brother-in-law. After his mar- riage he engaged in the operation of rented land and lived in a log cabin for five years. He then purchased forty acres of land, which he broke and im- proved, making his home thereon for six years.
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In the fall of 1880 Mr. Rust removed to Oakland, where he established a grain business, and in 1883 he extended the field of his operations by organiz- ing a private bank called the Citizens Bank, which was incorporated in 1892 as the Citizens State Bank, with W. H. Freeman as president ; S. S. Rust, vice president ; and L. F. Potter, cashier. Before the incorporation Mr. Freeman and Mr. Potter were taken in as partners in the private bank and some time before the incorporation Mr. Freeman had been a member of the Oakland Bank, which was merged with the Citizens State Bank at the time of its in- corporation. Mr. Rust is not only active in the control and management of the bank but is also closely associated with other business interests of the city and is a typical American business man-alert, energetic and watchful of op- portunities, which he utilizes to the best advantage. He owns one of the prin- cipal business blocks of Oakland and his real-estate holdings also comprise eight hundred acres of land in Merrick county, Nebraska. and twelve hundred and forty acres in Logan county, Colorado.
On the 2d of September, 1865, Mr. Rust was married to Miss Mary N. Strong, who was born in Ohio, February 18. 1845, and the following year was brought to Iowa by her parents, James M. and Mary Strong, who first located in Jefferson county. After residing there for six years they settled on a farm near Fairfield, Iowa, and in 1864 came to Pottawattamie county, locating in Center township. Mr. and Mrs. Rust have one child, Bertie M .. who was born June 5, 1866, and is the wife of Frank Robinson, a farmer and carpenter liv- ing in Logan county, Colorado. They have three sons and two daughters. namely: Guy, Mary, Clare, Olive and Gilbert.
Mr. and Mrs. Rust hold membership in the Congregational church and for many years he served as one of its trustees. He has always voted with the republican party and for many years was treasurer of Center township, while in Oakland he has been village treasurer and also a member of the council. His interest in community affairs is deep and sincere and has led to active co- operation in the various plans instituted for general advancement and progress. He was made a Mason at Oakland in 1881 and is now a member of Arch lodge, No. 335, at that place. He is also an Odd Fellow and his life has in large measure been characterized by the principles which constitute the basic ele- ments of those orders. Hle is one of the wealthy men of Oakland and one of its most progressive citizens, standing as a high type of the American man- hood which advances the public good while promoting individual prosperity.
CHARLES RAY SPANGLER.
Charles Ray Spangler needs no introduction to the readers of this volume for the Spangler family is very widely known in Pottawattamie county. He whose name introduces this record is treasurer of the Walnut Milling Com- pany, and he has spent his entire life in Walnut, his native city, his birth hav- ing occurred here on the 6th of January, 1879. His father is Irad T. Spangler, a sketch of whom is given elsewhere in this volume. In his boyhood days
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Charles R. Spangler was a pupil in the Walnut schools, passing through suc- cessive grades until he completed the high school course by graduation in 1897. He then went to Valparaiso, Indiana, where he pursued a business course in the Valparaiso Business College, being graduated therefrom in the spring of 1899. Immediately afterward he went to Chicago, where he ac- cepted a position with the commission firm of Greer, Mills & Company at the Union Stock Yards. There he remained with the firm until the 1st of February, 1902, when he returned to Walnut and assumed the office manage- ment of the Walnut Milling Company. In November, 1905. he acquired an interest in the business, was made treasurer of the company, and has since acted in that capacity. He is a young man possessing commendable ambition and strong purpose, and the qualities which actuated him in his business career are such as lead to success.
Mr. Spangler is a republican of firm faith in the party principles. He has served as secretary of the school board for the past five years and for four years has been city clerk, discharging his duties with a promptness and fidelity that have led to his retention in the office through successive terms. Frater- nally he is connected with Diamond lodge, No. 374, K. P., and Walnut lodge. No. 194, A. O. U. W.
Mr. Spangler was married July 1, 1903, to Miss Clara Hector, daughter of Julius Hector, a banker of Walnut. The young couple are prominent socially. while the hospitality of their own home is greatly enjoyed by their many friends. Having spent almost his entire life in this locality Mr. Spangler is well known, and as a representative business man is entitled to mention in this volume, while furthermore he is known as a worthy member of one of the lead- ing families of this county.
JEFFERSON P. CASADY.
Judge Jefferson P. Casady, deceased, left the impress of his individuality upon public thought and action not only in Council Bluffs but throughout the state as well. The consensus of public opinion accorded him high rank, his native talents, his acquired ability, his laudable ambition and his lofty pur- poses enabling him to advance steadily in the professional path which he chose to follow, his influence, however, extending far beyond legal circles into those realms where it touched the general interests of society.
A native of Indiana, Judge Casady was born at Connersville. September 1, 1828, and was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Simon Casady, who gave to the world five sons, all of whom became prominent in their respective localities and chosen fields of labor. In remoter generations the family was Scotch-Irish and during the long years in which the ancestry has been represented in America it has furnished men notable in public life. Reared as a farm boy to the age of eighteen years, Judge Casady pursued his elementary education by study in an academy and, wishing to prepare for one of the professions, he became a student in the office and under the direction of the Hon. Samuel W. Parker in
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the days when the principles of the law rather than the cases were studied and when the eminent lawyers of the day kept the Bible and Blackstone side by side upon their desks. Judge Casady's tutor was one of a coterie of great law- vers who made the bar of Indiana famous and he thus imbibed an exalted opinion of the law as practiced by men of learning and virtue.
Following his removal to Des Moines in 1852 he was admitted a member of the Iowa bar and in 1853 became a resident of Council Bluffs, where he entered into partnership with Hon. Hadley D. Johnson for the practice of their profession and also for the conduct of a land business. He limited his ac- tivities to civil law and in that great department of jurisprudence soon gained favorable recognition, of which the public gave manifestation in his election to the office of county judge-an honor that came to him unsolicited. Each of the old parties had placed nominees in the field but the people at large were . dissatisfied with the nominations made and without dissent or regard to political prejudices elected Mr. Casady. Under the laws that existed at that time the county judge had full management of all financial affairs of the county and also of the probate court. thus putting upon the officer an unusual amount of hard work and responsibility. Judge Casady performed the work of the court with notable dispatch and at the same time his decisions were strictly fair and impartial. He also conducted his private business in connection with his of- ficial duties, it consisting largely of real-estate operations. In July, 1861, how- ever, he was elected a director of the Council Bluffs & St. Joseph Railroad and subsequently was chosen president.
In 1868 Judge Casady was chosen to represent his district, comprising Pottawattamie, Mills, Fremont and Cass counties, in the state senate. A co- incidence worthy of mention is the fact that his brother, the Hon. P. M. Casady, of Des Moines, represented that district in the state senate, while Hon. Samuel H. Casady was representative from northwestern Iowa in the lower house of the state legislature and Hon. J. P. Casady was member of the senate from Council Bluffs. His partners, too, the Hon. Hadley D. Johnson and Hon. James D. Test, also represented the Council Bluffs district in the legislature. In politics Judge Casady was a democrat of the Jeffersonian school, his opinions carrying weight in the councils of his party, while on various occasions he was chosen as a delegate to its state conventions. In 1880 he was made one of the vice presidents of the national convention. In 1872 he was nominated for auditor of state and although Iowa has ever been strongly republican he ran far ahead of his ticket-a fact which indicated his personal popularity and the confidence reposed in him by those who knew him. While a member of the senate he was instrumental in securing the appropriation for the building of the deaf and dumb institute at Council Bluffs and was connected with much other important legislation. He had no ambitions in the line of office holding but probably there was not a man of large private interests in Council Bluffs that felt a more hearty concern for the public welfare or was more helpful in bringing about those purifying and wholesome reforms which have been gradu- ally growing in the political, municipal and social life of the city. It is true that his chief life work was as a lawyer, banker and real-estate dealer but the range of his activities and the scope of his influence reached far beyond this
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special field. Unselfish and retiring, he preferred a quiet place in the back- ground to the glamor of publicity, but his rare aptitude and ability in achiev- ing results made him constantly sought and often brought him into a promi- nence from which he would naturally have shrunk were less desirable ends in view.
On the 16th of June, 1856, Judge Casady was married to Miss Hannah Joiner. Two of their five children, Lawrence and Jefferson J., are deceased. while Thomas E., a practicing attorney of Moline, Illinois. Ida, of Council Bluffs, Iowa. and Albert W., of Kansas City, Missouri. still survive. The wife and mother passed away May 6, 1882, and the death of Judge Casady occurred April 27, 1892. Eearly in their married life he and his wife became member- of the First Presbyterian church of Council Bluffs and were always loyal to its interests. contributing liberally to its support and doing everything in their power to advance its interests.
Judge Casady was a charter member of Council Bluffs lodge, No. 49, I. O. O. F. While his public service, both in the line of his profession and in politics, was of an important character, it was the strong and individual trait- of the man that endeared him so closely to his fellowmen. In much that he did he was actuated by a spirit of kindliness and helpfulness. Young men particularly found in him a stanch friend and more than one now successful and prominent owes his first progressive steps to the aid of Judge Ca-ady. He seemed always to bring out the best in others, undoubtedly owing to the fact that his life was actuated by high principles and he was always looking for the good in others. His life record finds embodiment in the words of Pope:
"Statesman, yet friend to truth : of soul sincere, In action faithful and in honor clear; Who broke no promise, served no private end, Who gained no title and who lost no friend."
WILLIAM STEEL.
William Steel, residing on section 14, Lewis township, largely derives his income from his fruit-raising interests, devoting his time especially to the culti- vation of berries. He was born in Harrison county, Ohio, July 1, 1841, his parents being Samuel K. and Rebecca (Kerby) Steel, the former born in Northumberland county. Pennsylvania, in 1815, and the latter in Maryland in 1817. The paternal grandfather served his country as a soldier in the Revo- lutionary war and later received a land warrant from the government in rec- ognition of the aid that he had rendered. Three uncles of our subject were valiant soldiers in the Mexican war and thus the family has a most creditable military record, for Mr. Steel himself gave practical demonstration of loyaity by active service on the battle-fields of the south during the Civil war. His parents were married in Ohio, the father owning and cultivating a farm in
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Harrison county. He continued its further development and improvement until 1856, when he sold his property and started overland with his family for Iowa. On reaching Burlington he sought employment and worked there until 1876. He also owned a small fruit farm in that locality. In the centennial year he came to Pottawattamie county and bought eighty acres of wild land in Lewis township. This place he developed and improved, making his home thereon until within five years of his death, when he sold out and went to live among his children. His wife died in January, 1891, while Samuel K. Steel passed away in April, 1903.
William Steel was the eldest of a family of six children, all of whom still survive. He acquired his education in the common schools of Ohio up to his fifteenth year, the schoolhouse being about three and a half miles from his home. ITis opportunities were accordingly somewhat limited, owing to the distance and to the fact that his labor was often needed on the home farm but through study and observation in later years he has added greatly to his knowl- edge and is now a well informed man.
He continued to engage actively in general agricultural pursuits until after the outbreak of the Civil war, when on the 17th of October, 1863, he of- fered his services to the government and became a private of Company H, Thirteenth Iowa Infantry. He enlisted at Burlington and immediately started to join his command. He did not reach his regiment, however, but was sent to the command of General Thomas at Nashville and from there to Chatta- nooga. For a year and a half he did scouting duty in Tennessee and Alabama, being thus engaged until the close of the war, when he joined his regiment at Raleigh, North Carolina. From there he was sent to Washington to partici- pate in the grand review and later the regiment proceeded to Louisville, Ken- tucky, where the troops were mustered out on the 22d of July, 1865, going thence to Davenport. Iowa, where they were honorably discharged in the month of August.
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