USA > Iowa > Poweshiek County > History of Poweshiek County, Iowa: a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Vol. II > Part 47
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Practically the entire life of Andrew Shadel has been spent in Poweshiek county in the district schools of which he obtained his education. Upon the completion of his education he assisted his father in the work of cultivating the homestead. When the latter removed to Tama his son rented the homestead, which he operated for ten years, and then purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Madison township, where he continues to reside. He engages in general farming and makes a specialty of raising and feeding hogs and cattle for the market. During the period of his residence upon his present farm he has effected many improvements in the property. He has just completed a new residence and has repaired the outbuildings, while the land, which is now well drained, is in a high state of cultivation.
On the 3d of February, 1898, Mr. Shadel was united in marriage to Miss Mary Miller. a daughter of John and Kate (Shank) Miller. The parents, who were born and reared in Rockingham county, Virginia, came to Poweshiek county many years ago. Upon their arrival here Mr. Miller first rented a farm
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in Jefferson township, which he cultivated for several years, following which he purchased one hundred and twenty acres in Warren township. He passed away on his homestead on the 8th of June, 1886, and for six years thereafter Mrs. Miller remained upon the home farm. In 1892, however, she was mar- ried to Phillip Heishman, a wealthy farmer and extensive landowner of Sher- idan township, and three of her daughters married sons of Mr. Heishman, as follows: Will and Ernest, both residents of Sheridan township; and Gus, of Warren township. Mrs. Heishman had one son, Benjamin Franklin Miller, who died at the age of six years. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Shadel has been born one daughter, Mabel E., who is twelve years of age and attends the Madison township No. 9 district school.
Mr. and Mrs. Shadel hold membership in the Christian church of Madison township, while his political support Mr. Shadel gives to the democratic party. He served as township trustee in Madison township for two years and is now president of the board of school directors in district No. 9. Ambition, energy and perseverance are prominent characteristics of Mr. Shadel, who is recog- nized as one of the successful farmers of Madison township.
LUTHER TRIPLETT.
Well directed effort along agricultural lines was the source of the gratify- ing competence which now enables Luther Triplett to live retired. enjoying in well earned rest the fruits of former years of labor.
He was born in what is now Bureau county, Illinois, on the 16th of De- cember, 1834, and the scene of his nativity was one of the picturesque log cabins, with stick and mud chimneys and puncheon floors. so typical of pioneer days. His parents, Aquilla and Elizabeth ( Wilson) Triplett. were both born in the year 1811, the father's birth occurring in Virginia and the mother's in Pennsylvania. They were married in Ohio and removed to Illinois shortly be- fore the birth of their son, Luther. The district was at that time sparsely set- tled and Aquilla Triplett entered land from the government in what later be- came Bureau county, paying therefor a dollar and a quarter per acre. There he developed a farm, which he continued to cultivate for a number of years. He passed away at the age of seventy-one years while visiting his son, Luther, at Brooklyn. His wife continued to reside on the old home place until her demise. which occurred when she was eighty-four years of age. Their family of ten children consisted of seven sons and three daughters, of whom Luther was the second in order of birth and the eldest son. A brother, Levi, served for three years as a soldier in the Civil war. Four brothers and one sister of our sub- ject still survive.
The little cabin in Illinois, sixteen by sixteen feet, remained the home of Luther Triplett throughout the period of his boyhood and he continued a resi- dent of that state until 1868. when he followed the advice of Horace Greeley- "Go west, young man"-and sought a home and fortune on the broad prairies west of the Mississippi river. He located first in Brooklyn, Poweshiek county,
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lowa, and then in the spring of 1869 he purchased a farm five miles northwest of this city, on section 4, Bear Creek township. For thirty-nine years he labored unceasingly in its development and improvement, his efforts being characterized by an energy, perseverance and diligence that presaged the most successful outcome. At the expiration of that period results were so sub- stantial that he was able to withdraw from active labor and with a most sat- isfactory competence removed to Brooklyn, where he is now enjoying a well merited rest. Upon his retirement from agricultural pursuits he was the owner of a valuable property of two hundred and forty acres, all well improved and highly cultivated, eighty acres of which he has since sold to his son.
While yet a resident of Illinois Mr. Triplett was united in marriage, in 1854. to Miss Celia Ann Ball, who was born in Belmont county, Ohio, January 20, 1835, and when eighteen years of age went to Illinois with her parents. She is a daughter of Vachel and Fannie Ball, natives of Maryland, who also came to Iowa in 1868, locating in Brooklyn at the same time that Mr. Triplett became a resident here. In their family were four daughters and seven sons. As the years passed the home of Mr. and Mrs. Triplett was blessed with six children, namely: Frank, a resident of Gowrie, Webster county, Iowa; H. L., of Grin- nell; Fannie, the wife of F. O. Littlefield, of Humboldt, Kansas ; Monsieur D., a farmer residing five miles northwest of Brooklyn; Aquilla, making his home in Stratford, Texas ; and Dr. Louis B., practicing medicine in Springfield, Massa- chusetts.
Although Mr. Triplett gives stanch support to the candidates of the demo- cratic party, he has never sought nor desired office for himself. He is a Master Mason, belonging to the lodge at Brooklyn, and has won for himself a large circle of friends during his long residence in Brooklyn and vicinity. He has never regretted his determination to come to Iowa, for in the cultivation of her rich soil he found most substantial success.
GEORGE WASHINGTON ROBESON.
One of the highly successful stockmen of Poweshiek county is George Washington Robeson, who owns an excellent farm of one hundred and twenty acres in Madison township. He was born in Davenport, Scott county, lowa, on the 7th of April, 1846, and is a son of Thomas M. and Sarah Jane ( Blake) Robeson, the father of Irish and the mother of French extraction, but both na- tives of Bedford county, Pennsylvania. Mr. Robeson, who was a brick and stonemason and also a cobbler by trade, came to Iowa in 1844, locating in Scott county. He continued to reside there until about 1893 when, owing to the state of his wife's health, he migrated to South Dakota, settling in the vicinity of Mitchell. Mrs. Robeson passed away two years thereafter and her husband returned to Iowa, where he died about ten years ago.
After the acquirement of his education, which was obtained in the district schools of his native state, George Washington Robeson remained at home and assisted his parents with the farm work until he was twenty-four years of age.
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He came to Poweshiek county in 1878, locating in Brooklyn on the 19th of February. Soon afterward he purchased a farm of one hundred and twenty acres at a cost of twenty dollars per acre and upon which he has ever since resided. He raises nothing but high grade stock, making a specialty of short- horn cattle, Duroc Jersey hogs and Plymouth Rock chickens and bronze tur- keys. He also raises thoroughbred horses, which he ships to the Chicago mar- ket, and feeds cattle and hogs, carrying on general farming at the same time. His farm is exceptionally well improved, well drained and in a high state of cultivation.
On the 8th of November, 1870, Mr. Robeson was united in marriage to Miss Imogene Pitchear, a daughter of Michael and Margaret ( Wilson) Pitchear. The father was a native of Pennsylvania but his wife was born and reared in Steuben county, New York, of southern extraction, her father being a native of Virginia and her mother of Maryland. Mr. and Mrs. Pitchear were married in the Keystone state, removing from there to Scott county, Iowa, where they located in 1853. Ile has passed away but Mrs. Pitchear is still living, hale and hearty at the venerable age of eighty-two years, and makes her home with Mr. and Mrs. Robeson. Of the three children born unto Mr. and Mrs. Robeson but two are surviving, the eldest. Raymond Dewitt, having passed away at the age of six months. The others are as follows: Lee B., who is now residing in Iluron, South Dakota, and who married Ellen Harmon, a daughter of Henry and Julia Harmon, and who have one child, Bernice, twelve years of age, and Harvey T., an electrician living in Davenport, lowa, being a foreman in the Tri-City Electric Light Companyoche married Miss Etta Gardner, a daughter of Mrs. Fannie Gardner, and they have. two children : Louday I, who is six years of age : and George Washington, named after his grandfather Robeson, and who is two years old. Harvey T. Robeson is a member of the Eagles and the Modern Woodmen of America.
Mr. Robeson's political principles accord with those of the democratic party, for whose candidates he always casts his ballot. He has served as assessor for nine years and township trustee for a similar time, during a portion of which he was chairman of the board. A man of progressive ideas Mr. Robeson has made a success of his vocation because he has at all times used discretion and sound judgment in the direction of his affairs.
JOHN A. BEVER.
Among the residents of Bear Creek township, Poweshiek county, who are now living practically retired, their present comfortable financial position being the direct result of former activity and enterprise along agricultural lines, is num- bered John A. Bever. He was born in Holmes county, Ohio, June 1, 1845, a son of James and Mary (Sloniger) Bever. The father's birth occurred in the same county on the 12th of February, 1810, while the mother was born in Pennsyl- vania. April 16, 1800. The latter went with her parents to Ohio and was there
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married in Hohes county, in 1832. In 1849 she accompanied her parents to Adams county, Illinois, and there she passed away May 4, 1864. Mr. Bever, who was a farmer by occupation, subsequently went to Edina, Missouri, where his death occurred on the 30th of January, 1889. In their family were five chil- dren, as follows : Effie, deceased : Susan, also deceased : John A., of this review ; Adam, of Guernsey, Iowa ; and Joel, who has likewise passed away.
John A. Bever remained at home with his parents until the outbreak of the Civil war when, imbued with a spirit of patriotism. he enlisted in 1861 from Ad- ams county, Illinois, as a member of the Fiftieth Illinois Infantry. He was at that time only sixteen years of age and because of his youth his father secured his release. In 1862, however, he obtained his father's consent to reenlist, but on account of not having been properly enrolled he did not officially enlist until Feb- ruary 23, 1864, when he became a soldier in the Fiftieth Illinois Infantry. He was honorably discharged July 13, 1865, after having served for nearly three years. In the meantime he had taken part in all of the engagements of his regiment, in- cluding the battles of Shiloh, Corinth, Pittsburg Landing, Kenesaw Mountain, Atlanta, and Alton Pass, Georgia, as well as many minor engagements. He went with Sherman on his march to the sea and took part in the fight at Bentonville, North Carolina, after the surrender of General Lee. Later he went to Washing- ton and took part in the grand review, the greatest military pageant ever witnessed in the United States, and with a splendid record for valor and courage returned home.
After returning to private life Fr. Bever went to Kansas and hired out as a teamster in the employ of the government at Fort Riley. He was thus engaged for eight and a half months and it was during this time that the treaty was made with the Indians by Generals Kearney and Sanborn. In 1866 he returned to Ad- ams county, Illinois, and there carried on farming during the years 1867 and 1868. In April of the following year he arrived in Poweshiek county, Iowa, and here he located on a farm three miles northeast of Brooklyn. He first purchased eighty acres of land at five dollars per acre, and this formed the nucleus of what has since become extensive property hoklings. He has continued to engage in general farming and has been so successful in his venture that he has been able, with the passing of the years, to invest more and more largely in farm property until he is now the owner of seven hundred and seventy acres of well improved land, which constitutes one of the most valuable estates in the county. This land, which is located in Warren and Bear Creek townships, is now rented, constituting the source of a most substantial annual income. Mr. Bever makes his home at present on the River road, a mile east of Brooklyn.
On December 31, 1868, in Adams county, Illinois, Mr. Bever was united in marriage to Miss Susan Moore, who was born in Kentucky on the 31st of Decem- ber, 1850. She was reared, however, in Illinois, and is a daughter of George and Rhoda ( Berry) Moore, and a second cousin of Henry Clay. By her marriage with Mr. Bever she became the mother of nine children, namely: Cora, who is now the wife of Walter Conklin, of Knox, Indiana: Frank Elmer, who passed away at the age of one year : Norman Ellsworth, of Colorado: Mary Edith, who married Homer Rinehart, of Wyoming: Charles D., a resident of Brooklyn ; Sampson C., of Wyoming ; Guy N., also of Wyoming: Lily Iola, the wife of Dr.
Vol. 11-24
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Gauley, of Chelsea, Iowa ; and Edna Elizabeth, who died when seven years of age.
Mr. Bever is a loyal and consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church. and he maintains pleasant relations with his old army comrades through his men- bership with the Grand Army of the Republic. His record is one of which he may well be proud, for his success has been worthily won, representing the fit utiliza- tion of talents and opportunities, while his personal qualities have ever been such as to win the high regard of his fellowmen.
JOHN MEYER.
Among the many worthy citizens which Germany has contributed to Pow- eshiek county must be included the late John Meyer, who for twenty years was identified with the agricultural development of Sheridan township. He was a native of Weisenbach, his birth occurring there on the 2d of December, 1832, and a son of Henry and Elizabeth Meyer, who spent their entire lives in the fatherland, their deaths taking place in the early '6os. The father, who was a farmer. also engaged in wagon-making with his brothers.
John Meyer was reared at home, acquiring his education in the common schools of his native land and giving his father such assistance as he could in the cultivation of the farm. He remained a member of the paternal househokl until he had attained the age of twenty-three years, when he decided that better opportunities must exist in America for those with sufficient energy to avail themselves of them, so he took passage for the United States. Landing in New York he immediately made his way westward to Wisconsin, first locating in the vi- cinity of Fond du Lac, where he obtained employment as a farm hand. In the early '60's he removed to Bureau county, Illinois, where he continued to be identified with the same work until 1871, at which time he came to Poweshiek county, Iowa, settling in section 34, Sheridan township, where he worked out by the day for two years.
Possessing all of the thrift and energy which characterizes the Teutonic race he had always saved a portion of his meager salary and in 1873 he purchased a threshing machine, which he operated until he had acquired the capital to en- able him to become a property holder. He first bought a quarter section in Sheridan township, on a portion of which the old homestead now stands, later selling eighty acres of it to William Pickhard, and in 1882 he disposed of another forty acres. Sometime thereafter, however, he purchased two hundred and eighty acres in sections 21 and 28 of this township. He always engaged in general farming and stock-raising. making a most gratifying success of both ventures, owning at the time of his demise one hundred and twenty acres of land, all of which is in a high state of cultivation and well improved.
On the 30th of September, 1880, Mr. Meyer was united in marriage to Miss Angelica Schmidt, a daughter of Adam and Anna Elizabeth ( Seibel) Schmidt, natives of Germany, where they spent their entire lives. The father, who was a blacksmith, came from Breidenbach, and the mother from Breidenstein. Mr.
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Schmidt who served in the German army having participated in the war of 1848, passed away in 1866, his wife dying in March of the same year. Mrs. Meyer, who was born in Breidenbach, on the 23d of December, 1855, continued to re- side in Germany until she was twenty-one years of age. On the 16th of July, 1877, in company with some relatives, she took passage for the United States, disembarking in New York. Upon her arrival in this country she immediately came to Grinnell, where she was met by her brother, Adam Schmidt, a farmer of Sheridan township, for whom she kept house until her marriage. Six chil- dren were born unto Mr. and Mrs. Meyer, the order of their births being as follows: Anna Elizabeth, who was married on the 8th of March, 1910, to Fred Deedrick, by Professor L. C. Parker; Mary Cornelia, the wife of William Ahrens, to whom she was married on the 4th of April, 1906, and who have three children, Alice Mildred, Stanley Raymond, and Lucille H .; John, who is living on his mother's farm on sections 21 and 28, and who married Della Shaw, a daughter of Press Shaw, a farmer of Chester township, on the 16th of Sep- tember, 1910, and who have one child, Claire Clifton, eight months old : Henry Edward, who is nineteen years of age. Rose Miriam, now aged seventeen years, and Edith Margaret, who is thirteen years of age, are living at home with their mother. The family all hold membership in the German Lutheran church of Malcom township.
His political allegiance Mr. Meyer always gave to the democratic party, being a strong advocate of the principles of that body. He took an active and helpful interest in township affairs and served for some time on the board of school directors. He was in every sense of the word a self-made man. Hav- ing come to the United States without capital he had by his own unaided efforts acquired one of the valuable farms of Poweshiek county, being regarded as one of the substantial agriculturists of Sheridan township at the time of his demise on the 2d of July, 1910. Some time prior to his death he had been compelled to withdraw from active supervision of his property, owing to the state of his health, his last illness covering a period of about one year.
THOMAS MANATT.
With the history of public development and progress in Poweshiek county the name of Manatt is closely identified, the family being established in this lo- cality at an early day, since which time representatives of the name have been connected with various pioneer enterprises and also with the subsequent growth of the community. Of this number Thomas Manatt has been prominent and suc- cessful, not only along agricultural lines, but also in commercial circles, and he is now living retired.
He was born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, July 10, 1830. a son of Rob- ert and Sarah ( Pedlar ) Manatt. The parents were born in Ireland, about four- teen miles from Belfast, and were there married. They came to the United States about 1812 with one child, then about six months old, and took up their abode
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in Somerset county, Pennsylvania. About 1831 they removed to Holmes county, Ohio, where the mother passed away, and there the father remained until 1847, when he brought his family to Poweshiek county, Iowa, and here cast in his lot with the pioneer settlers of this region. He drove the entire distance from the Ohio home and thirty-three days were passed ere he reached his destination. Upon arriving in this county Mr. Manatt entered land from the government, his claim being located on the present site of Brooklyn. This was still a frontier dis- trict. There were only three families in the neighborhood at the time of his ar- rival and on every hand were to be found evidences of pioneer life. During the first season the family resided in Washington county, while a clearing was made and a house erected on the claim in Bear Creek township. For a number of years Mr. Manatt's attention was given entirely to the development and im- provement of his land and throughout his whole life he was actively connected with agricultural pursuits. In 1851 or 1852 he brought the first threshing ma- chine into Poweshiek county and later, in 1853, introduced the first harvester. It was the McCormick reaper, which at that time was becoming very popular throughout the Mississippi valley, and everyone within a radius of many miles came to see the new invention working in the fields. Success followed closely upon his efforts and as the years passed he invested extensively in property, en- tering or purchasing farm land for almost all of his children, while he became the owner of about one thousand acres.
Later he platted a part of this land and erected the second hotel in Bear Creek township, which he operated in connection with his agricultural pursuits. He conducted that hotel during the last eight or ten years of his life, and there entertained probably all of the first settlers of this district. He became one of the prominent, substantial and influential residents of Poweshiek county and left a most enviable record at the time of his demise. He passed away in 1864, when he had attained the age of seventy-two years. By his first wife, who passed away in Holmes county, Ohio, in 1837, he had ten children. Of this number the eldest. Eliza, became the wife of William Scott, and at her death left two chil- dren. Robert, the eldest son, was married, and at the time of his death in 1863 left a widow and eight children, five sons and three daughters. This number included : Professor Irving Manatt, of Brown University : Sampson, who passed away leaving a widow and one child; Sarah, the wife of Eugene Mason, of War- ren township; Mrs. Ellen Martin, a widow, living in Warren township; Re- becca, deceased : Albert, of Brooklyn ; Robert, and John. John, the third child of Robert Manatt, Sr., died leaving a widow and five children ; William has also passed away, leaving a widow and family ; Susan married Jesse Gwin and passed away, leaving three sons and three daughters; James is a resident of Brooklyn ; Thomas, of this review, is the seventh in order of birth. Sarah Jane, now de- ceased, married John Talbott, by whom she had five children ; Irving passed away, leaving a widow and four daughters; and Scott, the youngest, is also de- ceased. For his second wife Mr. Manatt chose Miss Margaret Mitchell, the cere- mony being performed in Holmes county, Ohio. Mrs. Manatt was a native of Ireland and her death occurred in Brooklyn, lowa. Unto this union were born four children, as follows: George, a resident of Grinnell ; Margaret, the widow of John McBroom, of Indiana ; David, a resident of Brooklyn ; and Alex, deceased,
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who met his death while serving in the Civil war as a member of the Twenty- eighth Iowa Infantry.
When but six months old Thomas Manatt, whose name introduces this re- view, left his native state of Pennsylvania and was taken by his parents to Holmes county, Ohio. There he spent the period of his boyhood and early youth and was but a lad of seventeen years when the long and tedious journey was made to the new home on the lowa prairies. With the other members of his father's family he aided in the arduous task of clearing the land and developing a new farm, and he continued to give his father the benefit of his assistance until his marriage, when he started out independently on his own account. Ilis first step in the business world was as a farmer, and for twenty-three years he was en- gaged in agricultural pursuits with constantly increasing success. At the ex- piration of that period he removed to Brooklyn, and for a number of years was engaged in the furniture and hardware business. His efforts along that line were equally successful and when he retired from business some years ago it was with a competency which ranked him among the substantial and well-to-do resi- (ents of Brooklyn. His realty holdings include seven hundred acres of land, located near the town, and all of this land can be seen from his attractive home in Brooklyn.
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