USA > Iowa > Poweshiek County > History of Poweshiek County, Iowa: a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Vol. II > Part 18
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It was in that county that Alanson Bryan, father of our subject, was born in a log schoolhouse, February 4, 1808, and two years later the family removed to Greene county, Ohio, where; at the age of twenty, Alanson Bryan married Easter Mendenhall. He owned: a sixth interest in fifty acres of land in Greene county, Ohio, afterward purchased the interests of the other heirs and added to his holdings until he had two hundred acres. In 1849 he sold his property for fifteen dollars per acre and came to lowa, where he purchased two hun- dred acres at seven and a half dollars per acre in Mahaska county. He then came to Poweshiek county and intended to enter one hundred and sixty acres adjoining Montezuma on the northeast, but made a misentry and secured one hundred and sixty acres of timber land three miles southwest. Some one dis- covering his misentry told him of it and B. O. Payne, who had a claim on it. unknown to Mr. Bryan, called a number of the members of the claim club together and started for Oskaloosa to make Mr. Bryan give up the timber land or tar and feather him. John Deardoff, living on Moon creek in Mahaska county, was president of the club. He advised the party to wait, saying that he would go down and get Mr. Bryan. When he returned a trial was held and it was proven that Payne had more land than he could hold by the claim laws, which allowed one hundred and sixty acres of prairie and eighty acres of timber land to an individual. With that the case was dropped. A few years later the land was all taken up and the "claim law" accordingly passed out of use. Within the next two years Alanson Bryan entered land until at one time he owned over eleven hundred acres in Poweshiek county. Three of his chil- dren died before coming to Iowa and to the surviving eight he gave each one hundred and twenty acres. His children began, therefore, to settle in this
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county in 1850 but the father did not live in Poweshiek county until about 1875. His sons and daughters numbered eleven: Morrison G., John M., Rachel, Dennis, Bedy, William A., Rhoda, Neri E., Talitha, Andrew A. and James J. Seven of these are now living. Of the children J. M. Bryan, Mrs. Rachel Bryan Bone and Neri Bryan, a brother of Alanson, came to Poweshiek county in January, 1850, and lived in the Gideon Willson double log house at the nortli- west corner of the square in Montezuma until they could erect a log house on the one hundred and sixty acre tract previously mentioned. There they es- tablished the first brickyard in the county. In 1851 or 1852 J. M. Bryan mar- ried Tacy Jane Smith and removed to the farm northeast of Montezuma, where he still makes his home. His wife died in 1898. W. A. Bryan came to this county in 1856, ran a breaking team with oxen and later opened the Mincer coal mine in Mahaska county, this being the first coal mine on Buck creek. In the following winter he married Catharine Pearson, and in the spring of 1857 they took up their abode in Union township, Poweshiek county. Two sons, Neri E. and Andrew A., were soldiers of the Union army from 1862 until the close of the war. Neri afterward wedded Mary E. Jobe and occupied a farm north of Montezuma, while Andrew married Harriet Harner and settled on his farm a mile and a half north of Montezuma. Several years ago, however, he took up his abode in the city and eighteen years ago Neri Bryan removed to California. Two others of the family, Dennis Bryan and Mrs. Talitha Harner, are mentioned elsewhere in this volume. The mother of this family, Mrs. Easter Bryan, died in 1874 in Hamilton county, Iowa, and the father, Alanson Bryan, afterward came to Poweshiek county, where he continued to live with his chil- dren until his death in August, 1897, when in the ninetieth year of his age.
Bedy Bryan, the fifth of the family, came to Iowa with his parents in 1849 and bore the usual hardships and privations of pioneer life in the early days. He resided with his parents until his marriage, April 19, 1855, when with a loaded ox wagon he drove to Montezuma and settled a mile and a half north- east of the town on an eighty acre tract of prairie land on section 6, Jackson township. He also had forty acres of timber land, this property being given him by his father, who had entered it in 1849. Mr. Bryan resided on his eighty acre tract for fifty years lacking two months. He then sold out and since 1905 has made his home in Montezuma. He was also at one time owner of eighty acres in Scott township, which he sold in 1906. Throughout his life lie fol- lowed farming and was very successful in his work, becoming the owner of over six hundred acres. He made a specialty of stock-raising and his business interests brought to him substantial success. Although he has since disposed of much of his land, he is still the owner of a valuable tract of one hundred and seventy-three acres, which returns to him a gratifying annual income.
On the 19th of April, 1855. Mr. Bryan was married to Miss Margaret A. Victor, who was born in Delaware, October 13. 1834. After living for a time in Ohio and later in Indiana she accompanied her parents to lowa in 1848, the family being established near Oskaloosa, in the same neighborhood as the Bryan home. She is a daughter of Burton and Sarah A. (Todd) Victor, who were natives of Delaware. Her mother died in Mahaska county, Iowa, and her father passed away in Arkansas. Mr. and Mrs. Bryan became the parents of
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five children. Sarah E., the eldest, is the wife of J. M. Chamberlain, of Washi- ington township, and has five children: Sylvia A., Charles L., William, who married Laura Cline and has a son, Virgil; and Clarence and Lawrence, twins. Mary E. died at the age of twenty years. Elliott M., a resident of Montezuma, wedded Mary A. Cochran and they have one child, Lowell V. John B., who for the past thirty years has been agent for the Grinnell & Montezuma Railroad at Montezuma, married Nellie Porter and has two sons: Cliester S., who wedded Vida Brown and has one child, Hazel Fay, and Harold. William A., the youngest of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Bedy Bryan, married Nellie Henry and they have five children: Edna L., Howard, who died at the age of four years ; Ellis, who died at the age of seven years; Verna, and Raymond V.
No history of this county would be complete without extended mention of the Bryan family, one of the oldest within its borders. The representatives of the name have ever been loyal in citizenship and reliable in business and have made excellent records in every relation of life. Bedy Bryan tells most in- teresting stories and incidents of the early days when the family were under- going all the hardships of a new country. They lived here during the era of wild- cat money from 1854 until 1860, which made it doubly hard, as one had to consult Thompson's Bank-Note Detector every time they received a paper dollar, as the value changed nearly every day. One day it would be quoted at its face and the next day ten or twenty cents on the dollar ; sometimes it was fifty cents and again it was worthless. It was not safe to keep money on hand twenty-four hours, but the money system of the country, like all other things. has changed and the people of Poweshiek county are now living in a splendidly developed region, the naturally rich and fertile land responding readily to the care and cultivation bestowed upon it, while business interests of many kinds have here sprung up, affording excellent opportunity to the man who is will- ing to put forth earnest, honest labor for the attainment of success.
F. S. BERNARD.
F. S. Bernard has the distinction of being the oldest business man, in point of years of residence, in Malcom, and his record has therefore been closely identified with the growth and development of the town from the earliest chap- *
ters of its history.
A native of Ohio, lie was born in Highland county, May 26, 1849, a son of Richard and Eunice (Wick) Bernard, who were born in Virginia and Kentucky respectively. They were reared and married in Ohio, however, and came to Poweshiek county, settling in Montezuma in the fall of 1860. In 1895 they arrived in Malcom, where their remaining days were spent, the father passing away in 1901, at the age of eighty-four years, and the mother in 1899, when eighty-two years of age. The former had devoted his entire lifetime to agri- cultural pursuits. Their family consisted of the following children : Mary Ann, who married Ivins Johnson and is now deceased: Louisa, who passed away in infancy ; W. H., of Montezuma, who served in the Third Iowa and Twenty-eighth
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Iowa Infantry at the time of the Civil war: Christopher C., who enlisted from Poweshiek county as a member of Company C, Twenty-eighth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and was killed at the battle of Cedar Creek; Eliza, the widow of Andrew Gilliland. of Hartford, Michigan ; F. S., of this review ; H. R., of Port- land, Oregon; Joseph Edgar, residing in Pasadena, California; Ella, who mar- ried D. H. Jonty, of Hartford; and Flora, the wife of Charles Swaney, of Montezuma.
F. S. Bernard was a lad of eleven years of age when he came to Pow- eshiek county with his parents in 1860, and through the intervening years since that period has continued to make his home within its limits. On the home farm, about three and a half miles southeast of Montezuma, he was rearel to rural life, and remained with his parents until, believing that he might find other pursuits more congenial and profitable than farming, he went to Ottumwa. Iowa, where he worked at the blacksmith trade for about three years. during which period he thoroughly mastered all branches of the business. In March. 1875, he came to Malcom, which has since continued to remain the scene of his business activity. Malcom at that time was but a town in embryo. consisting of little more than a group of buildings near the depot and bearing little resemblance to the flourishing village of today. lle at once sought work and for nine years was employed in the blacksmith shop of T. S. Cartwright. At the expiration of that period he joined his brother in purchasing the busi- ness of Mr. Cartwright, and they continued in its operation until the election of the latter, in 1902, to the office of county recorder. Mr. Bernard then entered into partnership relations with R. A. Wiley, under the firm style of Bernard & Wiley, engaging in general blacksmithing and all kinds of repairing and wood work. They also conduct an agricultural implement business, dealing in buggies, wagons, pumps, windmills, etc., and in this direction they have built up an extensive trade, drawing their patronage from all parts of the county. While connected with his brother Mr. Bernard erected the present shops, consisting of a two-story frame building, one hundred and five by twenty- five feet, with an ell extension of fifty feet. The enterprise, which has had a continuons and substantial growth since its inception, has developed into one of the important business interests of the town and its success is due, in large measure, to the keen business ability, expert workmanship and reliable methods of the partners.
In the year 1881 Mr. Bernard was united in marriage to Miss Priscilla Stoaks, who was born in Donahne, Scott county, Iowa, on the 18th of August. 1862, but was reared and married in Poweshiek county. Her parents. Peter and Nancy (Helm) Stoaks, are both deceased, the mother passing away on the 4th of July. 1891, and the father on the ist of March, 1908, while residing with his daughter, Mrs. Bernard. The latter by her marriage to Mr. Bernard be- came the mother of five children, namely : Blanche, the wife of Worth Porter, of Grinnell township: Fred, who passed away at the age of nine years ; Hazel, who married Harley Bookneau, of Grinnell; and Frank and James, both at home.
Mr. Bernard is well known in Masonic circles as a Master Mason, belonging to Lily Lodge, No. 254, A. F. & A. M., of Malcom: Hysop Chapter, No. 50.
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R. A. M., also of Malcom; and Oriental Commandery, No. 22, K. T., of New- ton. He gives his political allegiance to the republican party and at one time served on the city council. He is justice of the peace at present and for eight- teen years has served on the board of education, of which he is now president. ile has ever been a stanch champion of the cause of education, standing as he does for the highest and best in intellectual training, and other interests as well have felt the stimulus of his influence, for he is public-spirited in his citizenship, advocating all those measures which tend to promote the welfare of the com- munity. He has been identified with the business interests of Malcom longer than any other resident, his connection therewith extending over a period of thirty-six years, and in the meantime he has witnessed its development from a small hamlet to the progressive little town of the present, his own record typifying in a certain degree the progress and advancement which has been continuously carried forward within its limits. He is widely known throughout the community and the consensus of public opinion accords him a prominent place among Malcom's representative and respected citizens.
JOHN S. DEVEREUX.
Ever since he arrived at an age when he was able to work in the fields John S. Devereux has been connected with farming and stock-raising. He began as a farmer on his father's place but now owns productive property in Washi- ington township, and each year under his management the land yields excellent harvests. He is a native of Harford county, Maryland, is a son of Alexander and Elizabeth ( Hayes ) Devereux, and was born June 4, 1859. The parents were both born in County Wexford, Ireland. The mother came to the United States in 1852 and the father in the year following. They were married in the east and arrived in Poweshiek county, Iowa, March 17, 1871, where Mr. De- vereux purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land, which he cleared and improved. He devoted his attention especially to stock farming and attained a goodly measure of success. He died December 20. 1900, the mother being called away February 11, 1905. They were consistent members of the Catholic church and politically Mr. Devereux gave his support to the democratic party. He never sought public office but served for several years as member of the school board in his district. There were nine children in their family: James. who is now living in Adair county, Iowa; John S., the subject of this review ; Mary, the wife of John Hanley, of Adair county; Alexander, of Washington township: Sarah, who is deceased ; Margaret, the wife of Edward Comerford, of Stewart, Iowa; Ida, who is living with her brother Alexander; William. of Floyd county. Iowa; and Annie, now Mrs. Louis Higdon, of Washington township.
Jolin S. Devereux received his preliminary education in the schools of Mary- land. He came to Iowa with his parents in his boyhood and remained on his father's farm until about 1897, when he took up his residence on a farm of two hundred acres, which he had purchased in 1890. This place he sold in 1900
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and then bought three hundred and forty-nine acres, which he has developed into one of the most attractive farms in this part of the county. He raises various kinds of grain but specializes in livestock-a line of business which he understands thoroughly and one which yields good returns.
On the 27th of April, 1897, Mr. Devereux was married to Miss Alice Com- erford, who was born in Ohio, March 17, 1864, a daughter of Pierce and Mary (Ford) Comerford. The father was born in County Tipperary and the mother in County Mayo, Ireland. They emigrated to America in 1847 and for a number of years lived near Dayton, Ohio. In 1869 they came west to Os- kaloosa, lowa, and in the year following removed to New Sharon, where Mr. Comerford purchased a farm, which became the family homestead. He died January 31, 1905, his wife having been called away April 12, 1899. They were both born and reared in the Catholic church and in politics he gave his support to the democratic party. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Devereux : James E., who is deceased ; and Leo P., now living at home.
Mr. Devereux and his wife are members of the Catholic church and are earnest and sincere believers in its teachings. In politics he is in sympathy with the democratic party, its platform and candidates, but he is not a seeker for political honors, his interest being mostly centered in his business. He is a friend of education and has served for two years as member of the school board. Ever alert and enterprising, he is governed by a worthy ambition to make the best use of his talents and the success he has achieved indicates that he was wise, indeed, in establishing his permanent home amidst the inviting scenes of Washington township.
GRANT L. OSTROM.
On the paternal side the family of which Grant L. Ostrom, of Poweshiek county, is a member has been traced to Holland, the early progenitors of the family in America assisting in the founding of New Amsterdam, which is now New York city. The sagacity, patience and perseverance of the Dutch settlers of New York have been observed as characteristics of many of their descendants and it is, perhaps, due to influences handed down from worthy an- cestry that Mr. Ostrom owes a large measure of his success in business. He was born in Knox county, Illinois, July 24, 1863, a son of George L. and Mar- garet M. Ostrom, a record of whom is presented elsewhere in this work.
Grant L. Ostrom was brought by his parents to Iowa in his infancy and grew to manhood in the parental home. He received his early education in the common schools and after laying his books aside worked on shares on his fath- er's farm. Later he entered the implement and lumber business at Hartwick, but after five years moved out upon his present location on section 24. Jefferson township, where he applied himself to farming for six years. He then returned to Hartwick and for seven years was connected with the lumber business, finally settling permanently on his farm. He owns a place of one hundred and sixty acres, which is well improved and, as it is diligently cultivated, yields
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handsome annual returns. The farm is provided with modern improvements and its appearance reflects high credit upon its owner and indicates that he takes great interest in his vocation.
On the 25th of December, 1888, Mr. Ostrom was married to Miss Sadie C. Whitlatch, a daughter of Jonathan Whitlatch, who was born in Pennsylvania and settled on a farm in Poweshiek county, Iowa. He died in 1908. Mr. Os- trom was called upon to mourn the death of his wife in 1903. Three children were born of this union, namely : Ray L .; Earl ; and Lisle, all of whom are liv- ing. For his second wife Mr. Ostrom married Mrs. Ada (Doty) Smith, a daughter of Abel and Laura (Sheets) Doty, a record of whom is given on an- other page of this work. To this union two children have been born : Grace and Percy. William A. Smith, a son of Mrs. Ostrom by her former marriage, is also a member of the family.
Mr. Ostrom is a stanch advocate of the republican party and takes great interest in its success, usually voting the entire ticket as indorsed by the con- ventions. He served for four terms to the general satisfaction of the commu- nity as justice of the peace, and also for many years as member of the school board. Fraternally he is connected with Sharon Lodge, No. 287, A. F. & A. M., of Victor, Iowa. A successful business man and a thorough farmer he is now reaping the rewards of his labors, and also enjoys the confidence and respect of those who have known him from his boyhood.
CHARLES O. LORD.
Charles O. Lord, who was born at Shapleigh, York county, Maine, Febru- ary 6, 1849, and died December 30, 1904, was one of the highly respected citi- zens of Poweshiek county and was the owner of a well improved farm in Washington township. He retired from active labors two years before his .death, having through his industry and good management acquired a handsome competence for himself and family. His parents were Oliver and Hulda (Thurston) Lord, and both of them were natives of York county. The father was a ship builder and also the owner of a farm. He died in Maine about 1878, the mother being called away several years later while living near Haver- hill, Massachusetts. Mr. Lord was in political belief a democrat, and both he and his wife were members of the Free Will Baptist church. Besides their son. Charles O., there were two other children in the family-Maria H. and Francis M., both of whom are deceased.
Charles O. Lord was educated in the public schools of the Pine Tree state and after completing his education he worked in a shoe shop until 1864 when, although he had scarcely passed his boyhood, he was accepted as a soldier in Company F, Thirty-second Maine Volunteers, being later transferred to the Thirty-first Maine Volunteers. He served most acceptably until the close of the war, a period of about one year. He then engaged in peaceful pursuits and was employed in a piano factory at Deep River, Connecticut, until 1872, when he came to Grinnell and rented a farm. Later he went to Nebraska for two years
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but returning once more took up his residence in Grinnell. In 1895 he pur- chased a farm of one hundred and twenty acres in Washington township which became the family homestead. He took great interest in his work and improved his farm by the erection of buildings and fences and the setting out of shade trees, so that, although the place was not as large as some others in the neigh- borhood, it compared favorably in appearance and productive capacity with the best kept farms in the township. Mr. Lord was a good business man and his labors were attended with an abundant measure of prosperity.
On the 6th of February, 1879, he was united in marriage to Miss Caroline Brownell, a daughter of Benjamin Franklin and Mary Jane (Shipman) Brownell. She was born April 10, 1858, in Pike county, Illinois, and was educated in Chester township, Poweshiek county, Iowa, having accompanied her parents to this county when she was nine years old. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Lord, namely : George Curtis, who was born October 24, 1880, and is now living in Grinnell township; and Jesse Cornelius, born July 14, 1882, and now living with his mother.
Mr. Lord, the subject of this review, was a member of the Methodist Epis- copal church and an active worker in that organization, having served as super- intendent of the Sunday school in Westfield for several years. Politically, he gave his support to the republican party, and although he did not seek public office he filled the position of school director in Washington township very acceptably. As an ex-soldier of the Civil war he held membership in the Grand Army of the Republic. He was for many years a member of the Ma- sonic order and advanced through many degrees, becoming a Knight Templar. He was a man of genial characteristics who made many friends, and by a life which was devoted in a large measure to the promotion of the welfare of others he gained the good will of the entire community. Mrs. Lord still lives upon the family homestead, her son, Jesse, now being in charge of the farm. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and is one of the highly respected and honored residents of this section.
JAMES FORDYCE BAILEY.
James Fordyce Bailey was born August 22, 1815, in Westmoreland town- ship. Oneida county, New York. On the 11th of June, 1845, he married Cor- nelia Doolittle, the ceremony taking place at Hampton village (now called West- moreland village), Westmoreland township, Oneida county, New York. The same day his brother. John Bailey, married Emily Seymour in Kirkland, Oneida county, New York, at the home of her sister, while his sister, Joanna Bailey, married Dr. Ralph Abercromby Severance at the Bailey homestead. His bro- ther-in-law, Rev. Amzi D. Barber, performed all these ceremonies.
James Fordyce Bailey was one of a family of nine children, seven sons and two daughters. His parents were Eliphalet and Nancy ( Bradish) Bailey. His father, one of the early settlers of Westmoreland, was a prosperous farmer and
JAMES BAILEY
TIENEN ALIC LIBRARY
ASTR. . VOX AND TUOUN FUNDA ONS.
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took an active part in public affairs. The paternal grandparents of our sub- ject were James and Lucy (Gay) Bailey, who lived in Lebanon, Connecticut. During the Revolutionary war the grandfather acted as a guard for a few days. The grandmother lived to attain the age of ninety-two years. Mr. Bailey of this review was descended from John Bailey, who came from Chip- penham, England, being shipwrecked at Pemaquid (now Bristol), Maine, in the great storm on the 15th of August, 1635. He settled first at Newbury, Massachusetts, and in 1639 became one of the founders of Salisbury, Massa- chusetts. The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Nancy Bradish and was born in Cummington, Massachusetts, her parents being Dr. James and frene (Townsend) Bradish. Her mother was twice married, her first hus- band being Dr. Clark. They took up their abode in Floyd, Oneida county, New York, in 1802. Dr. James Bradish was a surgeon at the siege of Boston in the Revolutionary war. Irene ( Townsend) Bradish lived to attain the age of ninety-two years. She was a twin sister of Nathaniel Townsend and a daugh- ter of David and Irene ( Loomis) Townsend. The Loomis, Townsend and Bradish families have been traced to New England pioneers of very early dates. Deacon Jolin Bradish, the father of Dr. James Bradish, served as selectman in 1775 and was a member of the Revolutionary committee of cor- respondence for Hardwick, Massachusetts, from 1774 until 1777. Robert Bradish, the emigrant from England, was in Cambridge, Massachusetts, at least as early as August 28, 1635.
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