USA > Iowa > Poweshiek County > History of Poweshiek County, Iowa: a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Vol. II > Part 28
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In 1885 Mr. Goodrich was united in marriage to Miss Harriet L. Kingdon, of Grinnell, lowa. by whom he has one child, Mae J., who is now in her senior year at Grinnell College. He gives his political allegiance to the republican party. Fraternally he is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, belong- ing to Grinnell Lodge, No. 358. Mrs. Goodrich is a member of the Episcopal church and also belongs to the Priscillas, a ladies' social club of Grinnell. Mr. Goodrich has spent practically his entire life in Poweshiek county and enjoys a wide and favorable acquaintance within its borders.
JOHN W. WILLSON.
John W. Willson, who for many years figured as one of the leading and prosperous business men of Montezuma, is now living retired upon an excellent farm of seventy acres, his home being within the corporation limits of the county seat. He has ever been a man of excellent purpose, carrying forward to successful completion what he has undertaken, and his sound judgment in business affairs has been one of the strong elements in his prosperity.
JOHN W. WILLSON
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTON, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDAT ON&
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He was born December 9, 1839, in Hendricks county, Indiana, in a dis- trict about ten miles from Indianapolis, known as the Shiloh Church neigh- borhood, that church being situated upon his father's land. His parents were Gideon and Catharine (Wilson) Willson. They were first cousins and were natives of Virginia, born both in 1801. They were married at White River. Indiana, on the 3d of October, 1819. Gideon Willson was the first of the family to spell his name with the double L, doing this because the other spell- ing was so common. He lost his father when eleven years of age and was reared by an uncle. Catharine Wilson lost her mother in early girlhood and was reared by a stepmother. Her father was the owner of slaves, to whom' he gave their liberty.
Mr. and Mrs. Gideon Willson were without capital when they were mar- ried and it was through strenuous labor that he managed to secure enough money to pay for the marriage license. Soon after their marriage they took up their abode in Indianapolis, which at that time contained only two or three cabins, and he secured one hundred and sixty acres, constituting a part of the present site of the city. He became a prominent and influential resident of that district and served as judge of the court, General Lew Wallace practicing be- fore him. He had opportunity to attend school for only three months in his life but through private reading and study he became a well informed man. After living in the city for a few years he removed to a farm near Shiloh Church, about ten miles from Indianapolis, and there carried on general agri- cultural pursuits until 1848, when he came to Montezuma, arriving in October after driving across the country with_teams. There was only one cabin in the town at the time. Mr. Willson established the first store in the county in 1850, carrying a general line of goods. At first his stock consisted only of a few staple articles but as the country developed and became more thickly settled he added to his line of goods, "the store building being a double hewed log house. Subsequently he erected a good frame store building on the east side of the square but it was destroyed by fire on the 31st of December, 1854. He after- ward erected what is known as the Union block on the west side of the square and continued in merchandising until June, 1870, when he sold out to his son John W. and retired from active business, spending his remaining days in the enjoyment of well earned rest. His death occurred in 1879, while his wife passed away in 1886. He was a stanch democrat throughout his entire life but never held office in this county, preferring to concentrate his energies upon his business affairs that he might provide a comfortable living for his family, which numbered eleven children, namely: Mrs. Sarah Benjamin, Isaac G., Nancy, Mrs. Mary Ann Walker and Elizabeth, all now deceased; Mrs. Catharine Mc- Intire, a widow living in Montezuma ; John W .; Mrs. Emily Rogers, of Monte- zuma; and three who died in infancy.
John W. Willson came to Poweshiek county with his parents when nine years of age and has since resided within its borders. He has witnessed its growth from the period of its early development and as the years have gone on has taken active and helpful part in the work of general progress and im- provement. He assisted his father in the store for one year and afterward devoted his attention to farming until he enlisted under the stars and stripes
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in August, 1862, becoming a member of Company C, Twenty-eighth Iowa Vol- unteer Infantry, under Captain J. W. Carr. He served for three years and was mustered out at the close of the war, having participated in all of the engagements of his regiment except that of Jackson, Mississippi, which occurred when he was in the convalescent camp. After the battle of Cedar Creek he secured a furlough of thirty-six days, spending two weeks of that time at home. He then made his way to Baltimore, which was the nearest place at which he could join his regiment. There he reported to General Lew Wallace, who gave him a pass to New York city with a letter to the commander of the department there. Mr. Willson had a pleasant interview with General Wallace after telling him that he was the son of Judge Gideon Willson, before whom General Wallace had previously practiced law. On the organization of the company Mr. Willson had been elected sergeant. He had many narrow escapes from injury and death. At Champion Hill a ball passed through his hat and cut off a lock of his hair. His comrade, Thomas Applegate, picked up the hat with the remark: "You will never see home if you have a closer call." When the war was over Mr. Willson resumed farming, which he followed until the spring of 1870, when he purchased his father's store. He increased his stock and the business developed along substantial lines. He also began buying live stock and became one of the foremost representatives of that business in this section of Iowa. He handled two hundred and eighty cars of stock one year. shipping the only full train of stock ever sent from Montezuma. His success as a live stock dealer caused him to concentrate his energies upon that business and he disposed of his store in the fall of 1875, giving his entire attention to live stock until 1885. when he returned to the farm whereon he now resides. Here he owns seventy acres of valuable land, splendidly improved, and he has refused three hundred dollars per acre for the place.
On the HIth of December. 1858, Mr. Willson was married in Montezuma to Miss Sarah Head, who was born in Highland county, Ohio, September 27, 1840, and in 1855 was brought to Poweshiek county by her parents, William M. and Margaret (Fernean) Head, the former a native of England and the latter of Germany. The mother died in Montezuma, while Mr. Head passed away in Jefferson, lowa. They were the parents of eleven children, seven of whom reached adult age, while two of that number served as soldiers of the Civil war-Captain Albert Head and Lieutenant Mahlon Head. They enlisted from Montezuma and are now engaged in the banking business in Jefferson. Mr. and Mrs. Willson became the parents of a daughter, Margaret K., now the wife of Robert Le Gore, of Lincoln, Nebraska, and unto them was born a daughter, Lila Marie, who is the wife of Charles Richey, county attorney of McCook, Nebraska.
Mr. Willson was the only one of his father's family to support the republi- can party. His position in this regard indicates his independent spirit and his loyalty to his honest convictions. His fellow townsmen, appreciative of his worth, elected him a member of the council, in which he served for eleven years, years, and he was also township trustee of Jackson township for nineteen years. His long continuance in office is proof of his ability and his record was at all times creditable to himself and satisfactory to his constituents. Mr. Will-
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son is a valued and popular member of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias fraternity. No history of this county would be complete without a record of him not alone because he is one of the successful men of the county but also owing to sev- eral others facts. The length of his residence in Montezuma exceeds that of any other citizen here. He was in Grinnell the day that town was named, going there on horseback to join in the celebration. He wanted to buy some land but his father did not indorse the idea, for he did not believe a town would ever be built way out there. Mr. Willson has lived to see remarkable changes in the county as the work of growth and development has been carried on and it is well known that at all times he has borne an active and helpful part in bringing about the transformation that has made Poweshiek one of the popu- lous and prosperous counties of the state.
LOUIS PULS.
No country has given to the United States better citizens than Germany, and sons of the fatherland are always welcomed here, for all have those homely virtues of honesty, sincerity, energy and frugality which, when combined, are certain to be productive of good citizenship and prosperous results.
Louis Puls is one of Germany's contributions to the citizenship of Iowa, his birth having occurred in Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Germany, September 27, 1846, his parents being Fred and Annie ( Miller) Puls. The mother passed away in the fatherland, and later the father, who was a farmer by occupation, came to the United States, locating in Princeton, Illinois. In his family were the follow- ing children : Christina and Freda, both deceased; Mary, a resident of Germany ; Charles, of Princeton, Illinois; John, also residing in Germany; Hannah, who passed away in the fatherland; Louis, of this review; and Sophie, who married John Tiedemann, of Malcom township.
Louis Puls spent the first nineteen years of his life in his native country, acquiring his education in the common schools of the fatherland, and through the assistance which he gave his father on the home farm became thoroughly familiar with agricultural pursuits. Opportunities for advancement in the old world, however, were limited, and the rumors concerning the advantages offered in the United States early aroused his determination to seek a home on this side of the Atlantic. Consequently, in 1865, he came alone to this country, making his way to Princeton, Illinois, where for one year he was employed by the month as a farm hand. In the spring of 1866 he arrived in Iowa, locating in Powe- shiek county, and for two and a half years worked for Charles Schultz, and was then employed for a similar period by Fred Schultz. For the following two years he rented a farm, and then, in the spring of 1877 was married. Imme- diately afterward he purchased the farm which is now his home, and has since been continuously engaged in its development. It consists of two hundred acres located on section 4, Malcom township, and at the time that it came into his possession it was unbroken prairie land without a single improvement upon it.
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With characteristic energy he at once began breaking the sod, divided the land into fields of convenient size, and by undaunted energy and unceasing persever- ance converted it into a productive farm. He has made excellent improvements upon the place, erecting substantial buildings and inclosing his fields with good fences, and it is today one of the valuable and desirable properties of the town- ship. He also owns thirteen acres of timberland about two miles east of his home farm, and at one time was the owner of eighty acres which he has since sold to his son. He gives his attention to general farming, practices rotation of crops, makes a close study of the cereals best adapted to soil and climate and, withal, has attained a most gratifying degree of prosperity.
Mr. Puls was married on the 2d of March, 1877, to Miss Minnie Schultz, who was born in Princeton, Illinois, on the 22d of April, 1855, and came to Poweshiek county in the fall of 1864 with her parents. She is a daughter of Joachim and Marie (Peele) Schultz, who were natives of Prussia, Germany. Both were born in the year 1820, the father on the 19th of March and the mother on the 2d of February. They were married in the fatherland and came to the United States in 1854, arriving in Princeton, Illinois, in the fall of that year. They passed away in Malcom township, the father on the 25th of Octo- ber, 1884, and the mother on the IIth of April, 1891. In their family were six children: Charles, whose death occurred in Malcom; Lena, who passed away in the spring of 1855 at the age of eighteen years; Fredericka, who mar- ried Lawrence Lidtka, of Malcom; Minnie, the wife of Louis Puls; Jacob, of Malcom township; and Fred, also of this township. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Puls has been blessed with ten children, namely: Fred, a resident of Ches- ter township; Josephine, the wife of Herman Mithelman, of Malcom township; John, of Malcom township; Ida, who married Orin Ferguson, of this township; Louis, who died at the age of seventeen years ; Marie, at home; Charles, whose death occurred at the age of two months; and Theodore, Elmer and Evelyn, all at home.
The parents are members of the Lutheran church and Mr. Puls gives his support to the republican party. He has held several road and school offices and is deeply interested in all matters concerning the material, political, intellectual and moral development of the community. He has ever been public-spirited in his citizenship, loyal to the best interests of his adopted country, and the prin- ciples which govern his private and business life are such as have gained for him the unqualified regard, respect and confidence of all with whom he has come in contact.
JOHN J. GORSUCH.
Agricultural pursuits in Poweshiek county are abiy represented by John J. Gorsuch, whose activities along this line are meeting with gratifying and sub- stantial results. One of Iowa's native sons, he was born in Mahaska county, about a mile west of Barnes City, on the 12th of December, 1856. He is a representative of an old pioneer family of Iowa, his grandparents, Joshua and
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Mary ( Bosley) Gorsuch, having come to this state from Maryland as early as 1844, locating in Mahaska county.
His parents were Thomas B. and Margaret (Murrow) Gorsuch, natives of Maryland and Indiana respectively, who came to lowa with their parents at an early day, the father arriving in 1844 and the mother in 1850. They were married in Mahaska county on the 11th of March, 1852, and for four years thereafter continued their residence in that county, after which they removed to Jackson county, Kansas, which remained their home for three years. On returning to Iowa in 1860 they took up their abode in Poweshiek county, locating on a farm near Montezuma, where their remaining days were spent. The father was a lifelong farmer, in which line of activity he proved very success- ful, being the owner of three hundred and thirty acres of rich land at the time of his death. He had an interesting military record, enlisting in August, 1862. as a member of Company B, Fortieth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, with which he served throughout the remainder of the war, or for a term of three years. He passed away on the 30th of December, 1884, and was survived by his wife for a number of years. Her birth occurred in Parke county, In- diana, on the 15th of August, 1835, her parents being Benjamin and Sally ( Blue) Murrow. She was a consistent and faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal church, who daily exemplified in her life the teachings of the Golden Rule. Her death occurred on the 26th of February, 1910, at the age of seventy-four years. She passed away in the Montezuma home, to which she had removed with her two daughters, Laura and Edith, in 1902.
In carly childhood John J. Gorsuch accompanied his parents on their re- moval to Kansas and was but four years of age when brought by them to Pow- eshiek county, within whose borders he has since made his home. He passed the period of his boyhood and youth upon the homestead near Montezuma, ac- quiring his education in the country schools of that locality, and he remained with his parents until he attained his majority. At the age of twenty-four he embarked in agricultural pursuits with his brother, D. T. Gorsuch, under the style of Gorsuch Brothers, this relationship continuing for nineteen years. They began as renters, carrying on general farming in that capacity until they had acquired sufficient money to enable them to invest in property of their own, when they purchased a farm, to the cultivation and development of which they gave their attention for a number of years. They became recognized throughout the community as progressive, practical farmers, and upon severing their part- nership relations were the owners of an excellent tract of six hundred acres. Since that time John J. Gorsuch has engaged in farming and stock-raising independently and is now the owner of three hundred and twenty acres located on sections 11 and 12, Jackson township, which is equipped with two sets of buildings, all in good condition, and has all of the accessories and conveniences of a model farm. His energy, perseverance and integrity are salient elements in his career and have proved potent forces in the acquirement of a success which now ranks him among the substantial and representative agriculturists of this section.
Mr. Gorsuch was married, in 1880, to Miss Lucy Webber, who was born in Pennsylvania on the 4th of July, 1860, and was brought to Iowa in early life
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by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. G. A. Webber. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Gorsuch have been born four children, Guy W., Nellie, Madge and Louis.
Mr. Gorsuch is democratic in politics and has held several school and road offices although he has never sought nor desired public position as a reward for party fealty. He is a progressive and wide-awake farmer, always on the alert for and ready to incorporate in his business modern methods, and his in- dustry and enterprise have not only enabled him to attain prosperity but have won him a high place in the respect and confidence of his neighbors.
W. R. JOHNSTON.
A record of service covering twenty-nine consecutive years as township trus- tee is one of which any man might be proud, for it indicates clearly the confidence and trust of his fellowmen. This is the record of W. R. Johnston, who is also a prominent farmer of Scott township, owning three hundred and twenty acres on section 22, this land having been in possession of the family since 1867.
Mr. Johnston comes of a long line of Irish ancestry and his birth occurred in County Fermanagh, Ireland, April 5, 1842. He was a lad of six years when his parents, John R and Jane (Jordan) Johnston, emigrated to the United States. The mother was born in Ireland, April 16, 1816, and they were married in that country, May 5. 1840. Five children were born to them ere their emigration to the United States in 1848. They established their home in Rock Island county. Illinois, and there eight more children were born. The father engaged in general farming in Illinois and was identified with the interests of Rock Island county for two decades, when, in 1868, he removed with his family to Poweshiek county, lowa, but had purchased his land here the year previously. This tract constitutes the one now owned by our subject and is located on section 22, Scott township. As Mr. Johnston expressed it, there was nothing but a "wolf and an Indian" on the land when he took possession, indicating the unsettled condition of the coun- try and the task that lay before the pioneer settlers. He at once set to work to improve and develop his land and in due course of time had a good property, im- proved with substantial buildings. He died here, November 17, 1881, at the age of sixty-six years, and his wife, surviving for many years, departed this life. De- cember 31, 1904, when in her eighty-ninth year.
The record of their children is as follows: John R., a resident of Rugley, North Dakota: W. R., of this review ; Mrs. Bessie Jane Lipton, now deceased ; Joshua and James R., who have also departed this life; Anna, a resident of Brooklyn ; Margaret, deceased : Laura, the wife of John W. Brannian, of Deep River township ; Mary, the wife of Thomas Orr, of Brooklyn ; Samuel and Rob- ert, who reside in South Dakota ; T. R., a resident of Scott township ; and Henry, who makes his home in Delaware county, Iowa.
W. R. Johnston was reared and educated in Rock Island county, Illinois, and was a young man of twenty-five years when he came with the family to Powe- shiek county. He assisted in the arduous task of establishing a home on the frontier and the lessons which he learned in early life have proved of value to him
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in his later years of labor. He now owns the homestead property of three hun- (Ired and twenty acres and his time is fully occupied in its management and culti- vation.
Mr. Johnston was married in 1870, the lady of his choice being Miss Sarah Jane McDonald, who was born in Rock Island county, Illinois, June 1, 1852, a daughter of James and Jane (Clarke) McDonald, the former born in Nebraska and the latter in Illinois. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have been born twelve children, namely: Mary, who died at the age of one year ; Sarah Jane, who died when a month old : Joshua, who makes his home in Scott township; Maude, the . wife of J. E. Gilmore, a resident of Montana : Nettie, who departed this life June 30, 1902, when twenty-four years of age : Elmer, at home : William. also at home : Sadie, the wife of Frank Hutchinson, also of Scott township: Margaret. the wife of Elza Hall, also of Scott township: and Clara, Laura and Clinton, all still under the parental roof.
Mr. Johnston's study of the political issues of the day has led him to give stalwart support to the republican party. He has for twenty-nine consecutive years filled the office of township trustee, his loyalty and faithfulness being proven in the fact of his long service. He has also served as a member of the school board. Mr. Johnston was reared in the faith of the Episcopal church but as there is no church of that denomination in his home locality he attends and sup- ports the Methodist Episcopal and the United Presbyterian churches. His fra- ternal relations are with the Orangemen. Possessing the indominable persever- ance of his race and endowed by nature with a good constitution. he early de- veloped all the attributes that make the successful man. Although he has led a busy and useful life in the conduct of his private business affairs, he has yet found time to become interested in affairs of a public nature, lending his aid and influence in the cause of every good movement and heartily promoting the pro- gress and advancement of his community.
FRANK KELM.
A large percentage of the citizenship of lowa are either of German birth or parentage, and among those who claim the fatherland as the place of their nativity is numbered Frank Kelm. He was born in Prussia, Germany, on the 5th of Feb- ruary, 1847, a son of Gottlieb and Elizabeth ( Pohl) Kelm, whose entire lives were spent on a farm in that country. In their family were five children, as fol- lows: William, operating the home place in Germany: Henrietta. who passed away in the fatherland ; August ; Frederick ; and Frank, of this review.
Frank Kelm spent the period of his boyhood and youth in his native country and there resided until he was about twenty-four years of age, when the reports which he heard concerning the opportunities offered in the new world proved irresistible and he determined to seek his fortune on this side of the Atlantic. Accordingly, in 1871, he made the long trip to the United States. On the 17th of July he arrived in Poweshiek county, lowa. Reared to farm life he wisely sought employment along that line, and for eight months worked on a farm as a
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farm hand. He then rented land in Sheridan and Malcom townships for eleven years, but during that period he was actuated by the desire to one day become the owner of a farm in order that his efforts might more directly benefit himself. Consequently he practiced the utmost economy and labored earnestly and dili- gently and, in 1882, he was able to purchase a tract of one hundred and sixty acres located on section 16, Malcom township, upon which he has since made his home. When the place came into his possession it was an undeveloped tract, but with characteristic energy and perseverance Mr. Kelm set about its improvement, erecting new buildings, introducing modern and up-to-date machinery, and even- tually converting it into a highly cultivated and valuable property. He is engaged in general farming and stock-raising and his efforts are meeting with well mer- ited success.
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