USA > Iowa > Poweshiek County > History of Poweshiek County, Iowa: a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Vol. II > Part 15
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Mr. Cox was married in 1866 to Miss Catharine Funk, who was born in Ogle county, Illinois, in 1848, her natal day being October 27. She came with her parents, Michael and Adaline (Newcomer) Funk, to Deep River in July, 1854, and has lived here from that time to the present. The parents were both natives of Washington county, Maryland, the father born March 16, 1823, and the mother, February 15, 1824. They were reared and married in that state and in 1847 came north, establishing their home in Ogle county, Illinois. In 1854, as above stated, they came to Poweshiek county, and for many years the father
Vol. II-8
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worked in the store with his son-in-law, Mr. Cox. In 1888 he went to Louisiana, where he engaged in the mercantile business and was also appointed postmaster at Roanoke. He eventually returned to Poweshiek county, however, and passed away here November 20, 1899, when he was seventy-six years of age. The mother, surviving him for only a few months, departed this life June 2, 1900, at the same age. Their family numbered six children, namely: Catharine, now Mrs. Cox; Henry, a practicing attorney of Rogers, Arkansas ; Emanuel, an at- torney of Rogers, Arkansas; George, who is a Congregational minister of Fort Worth, Texas; Martin, who died at the age of eighteen months; and Lee, a merchant of Iowa, Louisiana.
The union of Mr. and Mrs. Cox has been blessed with four children : C. N., a merchant of Deep River; Erwin, who died at the age of two years; Alma, the wife of Hon. George E. Grier, of Deep River; and Hattie, the wife of Walter Light, a resident of West Liberty.
Mr. Cox cast his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln in 1860 and has voted for every republican candidate for the presidency since that time. He has been called by his fellow townsmen to fill some township offices, but has never aspired to public position. He is a member of the Presbyterian church, in which he has served as a trustee for the past ten years. His fraternal rela- tions are indicated by his membership in the Masonic order and in the Modern Woodmen of America. He has ever been alert-quick to note and improve op- portunities for advancement-and coming to this section at an early day he exercised sound judgment in the investment of his capital, which has been thereby greatly increased and now leaves him in comfortable circumstances. He has not directed his attention to one line but has ventured into various fields, and in all these directions his efforts have been crowned with success-the success which may always with safety be predicted as the reward of steady, strong and well directed energy, and the results of his life work are being left as monuments to his activity.
N. W. CESSNA.
Possessing natural talent for mercantile life, N. W. Cessna gave up farming fifteen years ago and settled in Grinnell, where he has ever since been identified with the meat business. He is one of the valued men in the community and by close application and the exercise of sound judgment he has attained a goodly measure of financial success. He was born in Bedford county, Pennsylvania. August 13, 1857, a son of Thomas R. and Sarah A. (Koerner) Cessna, also natives of Bedford county.
The Cessnas are of Huguenot ancestry and are direct descendants of Count John De Cessna. In 1690, owing to persecution of the Huguenots, about twelve hundred of the nobility of France, together with about half a million of the Protestant faith fled to England, Holland, Switzerland and Denmark, an official proclamation having been made by those countries proffering refuge to the oppressed. Many of the refugees entered military service and among these
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was Count John De Cessna, who in 1690 distinguished himself as an officer under Duke De Schomberg at the battle of the Boyne in Ireland. He remained in Ireland until 1718 and then crossed the ocean to America, settling in Pennsyl- vania, where he died in 1751. One of his sons, John De Cessna, located in Bed- ford county, Pennsylvania, and the family became very prominent. He was a member of the provincial assembly and also of the constitutional convention of 1775. He joined with all his heart in the patriotic cause and served as colonel in the Revolutionary war. The Hon. John Cessna, member of the forty-first and forty-third congresses of the United States, belonged to this family and was a brother of Thomas R. Cessna, both of them being great- grandsons of Colonel John De Cessna.
Thomas R. Cessna was a son of William and Rachel ( Morgaret) Cessna. He was born in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, October 27. 1827, and possessed limited opportunities of education in the schools but became a man of strong character and great integrity, gaining the confidence and respect of all with whom he associated. He was married, in 1848, to Sarah A. Koerner, who was also a native of Bedford county, and in 1858 with his wife and three chil- dren came to Scott county, Iowa, and located upon a farm which he purchased near Davenport. He and his wife reared a family of seven children, all of whom are now living. He was very successful in business and took an active part in public affairs, discharging his duties as a public officer with the same interest that he evinced in his private business. In 1885, desiring to be near his children who had settled at Grinnell, he disposed of his farm in Scott county and came to this city. However, he was not yet prepared for a life of inactivity, and he engaged for ten years in a profitable real-estate business. He was a stanch believer in the authority and inspiration of the Bible and served for many years as an officer of the Methodist Episcopal church. He died on March 26, 1911, having arrived at the venerable age of eighty-four years.
N. W. Cessna was brought to Scott county, Iowa, by his parents in 1858 and was reared to manhood on his father's farm. He possessed limited op- portunities of education in the district schools but has since made up for this deficiency, being a man of close observation and good general reading. He engaged in faming until 1896 and then came to Grinnell and engaged in the meat business, being now identified with the Grinnell Provision Company. He is recognized as a prominent factor in the business circles of the city, being ener- getic and progressive in his methods. The company with which he is connected has attained a high standard of efficiency and theirs is known as one of the im- portant and paying establishments of Grinnell. Mr. Cessna is also a director of the Merchants National Bank and has served for the past twelve years as treas- urer of the Poweshiek Mutual Insurance Company. He is an active working member of the Merchants and Manufacturers Association of the city and may always be counted upon to assist in forwarding every cause that seeks to promote the permanent interests of the community.
In December, 1882, Mr. Cessna was united in marriage to Miss Nannie S. Skiles, of Muscatine county, lowa, and three children came to bless this union. M. Pearl, Ruby and Maud O. M. Pearl was graduated from Iowa College at Grinnell, in 1906, and then took a post-graduate course of one year at the
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University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. She is now a successful teacher of the Grinnell high school. Ruby is deceased. Maud O. received her education at Iowa College and the University of Illinois, graduating from the latter institu- tion in 1910. She is now a teacher in the high school of Rockwell City.
Mr. Cessna was reared a democrat but in 1896 he espoused the gold stand- ard platform and has since given his adherence to the republican party. Fra- ternally he is identified with Grinnell Lodge, No. 175, K. P. He and his family are sincere members of the Methodist church and for many years he has served as trustee of the local organization. Both he and his wife are well known and are held in high regard by a wide circle of friends and acquaintances.
MERRICK H. GRAHAM.
Few residents of Madison township, Poweshiek county, are held in higher respect than he whose name introduces this review. A native of Pennsylvania, Merrick H. Graham was born in Bradford township, Clearfield county, on the 5th of July, 1846, a son of John and Amelia (Neff) Graham, of Irish and Ger- man descent respectively. The father, a farmer by occupation, came to Iowa when fifty years of age, locating on a farm in Madison township, Poweshiek county. This remained his home until the time of his death, which occurred in 1884. His wife survived him for five years, passing away on the old homestead.
Reared amid the busy activities of farm life Merrick H. Graham early learned the value of industry, energy and thrift, and under the direction of his father acquired a thorough practical knowledge of the best methods of carrying on agricultural pursuits. He came west with his parents on their removal to Iowa from the Keystone state, spending two years in Scott county, and thence came to Poweshiek county, where for forty-seven years he has made his home upon the farm upon which he now resides.
He remained under the parental roof until he was twenty-eight years of age, and at that time was married, thus laying the foundation for a happy home life of his own. After the death of his father he took possession of the old home place and has since continued its operation, in which connection he has been most successful. It is a well improved farm of two hundred acres, located on section 3, Madison township, contains no waste land whatever, is well tiled, and contains a fine dwelling and substantial barns and outbuildings.
Mr. Graham has a fine orchard of two and a half acres and is an extensive raiser of grain. He also devotes considerable time to his stock interests, making a specialty of shorthorn cattle, being the owner of a good herd, all of which is nearly full-blooded stock. The excellent condition of his home place denotes the spirit of progress, enterprise and thrift on the part of its owner, and the gratifying results which have attended his efforts are well merited, for at all times his methods have been practical and his dealings of the most honorable character.
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On the 28th of October, 1873, in Brooklyn, Mr. Graham was united in mar- riage to Miss Sybil Adan, a daughter of George and Anna ( Jansen) Adan, both of whom were born in the central part of Germany, and in the same village. Mr. Adam, who was a farmer, brought his family to America when Mrs. Graham was a maiden of fifteen years of age, the family home being established in Free- port. Illinois. After a residence in that city of ten years they took up their abode upon a farm in Carroll county, Iowa, where the parents passed their remaining days, the father passing away in 1894 and the mother in the year following. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Graham have been born seven children, five of whom are still living, namely: Dena, who married Port Walker, engaged in railroading in Eagle Grove, Iowa; Frank, who married Miss Lucy Beattle, of Haven, lowa, and now makes his home at Tama, Tama county, Iowa ; Maude, the wife of Rowland O. Harman, a well known young farmer of Madison township; Grace and Allen, both of whom are still at home. The other two children passed away in infancy-George, at the age of three weeks and Mamie when nine months old.
Mr. and Mrs. Graham are members of the Christian church of Madison township, and are people of the highest traits of character. In politics Mr. Graham is a stanch republican, but is not an office seeker, and although he served one term as road supervisor he has refused repeatedly, when he would have been elected by his fellow citizens, to serve as a member of the district school board. He is not lacking, however, in interest in public affairs, but is public-spirited in his citizenship, giving his cooperation to all measures which he deems for the best interests of the community. A man of good business ability, which has won for him substantial success, and actuated in all of his dealings by the most honorable and upright principles, he also possesses those personal characteristics which command the confidence and good will of his fellowmen and place him among the highly respected and valued residents of Madison township.
JOHN HENRY BLATHERWICK.
One of the well known citizens of Grinnell, a veteran of the Civil war, a successful man of business and the head of a remarkable family of scholars is John Henry Blatherwick whose name introduces this review. He is a native of Portage county, Ohio, born April 16, 1840, and is a son of James and Matilda (Caswell) Blatherwick. The father was born at Nottingham, England, and the mother in New York state. In 1845 the family removed to Waukegan, Illi- nois, where the father followed farming, but was subsequently engaged in the insurance business in Chicago, where both he and his wife made their home throughout the remainder of their lives. In their family were eleven children and of this number three of the sons were soldiers of the Civil war. Our sub- ject's paternal grandfather was one of the first lace-makers in Nottingham, England, came to the United States with his seven sons, and James, being
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the eldest carried seven thousand dollars in gold in a belt strapped around his waist.
John H. Blatherwick received his early education in the common schools and after laying his books aside became connected with agricultural interests in Illinois. At the time of the Civil war he enlisted in the Fifty-first Illinois Infantry and served as a member of the band until honorably discharged and mustered out at Corinth, Mississippi. Returning from the war, he rented a farm in Illinois for two years and then came to Iowa and engaged in farming for twelve years in Blackhawk county. Subsequently he lived in Carroll county, Iowa ; Antelope county, Nebraska, and Sioux county, Iowa, finally taking up his residence at Grinnell in 1903, where he has since continued.
In December, 1869, Mr. Blatherwick was united in marriage to Miss Nettie McArthur, of Blackhawk county, a daughter of John McArthur, who was born in Scotland. The following children were born unto Mr. and Mrs. Blatherwick, namely: Wilfred E., who is now a practicing physician of Drake, North Dakota; John Clarence, engaged in farming at Breckenridge, Minnesota ; Charles, deceased ; Ada, who is the wife of Professor Wiley, of the Iowa State University ; George, who graduated from Rush Medical College of Chicago, and is now engaged in practice at Denver, Colorado; Alexander, also a grad- uate of Rush Medical College of Chicago and now practicing at Los Angeles, California ; Belle, a teacher at lowa City ; and Norman, who is now taking a post-graduate course at the University of Illinois. The children have attained a remarkable record in educational lines, all of them except Ada, who was graduated in Music at Epworth Conservatory and finished study in Chicago, being graduates of Grinnell College, and three of the sons are successfully engaged in the practice of medicine. During a period extending over eighteen years one or more of the children were in attendance at Grinnell College.
Politically Mr Blatherwick supports the men and measures of the republi- can party-an organization with which he has been in hearty sympathy ever since he cast his first ballot fifty years ago. in 1861. In religious belief he is a Congregationalist and fraternally he holds membership in Gordon Granger Post, No. 64, G. A. R. Mr. Blatherwick has passed the seventy-first milestone on life's journey and looks back on many years of pleasing and useful labor. His efforts have not been expended entirely in pursuit of selfish aims as he has many times extended a helping hand to a weary or disheartened fellowman and today he enjoys in an unusual degree the confidence and respect of a large circle of the best citizens of Grinnell.
DANIEL L. GORSUCH.
Nature seems to have intended that man, in the evening of life, should rest from further labor after an active career which has had its dawn of hope and promise and its noontide of activity and achievement. Such has been the record of Daniel L. Gorsuch, who is now living retired in Montezuma, after many years of earnest toil and well directed effort. Born in Delaware county, Ohio,
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on the 22d of March, 1837, he is a son of Joshua and Mary ( Bosley) Gorsuch, both natives of Maryland. The parents continued to reside in that state until the late '30s, after which they emigrated to Ohio and thence, in 1844, to Iowa, where the father, a farmer by occupation, located a claim in Mahaska county. There the mother passed away on the 22d of March, 1848, and in the spring of 1856 the father sold his farm and removed to Jackson county, Kansas, where he spent his remaining days. In his family were eight children, as follows : Sarah, the deceased wife of John Morrison; Thomas, also deceased; Mary Ann, who married John Deardorff, and has also passed away ; Rebecca, the de- ceased wife of Pleasant Deardorff; Daniel L., of this review; Dorcus, who married Isaac Nelson, of Kansas: Matilda, the wife of a Mr. Purdy, residing in California ; and Charles, who passed away in infancy.
Daniel L. Gorsuch was a little lad of seven years when he came to Iowa with his parents in 1844, at which time Poweshiek county was still a frontier district, where but three or four families had located. He remained on a farm in Mahaska county until the spring of 1856, when he accompanied his father on his removal to Kansas and there made his home for about four years. In the fall of 1860 he arrived in Poweshiek county, locating on a farm in Jackson township, which remained the scene of his activities throughout his connection with agricultural pursuits. This tract, consisting of two hundred acres, is lo- cated about a mile from the Mahaska county line and is a well improved prop- erty, its neat appearance and high state of development being due in large meas- ure to the efforts of Mr. Gorsuch. He was practical and systematic in the conduct of his affairs, ever adhered to progressive methods and as the years passed by his industry, perseverance and thrift made it possible for him to accumulate a competency which was substantial and creditable. Indeed, he was able to withdraw from active labor in 1908 and on the 25th of December of that year he took up his abode in Montezuma, where he now lives retired. He yet retains possession of his farm, however, the rental from which proves a most gratifying source of revenue.
Mr. Gorsuch was married, on the 30th of May, 1860, in Mahaska county, lowa, to Miss Mary Jane Murrow, who was born in Parke county, Indiana, on the 8th of August, 1842. She removed to Mahaska county, Iowa, in the fall of 1850 in company with her parents, Benjamin and Sarah (Blue) Murrow, both natives of Kentucky. They were married in the Blue Grass state but removed to Indiana in early pioneer days. Both passed away in Mahaska county, Iowa. In their family were six children, of whom Mrs. Gorsuch was the youngest. The others were as follows: James R., now deceased ; David, who enlisted from Montezuma for service in the Civil war, became a soldier of the Twenty-eighth Iowa Infantry and died during his term of service; Margaret A., the deceased wife of Thomas B. Gorsuch, a brother of our subject ; Martha, who passed away at the age of twelve years, her death occurring three days after the family home was established in Iowa; and Thomas A., a resident of Wayne county.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Gorsuch were born twelve children, namely: Sarah Elizabeth, the wife of James Bangham, of Grinnell: Dwight, who passed away at the age of nine months; Angeline, who married John Tilford, of New Sharon, Iowa ; Fred, a resident of Kansas; Edward, who passed away in Feb-
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ruary, 1908, leaving a widow and five children : George, of Boone county : John B., who is mentioned elsewhere in this volume ; Lily May, the deceased wife of Oliver Kirby, who is survived by two sons: Rose, who passed away at the age of twelve years ; Laura, the wife of Frank Butler, residing on Mr. Gorsuch's farm in Jackson township: Clay, yet at home ; and one who died in infancy.
Fraternally Mr. Gorsuch is connected with the Knights of Pythias, being a prominent and well known member of that lodge, and in politics he is a repub- lican, upholding the principles of that party since age conferred upon him the right of franchise. He cast his first vote in 1858, while a resident of Jackson county, Kansas, and following his arrival there in 1856 was a witness of much political excitement in that state just prior to the Civil war. Since becoming a citizen of Poweshiek county he has held several township offices but has never been a politician in the usually accepted sense of the term. Starting out in life with no especially favorable advantages, his educational opportunities being limited to those afforded in the little log schoolhouses of that day, Mr. Gorsuch has, nevertheless, worked his way steadily upward in the business world until he is now able to live in honorable retirement as a result of a life of continuous activity, in which the salient elements have been enterprise, per- severance and integrity. He has already passed the Psalmist's allotted span of three score years and ten and can look back upon a past which has ever been characterized by honest endeavor and high principles.
MILES CHAFEE.
Although now in his ninetieth year Miles Chafee is acceptably filling the office of notary public and still retains his interest in public affairs and the progress of the world. He has been a resident of Grinnell for more than forty years and is one of its valued citizens. Born in Erie county, New York, Octo- ber 20, 1821, he is a son of Charles and Polly ( Miles) Chafee, both of whom were natives of Vermont. They settled at Springville, New York, in 1817. being among the pioneers of that section. Our subject's paternal grandfather, Stephen Chafee, served in the Revolutionary war under General Washington, who signed the papers bearing record of his honorable discharge from the army.
Miles Chafee received his early education in the common schools and later attended Springville Academy near Buffalo, New York. After completing his educational training he taught school for ten years, but he was not entirely sat- isfied with that vocation and accordingly he became a carpenter and builder and continued in that business for many years. In 1855 he removed to Allen Grove, Walworth county, Wisconsin, and thirteen years later, in 1868, arrived in Grinnell. Here he engaged in the manufacture of fanning mills until 1880, when he retired from the manufacturing business and has since devoted his attention largely to official duties.
In 1847 Mr. Chafee was married at Springville, New York, to Miss Caro- line E. Miner, a daughter of Marvin M. and Betty (Gross) Miner. Both of
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MR. AND MRS. MILES CHAFEE
ULISIER
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ARE OX AND T DEN FO. .. AT ONS.
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the parents were natives of New York state. The father was an elder in the Presbyterian church. Three children came to bless the union of Mr. and Mrs. Chafee, namely : Addie G., now the widow of John Walker; Charles M., who engages in farming at Billings, Montana ; and Susan M., the wife of Charles Taylor, who engages in the advertising business in Chicago.
Politically Mr. Chafee was originally a supporter of the whig party but he has voted with the republican party ever since its organization in 1856. He has held a number of important local offices, being elected township trustee one year after his arrival at Grinnell. He served as county coroner for five years, as town treasurer for many years, as justice of the peace for more than twenty- eight years, and for thirty-two years filled the office of township clerk. At the present time he is serving as notary public. In 1843 he joined the Presbyter- ian church but in later years has been affiliated with the Congregational church. Successful in his business affairs and surrounded by scores of friends, this venerable and respected man in the evening of a useful life passes his days in peace and comfort. The esteem in which he is universally held in the city of his adoption is evidence of his personal worth.
DR. JAMES H. FRIEND.
The osteopathic school for treatment of physical ills of humanity has a worthy representative in Dr. James. H. Friend, of Grinnell, whose increasing clientage is evidence of the esteem in which he is held in this city. He was born in Poweshiek county on a farm about twelve miles south of Grinnell, June 20, 1859, a son of Franklin and Martha-J ... (Stanley-) Friend. The father was a native of Illinois and the mother of Virginia." "The grandparents on both sides of the family came to Poweshiek county. The paternal grandfather, Elijah Friend, arrived here in 1849 and located three miles northeast of Lynnville, adjoining the Jasper county line, while the maternal grandfather, John T. Stanley, reached here in 1851 and located in Sugar Creek township, five miles east of Lynnville. Franklin Friend was married to Martha J. Stanley at Montezuma in 1853, the ceremony being performed by Rev. James Johnson. He located on land in Wash- ington township, which he cultivated to good advantage until 1864, when he yielded to the gold excitement and started for the Montana gold fields. After ar- riving at the miles he selected a location in Jefferson valley and staked out a mining claim, which he proposed to work later. In 1865 he started homeward but on reaching Fort Benton found that the boat in which he expected to take passage down the river was delayed. A large amount of government supplies was received at the fort about this time and there being no warehouse in which to store them volunteers were called for to go into the forest and cut logs for a house. This was dangerous service as the Indians were lurking in the vicinity and were highly incensed at the encroachments of the white men upon their hunting grounds. Mr. Friend and about a dozen companions volunteered to perform the work and while engaged in this undertaking the party was ambushed and every man was killed. Mrs. Friend was later married to Levi H. McDowell,
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