USA > Iowa > Poweshiek County > History of Poweshiek County, Iowa: a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Vol. II > Part 19
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Cornelia Doolittle, who was born in Camden, Oneida county, New York, on the 28th of August, 1824, had two brothers and a half sister. She was the eldest child of Amzi Doolittle. Esq, and his first wife, Hannah (Cone) Doo- little, who was the widow of Andrew Bettis. Amzi Doolittle was born in Watertown. Connecticut, and accompanied his parents on their removal to Plymouth, Connecticut. Subsequently he made his way to Camden, New York, and about 1825 went to the village of Hampton in New York, where he served as town judge until his health failed. He was a cooper by trade. The name Doolittle means "of Dolieta," a place on the Norman coast in France. Rudolph of Dolieta, a Norman noble who came over with William the Conqueror, is the progenitor of all the Doolittles in England. Cornelia Doolittle was de- scended from Hon. Abraham Dowlittell (as he spelled his name), who was born in England in 1619 or 1620. He was a Puritan and came to America at the age of about twenty-one to escape the tyranny of Charles I. As early as 1640 he was in Boston, Massachusetts. He removed to New Haven, Con- necticut, prior to 1642 and was the chief executive officer of that town in 1644, when scarcely twenty-five years old. For many years he served as selectman and was seven times deputy to the general assembly at Hartford. He was one of the founders of Wallingford, Connecticut, and held almost every office of honor and trust in the town. Several times he acted as repre- sentative to the general court at Hartford. He was made a sergeant in 1673 and at the time of King Philip's war was a member of the vigilance committee.
Cornelia Doolittle was descended from Daniel Cone, who was probably the emigrant. The first mention of Daniel Cone in this country that has heen found is in 1657. He was one of the founders of Haddam, Connecticut. Lieu- Vol. II-10
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tenant James Cone of East Haddam, Connecticut, the great-great-grandfather of Cornelia Doolittle, served under Sir William Pepperill in 1745. He was a member of the legislature of the colony from 1747 until 1749. The great- grandfather of Cornelia Doolittle was Sylvanus Cone, who participated in the French and Indian wars and also in the Revolutionary war, being a minute- man at Bunker Hill. Hannah (Cone) Doolittle. the mother of Cornelia Doo- little, was born in Westmoreland township, Oneida county, New York. Cor- nelia Doolittle had some Scottish ancestry. She lived in the Hampton village of New York from the time she was about a year old until her marriage except that after the death of her mother, in 1834. her father resided in Plymouth Connecticut, for a few years. She attended the Ladies' Seminary at Utica, New York, and subsequently taught public and private schools. She also sang in the church choir.
James F. Bailey, whose name introduces this review. left Westmoreland in 1853 and took up his abode in the vicinity of Auburn, New York. He and some of his brothers were planning to move farther west where they could obtain more land and they wished to find a place where their children would have good educational advantages. Happening to notice Mr. Grinnell's article in the New York Independent with reference to the new colony to be founded in the west, they wrote to Mr. Grinnell making inquiries. James F. Bailey came to Grinnell, Iowa, in October, 1854, and in February, 1856, went back to Auburn, New York, for his wife and children, with whom he returned to Grinnell in the following May. When the question arose of increasing the price paid for the land on condition that the college should be located in Grin- nell within a certain time, he voted for the increase and cheerfully paid the increased price on his land. Not a few students were helped by the oppor- tunities he gave them to work for their board and room. On first coming to Grinnell he brought with him a horse power sawmill, setting it up near the present site of the Colonial. While sawing the second board the mill broke. He and his brother John then went to Muscatine and purchased a steam engine. Bringing the boiler here was a very difficult task, as the roads were poor and the sloughs unbridged. They now had a good saw and grist mill combined, located on what is at present block 4 of Bailey's Addition. Coal could not be obtained and they were obliged to haul all of the fuel for the · mill a distance of seven miles from their timber land in Rock Creek, Jasper county. They sawed some of the lumber for the first schoolhouse and also for some of the first dwellings. James F. Bailey assisted in the erection of some of the first houses. He conducted the mill for eight or ten years and during this period had brought his farm under cultivation, eventually becom- ing a prosperous farmer and stock-raiser. His house was a station on the "underground railroad" for escaped slaves and with his team he carried a number of John Brown's party to the next station. He was one of those who stood guard on the night of the "Sugar Creek" war. Some time later, on his way to the coal banks, he fell in with some of the participants in that skirmish. who declared lustily that they would yet wipe out every abolitionist. Upon being told that he was an abolitionist and that they might wipe him out. they concluded they were not ready. He welcomed the coming of the Rock Island
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Railroad, for he knew what it was to haul wheat forty miles to Marengo and sell it for thirty-five cents per bushel. He gave three hundred dollars in labor and money to help build the Iowa Central Railroad. He was one of the stock holders of the land company for the Benzonia ( Michigan) colony and at one time owned four hundred acres of land there. He was a member of the Grange and a stockholder in the Grange store. His political allegiance was given to the republican party, while in religious faith he was a Congregationalist. He was, moreover, a strong temperance man and advocated the suppression of the liquor traffic. He won a host of friends and had a wide acquaintance in all the surrounding country.
James F. Bailey lived in several different houses in Grinnell. In April, 1864, he moved to the corner of his farm west of West street and north of Eleventh avenue, where he resided until his death. At the time of his demise he owned two hundred and forty acres of land, a part of which was afterward platted by his children and called Bailey's Addition. Another portion was platted by his daughter, Mrs. Joanna ( Bailey ) Baggs, and called Baggs' Addi- tion. Mr. Bailey died on the Ist of February. 1888, and was buried in the southwest corner of lot 67. Hazelwood cemetery, Grinnell. His wife. Cor- nelia ( Doolittle) Bailey, died in Grinnell on the 9th of January, 1893. and was buried beside him. They had seven children, six daughters and one son, four of whom were born in New York and three in Grinnell. Joanna Eliza- beth, who was graduated from lowa College of Grinnell in 1868, married George Thomas Baggs on the 31st of May, 1877, and is still a resident of Grinnell. Mary Irene died at the age of two years. Ella Cornelia gave her hand in marriage to Elmore Chapman Read on the 27th of May. 1872, and makes her home at Parsons, Kansas. Irene Conklin, who was an artist, passed away on the 24th of August, 1877, when twenty-three years of age. Gertrude Laurinda, who was graduated from lowa College in 1879. resides at Grinnell. Jennie. who completed her course in Iowa College in 1883, also makes her home in Grinnell. William Doolittle was graduated from lowa College of Grinnell in 1891 and from the law department of Yale University at New Haven, Con- necticut, in 1893. He is now a member of the law firm of Washburn. Bailey & Mitchell of Duluth, Minnesota, and has an immense practice. On the 12th of June, 1901, he wedded Miss Ora Ida Gridley.
Four of the brothers of James F. Bailey lived in Grinnell for a time. John Bailey came from Auburn, New York, to Grinnell in June, 1854, and went to Glen Arbor, Michigan, in the fall of 1857. Rev. Charles Eliphalet Bailey came from Weymouth, Ohio, to Grinnell in the fall of 1856. While in Weymouth he had conceived the idea of founding a Christian colony and a Christian college in the west. In November, 1857, he was preaching at Ontario, Illinois. In October, 1858, Rev. Charles E. Bailey, John Bailey, Horace Burr and Mr. Wolcott founded Benzonia, Michigan, and a college was chartered in 1862. Horace Clark Bailey lived in Grinnell several months in the summer and fall of 1857. He went to Glen Arbor, Michigan, in the fall of 1857, intending to help his brothers found a new colony, but died in Glen Arbor on the 11th of June. 1858. Lorenzo Bailey came from Auburn, New York, to Grinnell in May, 1856, and removed to Benzonia, Michigan, in 1866.
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Two cousins of James F. Bailey, brothers, lived in Grinnell a few years and died in this city. Edwin S. Bailey, who came to Grinnell from Antwerp, New York, in the fall of 1855, conducted a store and passed away on the 23d of March, 1864. Alfred Bailey came from Antwerp, New York, to Grinnell in the fall of 1856. He conducted a hotel on the corner west of Main street and south of Fifth avenue, which was named the Bailey House. His demise occurred on the 26th of March, 1858.
CHARLES JACOB SANDERS.
Charles Jacob Sanders may truly be termed a self-made man. for he started out in life empty-handed and today owns valuable farm property of one hun- dred and sixty-three acres, located on section 6, Pleasant township. He was born in Trumbull county, Ohio, April 30, 1850, a son of Henry and Hettie (Smith) Sanders, who were both natives of Pennsylvania but were married in Ohio. In 1855 they journeyed westward, settling in Poweshiek county. Iowa. and here they remained until 1858, when they removed to Dallas county, Texas, and there the father died in 1860 at the age of fifty years. Following his demise, the mother and her family returned to Poweshiek county, arriving here in the fall of 1861. They had a long and arduous journey, driving through with a wagon drawn by two yoke of oxen, and our subject walked much of the distance. In passing through the state of Missouri they came in contact with the guerrillas, who were engaged in warfare. but eventually they reached their destination in safety. The family located at Deep River in Poweshiiek county but after a few years, in 1865, the mother returned to her old home in Crawford county, Pennsylvania, and was theis married a second time, her union being with Henry Wolf. She once more returned with her husband to Poweshiek county and died here in 1888, having reached the advanced age of eighty-two years. By her marriage to Mr. Sanders she had become the mother of ten children, nine of whom grew to years of maturity and are as follows: Harrison, of Montezuma; Frank, who served for three years as a member of the Tenth lowa Infantry and is now deceased ; William, who served three and a half years in the Civil war as a member of the Fourth lowa Infantry and is now residing in Deep River ; Rachel ; Mrs. Mary Ann Stonebocher, deceased: Mrs. Eliza Smithi, of Searsboro: Daniel M., who served for one hundred days in the Civil war and is now a resident of New York ; Charles J., of this review ; and Mrs. Rosanna Mulhollan, deceased.
Charles J. Sanders, of this review. accompanied his parents on their various removals and was a lad of eleven years when he returned with his mother to Poweshiek county from Texas. He remained in this county until he had attained his majority, when he went to Ohio and was there married in 1871. He spent eight years in the Buckeye state, during which time he was engaged in farming a part of the time, while the remainder of his time was given to the oil business. In 1878 he returned once more to Poweshiek county and for fourteen years farmed rented land in various localities. In 1801 he bought
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his present home farm, consisting of one hundred and sixty-three acres on section 6, Pleasant township. He has made most of the improvements on this place, which has added much to its value, being worth today two hundred dollars per acre. He was actively engaged in the operation of this farm until February, 1908, when he rented the land to his son.
As above stated, Mr. Sanders was married in Ohio in 1871, the lady of his choice being Miss Susan Virginia Campbell, who was born in Rockbridge county, Virginia, May 22, 1853, and died in Poweshiek county. December 15, 1903, at the age of fifty years. Her parents, Charles and Mary ( Beaty) Campbell, were likewise natives of Virginia. The father died in Greene county. Ohio, but the mother still survives and makes her home in Kansas. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Sanders was blessed with five children. William Monroe died when seventeen months old. Lydia May died at the age of eleven months. Rose Belle is the wife of Willis Martz, a resident of Grin- nell township. Charles H. makes his home in Malcom township. He wedded Miss Rachel Wright and served for a year and a half in the Spanish-American war. James Franklin is living on the home farm. He was married, January 23. 1910, to Miss Gertie Wright, a daughter of William Wright of Montezuma and a sister of Mrs. Charles H. Sanders.
Mr. Sanders formerly gave his political allegiance to the republican party but now votes independently. He has held various township offices and in all public movements has exerted immeasurable influence in his home locality. He is a member of the Christian church and his life is in harmony with his professions. He encountered many difficulties and obstacles in his early career but has overcome all these and worked his way upward to success, so that today he stands among the well-to-do and prominent citizens of his section of the county.
WILLIAM JOHN COX.
A well tilled and highly cultivated farm of two hundred and twenty-four acres in Union township pays tribute to the agricultural skill of William John Cox, who is engaged in general farming and stock-raising. He was born in Beaver county, Pennsylvania, on the 5th of April, 1851, and is a son of Hiram and Nancy ( Wright) Cox, both natives of the Keystone state. The father, who was born in Westmoreland county, was a carpenter by trade. He came to Iowa in 1865, locating in Poweshiek county. Upon his arrival here he first bought a farm in Jackson township, which he cultivated for a time, but later disposed of it and purchased other land in Sugar Creek township, in the opera- tion of which he engaged until his retirement to New Sharon, Mahaska county, where he later passed away. The mother, also died in New Sharon, Unto them were born six children : Josephi L., who is a resident of Searsboro, Iowa ; Alexander R., a resident of Montezuma, Iowa ; Sarah E., deceased ; William John, our subject ; Hiram Zenas, who is living in Oskaloosa; and Nancy Jane, the wife of Charles Bogard, of Oskaloosa. The family attended the services of the Pres-
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byterian church. In politics Mr. Cox was always an ardent democrat and served as school director in his district.
As William John Cox was fourteen years of age when his parents settled in Poweshiek county his education was largely acquired in the common schools of Pennsylvania. After laying aside his text-books he assisted in the cultiva- tion of the home farm until he had attained his majority. In 1872 he rented the homestead from his father and for a year thereafter engaged in its cultiva- tion. He subsequently went to Nemaha county, Kansas, where he resided for five years going from there to Nebraska. In the latter state he filed upon a homestead, which he cultivated for a time, and then disposed of it and returned to Iowa, purchasing a farm in Union township, this county, upon which he has ever since continued to reside. He now owns two hundred and twenty-four acres of land, upon which he engages in general farming, making a specialty of raising high grade stock, particularly thoroughbred horses. Mr. Cox has met with success in his ventures and owns one of the highly improved and well stocked farms of the township.
In 1875 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Cox and Miss Amanda M. Mc- Farlin, a daughter of Perry and Nancy (Kemp) McFarlin, of Sugar Creek township, and they have become the parents of two sons and three daughters, the order of their birth being as follows: Harvey H., who is a resident of Union township: Rose, the wife of Charles A. White, of Sugar Creek town- ship; Essie, the wife of George Sheehe, of Mahaska county, Iowa ; Verde M., the wife of Guy Hildebrant, of Union township; and Joy L., who is at home.
Ever since attaining his majority Mr. Cox has given his political support to the candidates of the democratic party but has never held any official position save that of school director. A capable business man as well as agriculturist, Mr. Cox has so intelligently directed his activities during the period of his resi- dence in Union township that he is now recognized as one of the substantial citizens of the community in which he resides.
GEORGE L. MILES.
George L. Miles, one of the leading and respected citizens of Grinnell, is extensively engaged in the hardware business and is also prominently identi- fied with financial interests as the president of the Grinnell Savings Bank. His birth occurred in Steuben county, New York, on the 15th of April, 1858, his parents being William and Nancy A. (Parker) Miles, who were born, reared and married in that county. The year 1866 witnessed their removal westward to Princeton, Illinois. William Miles had become familiar with the lumber business in early life, rafting logs down the river as a boy. After locating in Princeton he embarked in the retail lumber business and acquired and worked extensive pine forests in Michigan. He became a very successful man, accu- mulating much land and also becoming connected with banking interests. He supported the republican party and, while in no sense a politician, was a recog- nized factor in local politics, holding the various town offices. His demise oc-
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curred in Princeton in 1898, while his wife was called to her final rest two years later.
George L. Miles was reared under the parental roof and supplemented his preliminary education by a course of study in the Princeton high school. His ambition as a boy was to become a farmer and when a youth of nineteen he went to western Iowa, locating in Pottawattamie county, where his father owned fourteen hundred acres of land and where he devoted his attention to general agricultural pursuits for nine years. After abandoning farming pursuits he turned his attention to the hardware business in Tipton, Iowa, being thus prom- inently identified with the mercantile interests of the town for seven years. During this period he became interested in the Tipton Savings Bank and was chosen vice president of the institution. In 1894 he came to Grinnell and es- tablished himself in business as a hardware dealer, the enterprise having since grown to extensive and profitable proportions. Subsequently he became iden- tified with the Grinnell Savings Bank and was made president of the institu- tion. He is an able officer as well as enterprising merchant and in the control of his business affairs has displayed excellent management and keen discernment.
In 1882 Mr. Miles was united in marriage to Miss Flora Priestley, her father being Charles M. Priestley, a prominent hardware dealer of Princeton, Illinois. Unto our subject and his wife have been born two children, namely: Louise Beach, of Aledo, Illinois, who is the wife of Glenn Clark, a professor in Will- iam & Vashti College; and Rosella May, who is employed as a bookkeeper by her father. Both daughters graduated from Iowa College with the class of 1906.
Since age conferred upon him the right of franchise Mr. Miles has sup- ported the men and measures of the republican party, believing that its princi- ples are most conducive to good government. He served as a member of the town council and of the school board while a resident of Tipton but has re- fused political preferment in Grinnell. Fraternally he is identified with the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows, belonging to Grinnell Lodge, No. 358. No breath of suspicion has ever assailed his good name and on the contrary he stands as a splendid type of the honorable, reliable, successful man, the public- spirited citizen and the trustworthy friend.
EDWIN DARE.
Edwin Dare, whose farm in section 24, Chester township, gives evidence of careful cultivation and liberal returns each year, is a native of Dorsetshire, England, and was born April 16, 1869. He is a son of John and Sarah (Bus sell) Dare, both natives of England. The father learned the miller's trade but later devoted his attention to farming, continuing during his entire life in the old country. He died in 1905, but the mother is now living with a son in Eng- land.
Edwin Dare was the fourth in order of birth in a family of seven children. Ile received a common school education and for three years lived with an uncle.
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at the end of which time, being then twenty years of age, he came to America. arriving in Chester township, Poweshiek county, in 1889. He worked for eight years as a farm laborer by the month and then rented a place of a Mr. Fore- hand at Chester Center, upon which he continued for two years. At the end of the time named he rented land in section 24, Chester township, which he pur- chased in the fall of 1902 from George Rutherford. His farm comprises one hundred and sixty acres and in many respects he has added to its appearance, making it a very desirable property. He raises feed for cattle and hogs, which he usually delivers to the market in excellent condition, thus commanding the highest prices.
On the 17th of March, 1897, Mr. Dare was married at Chester Center to Miss Minnie Warren, who was born in England, a daughter of Walter and Frances (Green) Warren, who are identified with agricultural interests in their native country, Mr. Warren being a farmer and dairyman. The parents are both still living but have never visited America. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Dare: Arthur E., Mildred, George W., Ada F. and Harlan Charles. These children have all possessed excellent advantages in the way of educational facilities.
Mr. Dare is a member of the Congregational church at Chester Center and in politics gives his support to the republican party. He has not held any pub- lic office save that of member of the school board. He has never looked to hick or chance for his fortune, but by steady. persistent application has won a com- petency for himself and family from the soil. He is deeply interested in the progress of the community and has labored earnestly for the public good, never seeking to advance his own welfare to the injury of others.
JOHN SCHMITZ.
One of the thrifty and energetic Germans who are now numbered among Poweshiek county's successful farmers is John Schmitz, who owns two hun- dred and seventy acres of excellent land in Grinnell township. He was born in Germany on the 27th of March, 1852, a son of Emery and Margaret (Dahm ) Schmitz, who spent their entire lives in their native land, where the father en- gaged in teaching and farming. For many years he taught in Onhoven, in which village he was born and where he passed away in 1857.
The common schools of his native land provided John Schmitz with his edu- cation, and after laying aside his school books he worked out until he was nine- teen years of age. Having decided at the expiration of that time that better advantages must be available for energetic young men in the United States, he took passage for America, landing in New York in April, 1871. From there he made his way directly to Brooklyn, this county, where he worked for a year and then came to Washington township, where he was employed by "Uncle" Johnny Brom for a year. Being very thrifty, he had carefully saved a portion of each month's salary until he had acquired sufficient capital to enable him to buy a farm, and then purchased sixty-five acres in Washington township, adding
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JOUIN SCHMITZ AND FAMILY
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
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ASTOR, LE X AND TILLEN E- INCATIONS.
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to his original tract forty acres at one time and fifteen at another, making the aggregate of his holdings one hundred and twenty acres. In 1879 he removed to Grinnell township and in 1902 he bought his present farm of two hundred and seventy acres in Grinnell township. Here he engages in general farming and stock-raising and makes a specialty of Poland China hogs and Hereford cattle, in which he is meeting with most gratifying success.
On February 18, 1879, Mr. Schmitz was united in marriage to Miss Caroline Hertzel, who was born January 19, 1848, in Germany, from which country she emigrated to the United States with friends. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Schmitz: Mary, the wife of Henry Schmidt, of Washington town- ship; Emery, who married Anna Flannigan and has one child, and is living one mile west of the home place; and Eliza, John and Francis, all of whom are at home with their father. The family are communicants of the Roman Catholic church of Grinnell.
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