USA > Iowa > Pottawattamie County > History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, from the earliest historic times to 1907, Vol. II > Part 45
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In matters of citizenship Mr. Meredith has always been progressive and his study of the political situation and possibilities of the country has led him to give his support to the republican party. He served as township trustee for four years and has been school director, but he prefers to do his public service as a private citizen rather than as an officeholder. Socially he is connected with the Odd Fellows lodge. No. 140, at Lewis, and with the Court of Honor at Griswold. He has, too, a social nature that has gained him many friends, while his geniality and deference for the opinions of others have made him popular with many who know him.
On the 27th of February, 1873. Mr. Meredith was married to Miss Alicia E. Wright, whose birth occurred in Noble county, Indiana, November 21. 1853. her parents being Charles and Emeline Wright, natives of Massachusetts and New York respectively. but both are now deceased. In their family were four children. Only two children have been born unto Mr. and Mrs. Meredith and the greatest sorrow of their lives came to them in the loss of their son, Brenton, who was born April 5, 1875. and when fourteen years of age became
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a student at Ligonier, Indiana. His literary education being completed, he devoted the year 1896 to study in a medical college of Denver, Colorado, and in 1897 he became a student in a medical college of St. Louis, Missouri. The following year he enlisted for service in the United States army with the First Missouri Volunteers, becoming a member of Company L, which was sent to Camp Thomas, Chickamauga. He was made a member of the hospital corps, served as ambulance orderly and was soon to be a non-commissioned officer, but was stricken with typhoid fever, and, after lying ill in the Leiter hospital for thirteen days. passed away on the 1st of August. 1898. He was a bright, intelligent young man, who made friends wherever he went. He was kindly in spirit. generous in disposition and possessed high ideals. His father reached his bedside eighteen hours before he passed away and when the final sum- mons came bore his soldier boy back home, where he was laid to rest in Lewis cemetery. The sorrow felt throughout the entire community cannot be be adequately told in words. Those whom he met socially entertained for him the warmest regard. He was always considerate and deferential to the aged and his friends were many among young and old, rich and poor. but his loss came with deepest force to his own household. where father, mother and sister will never cease to mourn the loss of a loved son and brother. The daughter of the family is Mrs. Luella E. Franklin. the wife of Fred H. Franklin, a pharmacist. of Council Bluffs, and they have two children, Pauline M. and Eva Emeline.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Meredith are consistent members of the Christian church. Mrs. Meredith when only fifteen years of age began teaching and fol- lowed that profession for four years. She is a lady of culture and refinement, who presides with gracious hospitality over their pleasant home. and Mr. and Mrs. Meredith have many warm friends in this locality, being numbered among its best citizens.
HORACE ROSCOE LEMEN.
Horace Roscoe Lemen is manager of the Christian Home Orphanage at Council Bluffs, his kindly spirit and broad humanitarian principles well qualifying him for this work, while under his guidance the institution is doing an excellent service for those who have been so unfortunate as to lose their parents. Mr. Lemen was born in Tuscumbia, Missouri, on the 11th of Febru- ary, 1872, and during his infancy his parents, Rev. and Mrs. J. G. Lemen, removed to Lebanon. Missouri, while in 1881 the family home was established in Council Bluffs.
The subject of this review acquired much of his clementary education in this state and afterward attended Central University, at Pella, Iowa. On putting aside his text-books in 1892 he returned to Council Bluffs and was made assistant manager of the Christian Home Orphanage, which was founded by his father, Rev. J. G. Lemen, while upon the latter's death in 1904 the son became manager and has since continued at the head of the institution.
REV. J. G. LEMEN.
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENOX AND. TILD N FOUNDATIONS.
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He is doing a splendid work here in providing orphan children with home training and influence and thus preparing them to become good and useful citizens. In the management of the institution he also displays excellent busi- ness and executive ability and his work is most satisfactory to those in any way connected with the orphanage.
Mr. Lemen was married in 1893, in Pella, Iowa, to Miss Ida W. Aikins, a daughter of H. D. Aikins, and they have four children, Florence Marie, Ethel Margaret. George Edward and John Aikins. The parents are inter- ested and active members of the Baptist church and their Christianity is a strong element in their daily lives.
CHARLES HOLMSTROM.
Charles Holmstrom, a representative farmer and stock-raiser, is meeting with merited success in his business interests, which include not only the cultivation of grain and the raising of stock, but also the buying. feeding and selling of cattle and hogs. His business has reached quite extensive propor- tions in this connection and he has become well known by reason of his live- stock interests.
As the name indicates, he was of Swedish lineage. His birth occurred in the southern part of Sweden on the 15th of February, 1872, his parents being Francis and Emma (Hegg) Holmstrom, who are now living in Sweden, aged respectively about sixty-five years. The father was a lawyer, and, in addi- tion to practicing his profession, engaged in handling timber land. He also owned a farm and made judicious investments in property, which, bringing to him a goodly competence, now enables him to live retired in the enjoyment of well earned ease. The family numbers seven children: Annie, the wife of F. Peterson, whose home is in Montgomery county, Iowa : Emil, a carpenter, residing in Omaha; Mrs. Amelia Bjarklund; Mrs. Betsy Walstrom; Emma, who is also married; and Ellen, at home. The last four are residents of Sweden.
Charles Holmstrom was reared in his native country to the age of twenty years. AAs boy and youth he attended the public schools of his native country. and he also spent five winters as a pupil in the public schools of America. Determining to try his fortune in the new world. he crossed the Atlantic, having scarcely more money than would bring him to the United States. Making his way, however, to Iowa. he stopped at Red Oak and worked as a farm hand in Montgomery county. His first purchase of land made him owner of a traet in Grove township, Pottawattamie county. He has benefited by the rise in land values and is now one of the substantial residents of this part of the state. He came to the county eight years ago and purchased eighty acres. A year later he bought another eighty acre tract, and in October, 1902, he purchased his present home place of eighty acres and took up his abode thereon. He now owns altogether two hundred and forty acres of land, which includes the home place of eighty acres on section 13 and one hundred and
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sixty acres constituting the northeast quarter of section 24, Grove township. He has made fine improvements upon his farm, having here erected good buildings, including an attractive residence and substantial barns, sheds and cribs. Although he cultivates nearly his entire place of two hundred and forty acres, he yet buys a great deal of corn, hay and feed in order to carry on his stock-raising and stock-feeding interests. He keeps from one hundred to one hundred and fifty head of cattle upon his place all the time and has fed altogether over two thousand head. He likewise raises and feeds stock on quite an extensive scale and is meeting with excellent success in this branch of his work. He possesses the national Swedish characteristics of perseverance and industry and these qualities have constituted the basis of the success which he is now enjoying.
On the 2d of April, 1902, Mr. Holmstrom was united in marriage, in Montgomery county, Iowa, to Miss Belle Pehrson, who was born in the south- ern part of Sweden, and is a daughter of Swan and Hannah (Lundstrom) Pehrson, who came to America in 1875, at which time they located in Mont- gomery county, Iowa, where they still reside upon a farm. In their fam- ily were two daughters and three sons: Peter and Harry, who are married and are living in Montgomery county; and Swen and Hannah, at home. Mrs. Holmstrom, the other member of the family, has become the mother of three children, all of whom were born in Pottawattamie county: Hazel, born Jan- uary 2, 1903; Walter, March 15, 1904; and Paul, February 27, 1906.
Politically Mr. Holmstrom is an independent republican, usually support- ing the republican candidates, vet not feeling himself bound by party ties. He and his wife are members of the Swedish Mission church and are greatly es- teemed by those who know them and who regard integrity, industry, perse- verance and consideration for others as commendable characteristics.
JOHN CRAIG, M. D.
While in early manhood Dr. John Craig prepared for and engaged in the practice of medicine, his time and attention were devoted to farming inter- ests after his removal to Pottawattamie county, for the demands of his pro- fessional service proved too strenuous for his health. He was also deeply in- terested in the welfare and upbuilding of his adopted county and his labors were practically helpful and far-reaching in behalf of the church and the tem- perance cause. Born in Franklin county, Indiana, April 23, 1835, he was one of seven children of William and Jane (Gilchrist) Craig. both of whom were natives of Scotland, whence they emigrated to the United States. Their troth was plighted in the old country and their marriage was celebrated in Charles- ton, South Carolina, where they located on coming to the new world. Their last days were spent in Indiana.
During the carly boyhood of Dr. Craig his parents removed from Frank- lin county to Decatur county, Indiana, where he was reared, and, after attend-
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ing the public schools, he became a student in what was then Greencastle, and is now at De Pauw University. At Greensburg he took up the study of medi- cine and afterward attended lectures at Cincinnati, being graduated when twenty-one years of age from the Eclectic Medical Institute of that city. Re- turning home. he opened an office in Greensburg and later went to Milford, about five miles away, where he continued in practice until he removed to Towa. Settling in Ottumwa, he continued there for three or four years and in 1875 arrived in Macedonia township, Pottawattamie county, taking up his abode upon the Bluff road, where he secured a farm. He removed to this county in order to get away from his practice, being at that time in delicate health. IIere he purchased four hundred acres of land, but later sold a part of this. He gave personal supervision to the operation of his farm, but lived in the village a part of the time, although his death occurred upon the farm on the 8th of April, 1890. In the practice of medicine he had displayed a strict conformity to professional ethics, and had constantly kept up with the prog- ress made by the members of the medical fraternity. In his agricultural in- terests he was equally practical and thorough and from his farm derived a good income.
In 1863 Dr. Craig was married to Miss Anna Julia Huffer, who was born in Bartholomew county, Indiana, May 17, 1840, and there resided until her marriage, her parents being David and Delia (Brunner) Huffer, who were natives of Ohio, whence they removed to Indiana with their three children. On reaching that state, which was then largely a pioneer district, they each secured homesteads, the two properties adjoining. In the paternal line Mrs. Craig was of Pennsylvania Dutch descent and in the maternal line was of English lineage. Her education was acquired in Hartsville College of Indiana, a school conducted under the direction of the United Brethren church. By a former marriage Dr. Craig had one daughter. Florence J., who is now the wife of I. E. S. Mitchell. of Macedonia township. There were two children by his second marriage-Isadore, who died leaving three children; and Charles, a resident of Jefferson county, Nebraska. Unto the marriage of Dr. Craig and Anna Julia Huffer three children were born: William David, a practicing physician living at Henderson, Iowa; Claude L., with his mother, and Joseph F., who died in infancy.
The death of the husband and father occurred on the home farm April 8, 1890. and was an occasion of deep and wide-spread regret. He had taken a prominent part in public affairs and was widely known as one whose influence was ever given on the side of improvement and substantial development. He was a charter member of Ruby lodge. No. 415, A. F. & A. M., and was its first worshipful master. Of the Methodist Episcopal church he was a devoted and faithful member and served as one of its trustees and held other official posi- tions. Indeed he took an active part in the building of the church in the old town of Macedonia. and when the new town of Macedonia was founded he was equally active in the establishment of the church here. He was closely associated with Rev. J. W. Carter and Franklin Law in their active work against saloons, and Dr. Craig was ever known as a stanch temperance man, doing all in his power to oppose the liquor traffic and thwart its
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deleterious influence. In politics he was a life-long republican, giving un- faltering support to the party. He held high ideals of life, was fearless in the support of his honest convictions, and never hesitated in following the path of duty.
S. S. PALMER.
S. S. Palmer, whose attention in a business way has always concentrated upon agricultural pursuits, is now cultivating a tract of land and raising stock on section 1, Center township. The place occupies the southwest quarter of the section and annually he gathers good crops, while at the same time he raises considerable stock for yearly shipments. He is, moreover, entitled to repre- sentation in this volume from the fact that he is one of its oldest settlers, his residence here covering more than a half century, for it was in the fall of 1853 that he was taken to Council Bluffs by his parents, Minor T. and Caroline (Tuel) Palmer. His birth had occurred in Mercer county, Illinois, on the 28th of April of that year.
His parents were natives of Indiana and Ohio respectively and following their removal to this state resided for two years at Council Bluffs, after which they removed to Big Grove, now Oakland. The father was a carpenter by trade and assisted in the construction of the first frame building at Omaha. He also studied medicine and practiced for ten years at Oakland. In 1862 he established a general mercantile and drug business, in which he continued until the 26th of August, 1882, when his life's labors were ended by death. He had attained the age of sixty years, while his wife also passed away in her sixtieth year, her death occurring at her home north of Oakland in the spring of 1891. In their family were five sons and two daughters: George, who died in February, 1876; Alexis, who died in South Butte, Montana, in the fall of 1889; Marion, a resident farmer of Valley township; Sumner S., of this re- view; Mary, the wife of F. P. Forward, of Holt county, Nebraska; Abraham L., a commercial traveler for the La Crosse Implement Company, who for ten years has been upon the road and has visited various parts of the world in the employ of the International Implement Company and other compa- nies ; Hiram T., who is a farmer of Lincoln township, and Adella, the wife of O. M. Trotter, of Payette, Idaho.
S. S. Palmer was reared in this county and has always followed farming. He acquired a common-school education and when not busy with his text- books he devoted his attention to farm work and to other duties, at times assist- ing his father in the store, prior to his marriage. On the 1st of January, 1878. he wedded Miss Adella Thomas, who was born in Henderson county, Illinois, October 25, 1859, a daughter of R. R. and Mary (Wright) Thomas, natives of Kentucky, and early residents of Illinois. In their family were twelve chil- dren. of whom the following are yet living: Mrs. Palmer; James, who follows farming in Center township; MeClellan, a resident farmer of Furnas county, Nebraka : Ella, the wife of Charles Pharmer, of Oakland; Annie, the wife of
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Sydney Robinson, of Oakland; Ira, an agriculturist, living near Anita, Iowa; Isaac, who carries on agricultural pursuits near Cumberland, Iowa, and Era, the wife of J. Edie, who is engaged in farming near Carson. The year 1871 witnessed the arrival of the Thomas family in Pottawattamie county and their home was established on a farm in Center township, east of Oakland. There Mr. Thomas carried on the work of tilling the soil for a number of years and when his labors had made him a man of influence he retired from active business life, spending his last days in Oakland, where he died in October, 1900. Ilis widow still survives and is now about sixty-seven years of age.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Palmer have been born ten children: Cecil A., who died in infancy; Clyde I .. who has followed railroading, but is now engaged in teaching school and resides at home; Clara A., the wife of Frank Moore, of Chapman, Nebraska : Coral B., the wife of Harry Phillips, a farmer residing in Valley township, northeast of Oakland, by whom she has one son, Sumner Byron : Jessie, who is engaged in teaching; Minor Thomas, at home; Leslie Alexis, Sydney L., Eva Pearl and AAlberta, all yet under the parental roof.
At the time of his marriage Mr. Palmer turned his attention to farming and purchased his present property in the winter of 1895-6. He has resided thereon continuously since and its present excellent appearance is indicative of the care and labor which he bestows upon it. Politically he is an independ- ent republican and while residing in James township, where he made his home for fourteen years, he served as township clerk. Fraternally he is connected with the Knights of the Maccabees at Oakland, and he and his wife hold mem- bership in the Columbian Presbyterian church of Center township.
His memory forms a connecting link between the primitive past and the progressive present, for during fifty-four years he has made his home in Pot- tawattamnie county. In the days of his boyhood there were many evidences of frontier life to be seen here. Much of the land was still unclaimed and un- cultivated, being covered with the native prairie grasses, while the work of development and cultivation largely lay in the future. Council Bluffs was but a small town and many of the now thriving villages had not yet sprung into existence. The remoteness of the county from railroads and from large cities made it somewhat difficult for the early settlers to get their produce to market or to obtain the supplies necessary in their homes. All this has changed and the work of improvement has been carried forward so rapidly that it seems scarcely possible that it is within the memory of a native born citizen when Pottawattamie county was largely an undeveloped frontier district.
HON. WILLOUGHBY DYE.
Pre-eminently a business man. Willoughby Dye is nevertheless serving as representative from his district in the state legislature. It is one of the hopeful signs of the period that those who exercise the right of franchise are now demanding that men of well known reliability and of loyalty in citizenship shall fill the public offices. Superseding many who have used
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positions of public trust as a means for personal gain rather than for public good, the record of Mr. Dye is one which reflects credit and honor upon the county that has honored him. Aside from his political service-and this is the only office that he has ever filled-he is well known and prominent in business circles, being president of the Dye Brothers Company, general mer- chants; president of the Macedonia State Bank, and actively interested in various other important business concerns.
His entire life has been passed in Iowa, the place of his nativity being near Hillsboro, in Van Buren county, and the day, April 14, 1852. Mention is made of his parents, Henry and Jane (Mickelwait) Dye, in connection with the sketch of George S. Dye on another page of this work. When he was three years of age his parents removed to a farm near Fort Madison, in Lee county, where he resided until twenty-two years of age, living there with his father, two sisters and four brothers, for the mother died when her son Willoughby was a lad of nine years, leaving two daughters and five sons. The family remained together, the eldest sister acting as housekeeper, up to the time of the outbreak of the Civil war, when one brother, Sylvester, entered the army, the others remaining, however, upon the farm.
Willoughby Dye attended the common schools and the Fort Madison Academy, from which he was graduated on the 27th of June, 1872. After the completion of his school course he came to this county and engaged in teaching in a district school in Crescent township during the winter term of 1872-3. He then again went to Lee county, and for one year followed farm- ing. In the fall of 1874 he returned to Pottawattamie county and for one term taught school in Macedonia township. In the spring of 1875 he was employed as a clerk in the general store of D. L. Heinsheimer, at Glenwood, Iowa, until June, 1876, when he formed a partnership with his employer for a purchase of a store in the old town of Macedonia. The firm of Heins- heimer & Dye conducted the business there until 1879, when Mr. Dye pur- chased his partner's interest and conducted the store under his own name for about a year. In 1880, when the railroad was built through this part of the county, he removed from the old town to the new town of Macedonia and, with his brother, Sylvester, formed a partnership in general merchandis- ing under the firm name of Willoughby Dye & Company. At a later date he disposed of a part of his interests to two of their old clerks who had been with them for a number of years, Henry Kennedy and E. E. Smith, and soon aft- erward the business was incorporated under the firm name of the Dye Broth- ers Company. Willoughby Dye has since been connected with this corporation as president and manager, but, being a man of resourceful business ability, has not confined his efforts alone to one line.
The Macedonia State Bank was organized here in 1880, with Mr. Dye as one of its directors, and from the beginning he has served as an officer. After a brief period he was elected vice president, and at this writing is serving as president. He is likewise president of the Harle-Haas Drug Com- pany, of Council Bluffs, with which he has been associated for several years. He owns one hundred and sixty acres of land adjoining the corporation limits of Macedonia and other extensive property interests in addition to his home.
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He and his brother, Sylvester, were compelled to establish a brickyard in 1882 for the purpose of manufacturing brick for their new store, after the destruction of their frame building by fire. Mr. Dye has continued in the manufacture of brick and tile until the present time, and the plant constitutes one of the important productive industries of the town. For a number of years he has also been interested in the implement business. He seems to display almost intuitive wisdom in making his investments, for the interests with which he has become associated have proven an element in the growth of the town and county and contributed generously to his success.
On the 1st of October, 1879, Mr. Dye was married to Miss Margaret Ann Reimand, who was born June 30, 1859, near Tipton, Cedar county, Iowa. She was fourteen years of age when she came with her parents to this county. She is a daughter of George and Barbara (Beech) Reimand, who were natives of Briceland, Germany, and after residing in Pennsylvania for a time they accompanied their parents to Ohio in childhood, remaining at home until their marriage. Both the father and mother spent their last days near Mace- donia. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Dye have been born six children: Charles. born October 21, 1880, the first child born in the new town of Macedonia and the first to graduate from the high school at this place, completing the course at the age of sixteen years as a member of the class of 1897, not only manifested special aptitude in his studies, but also took great interest in athletic affairs. After he had completed the high school work he attended the State University, where he pursued a course in liberal arts, and was graduated in 1901. He then took up the study of law, but was soon after- ward taken ill and died of typhoid fever August 28, 1901, when twenty-one years of age. He was a very promising young man and his death was deeply mourned. Elmer died at the age of fifteen months. Harvey LeRoy, who completed a course in civil engineering in the State University with the class of 1904, is now a civil engineer in Washington. Iraline, Willoughby M. and Luella are at home.
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