USA > Iowa > Poweshiek County > History of Poweshiek County, Iowa: a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Vol. II > Part 52
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Mr. Holderness is well known in fraternal circles in Deep River township, holding membership with the Masons, the Modern Woodmen of America and with the Knights of Pythias of Deep River. He belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church and gives his political allegiance to the republican party. Ile is a man of many sterling traits of character, reliable in business, progressive in citizenship, and at all times trustworthy and honorable.
JAMES L. RODGERS.
James L. Rodgers is now living retired in Montezuma where he has made his home since 1867. At one time he was connected with mercantile pursuits here, and later was well known in business circles as a dealer in eggs, butter and poultry. His carefully managed interests have brought him success that now enables him to rest from further labor.
He is a native of Columbiana county, Ohio, born November 15, 1844. His parents, John K. and Lavina H. (Woodward) Rodgers, were natives of Man- chester, Pennsylvania. The former was born February 20, 1814, and the latter August 6, 1814. The ancestry on the maternal side can be traced back to Richard Woodward who, in 1687, purchased land in Chester county, Pennsyl- vania. He was the second owner of the land after it came into the possession of William Penn. Both parents of our subject were reared in Manchester, Pennsylvania, and following their marriage removed to Ohio in 1835, there residing for seven years, after which they became residents of Jefferson county, Ohio. where they remained for twenty years. In 1869 they established their home in Montezuma, where their remaining days were passed, the father's death occurring January 4. 1896, while his wife died November 23, 1881. Ile was a miller by trade and followed that pursuit until old age caused him to put aside business cares. In the family were eight children: Joseph W., of Montezuma ; Elizabeth, who was born in Ohio in September, 1838, and died in 1862; Meribah, who was born in May. 1842, and died in 1862; J. L .; Martha, the wife of George A. Webber, of Montezuma : Nancy M., who was born May 29. 1849, and died October 19, 1862; John J., living in Montezuma ;
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and Elwood, who was born October 29, 1854, and died October 10, 1862. Four of the children died within a month of diphtheria.
James L. Rodgers spent the days of his childhood and youth in his father's home and worked with his father in a grist and sawmill until February, 1863, when he enlisted from Jefferson county, Ohio, as a member of Company E, Fifty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He served until July, 1865, and took part in the battles of Buzzards Roost, Tunnel Hill, Resaca, Kenesaw Mountain, Rome, Peach Tree Creek, Dalton, Atlanta, the march to the sea and the cam- paign northward through the Carolinas and Virginia to Washington, where he marched in "grand review" down Pennsylvania avenue and passed the pres- ident's stand. When the war was over he returned home but soon afterward went to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, where he attended the Iron City Commercial College. In 1867 he arrived in Montezuma and for one year followed farming. Later he engaged in clerking in a general store for five years, after which he embarked in partnership with his brother Joseph in the conduct of a grocery store, which they conducted under the firm name of Rodgers Brothers for eleven years. At the end of that time he began dealing in butter, eggs, poultry and produce and met with success in that undertaking, in which he continued until 1909, when he sold out and retired.
On the 22d of December, 1870, Mr. Rodgers was married to Miss Rebecca J. Amspoker, who was born in Harrison county, Ohio, near Cadiz, May 2, 1850, and when twelve years of age went to Jefferson county with her parents, Jonas and Ellen J. (Porter) Amspoker, who were natives of the Buckeye state and died in Jefferson county. Mr. and Mrs. Rodgers had two children, but the younger, Glenn A., born in 1883, died in 1895 at the age of eleven and one-half years. The surviving son, Jesse G., is living in Des Moines, is mar- ried and has one son, Russel G.
In his political views Mr. Rodgers has been a stalwart republican since age conferred upon him the right of franchise. He belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He also sustained an unassailable reputation in business affairs, his well known honesty, his en- terprise and untiring industry bringing to him a large patronage whereby he gained substantial success.
MATHIAS WAHNER.
Mathias Wahner, successfully carrying on general agricultural pursuits on a well improved farm of two hundred acres in Bear Creek township, is num- bered among Iowa's native sons, his birth occurring in Dubuque county, eight- een miles west of the city of Dubuque, on the 22d of April, 1861. He was but two years of age when his parents removed to Iowa county, and there re- mained until he was seventeen years of age when, in 1888, he came to Pow- eshiek county and has since made his home within its boundaries. Reared to farm life. he assisted his father in the cultivation of the home fields until his marriage, when he started out in life on his own account, working as a farm
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hand for eight years, three months and three weeks. During that entire time he was employed by only two men. The first four years he received com- pensation at the rate of two hundred dollars per year, while during the last four years he was paid twenty-five dollars per month.
Eventually, by carefully saving his earnings, he accumulated a sum sufficient to purchase the implements of his employer, whose farm he then continued to operate as a renter for twelve years, when in October, 1903, he purchased his present farm. This tract, consisting of two hundred acres of good land, is located on section 6, Bear Creek township, and here he has since given his at- tention to general farming and stock-raising. He is industrious, enterprising and progressive, and by careful methods and wise management has brought his place under a high state of cultivation and thereby greatly enhanced its value. He is a stockholder in the Farmers' Cooperative Creamery Company of Brook- lyn, and is numbered among the prosperous and substantial agriculturists of Bear Creek township.
Mr. Wahner was married, on the 25th of September, 1883, to Miss Emma Jane Feltwell, who was born on the 21st of September, 1861, in Indiana, and in early childhood came to lowa with her parents, Porter and Eliza Feltwell. Her father is now deceased and her mother resides with the Wahner household. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Wahner have been born three children, namely : Alfred, at home ; Annie E., the wife of De Witt Robeson, of Bear Creek township ; and Britt, also still at home.
Politically Mr. Wahner is a stanch democrat, although he has never sought nor desired public office, and fraternally he holds membership with the Knights of Pythias lodge at Brooklyn. Choosing agriculture as a life work, he has never sought to extend his efforts into other fields, preferring to give his un- divided attention to the occupation to which he was reared, and his close ap- plication thereto has been rewarded by a degree of prosperity which is alike creditable and substantial.
JAMES L. SMITH.
James L. Smith, who is now living retired but was for some years actively engaged in the cultivation of his farm in Sugar Creek township, was born in Guernsey county, Ohio, on the 20th of April, 1827, and is a son of John S. and Elizabeth (Outland) Smith. The father was born in Frederick county, Virginia, and the mother in North Carolina. They first met in Belmont county, Ohio, where they were later married. In the early years of their married life they located in Guernsey county, Ohio, where Mr. Smith owned a farm which he cultivated until his demise in 1848. The mother came to Jasper county, lowa, to make her home with her children in 1855, and there she passed away. Mr. Smith voted with the whig party, and both he and his wife in matters of religion affiliated with the Society of Friends. Only two of the six children born unto them now survive. According to birth they were as follows : Phoebe,
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who is deceased ; James L., our subject : Josiah, Margaret and Rebecca, all of whom are deceased : and John S., who is a resident of Des Moines, Iowa.
Being the eklest son James L. Smith early had to assist with the work of the old homestead, at the same time acquiring his education in the common schools. After completing his studies he gave his entire time and attention to the work of the farm until he was twenty years of age, following which he engaged in teaming for a year. After the death of his father he returned to the homestead, which he operated for his mother until 1854. In the latter year he migrated to Iowa, locating on a farm which he purchased in Warren county. In 1862 he enlisted as a corporal in Company D. Thirty-fourth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and went to the front, where he served for a year, being mustered out at St. Louis, Missouri. Returning to Iowa he located in Jasper county and for a time engaged in the mercantile business in Galesburg. He withdrew from this later and operated a farm in the same county, continuing to be iden- tified with this vocation there until 1882. In the fall of the latter year he came to Poweshiek county, purchasing one hundred and sixty acres of land in Sugar Creek township. He has effected quite extensive improvements in this property and continues to reside there, although he is not now directly engaged in its cultivation. Mr. Smith always followed general farming, in which pursuit he met with very good success.
On the 22d of June, 1848, Mr. Smith was married to Miss Rosanna Brill the ceremony occurring in Guernsey county, Ohio. She was a daughter of David and Elizabeth ( Foraker ) Brill, and was born in Guernsey county on the 22d of February. 1824. Mrs. Smith has now passed away, her demise oc- curring in Sugar Creek township, Poweshiek county, on the 11th of July, 1903.
In his political allegiance Mr. Smith has always been faithful to the prin- ciples of the republican party, for whose candidates he casts his ballot. While a resident of Jasper county he served as justice of the peace and supervisor, and he has filled the offices of trustee and clerk of the township where he now resides. He was also postmaster for many years. Fraternally he is a Mason, being identified with the lodge at Newton, Jasper county, while his religious connection is with the Society of Friends, the principles of both organizations having been very instrumental in directing Mr. Smith's relations in life, both public and private.
HENRY REPENN.
Although he has retired from active work Henry Repenn continues to reside on the excellent farm of one hundred and fifty acres in Sheridan township, in the cultivation of which he engaged for many years. Mr. Repenn is a native of Germany. He was born on the 15th of September, 1839, son of Clans and Catharine Repenn, who emigrated to the United States in 1853, locating in Clin- ton county, Iowa, where the father preempted forty acres of land. In 1871 they purchased one hundred and fifty acres of land on section 5, Sheridan town- ship, Poweshiek county, where they continued to reside until they died, the
HENRY REPENN
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father passing away on the 28th of October, 1900, and the mother on the 15th of March, 1904. They were both natives of Schleswig-Holstein, the father's natal day being the 12th of April, 1816, and the mother's the 29th of September, 1818.
Henry Repenn was a youth of fourteen years of age when his parents came to the United States, so that practically his entire education was acquired in the common schools of the fatherland. He remained under the paternal roof assisting his father in the cultivation of the homestead, one hundred acres of which the latter deeded him in 1877, until after the death of his parents, at which time he purchased from the heirs the remaining fifty acres. His sister and brother-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Jochims, reside with him and operate the farm.
Mr. Repenn has always been very loyal to the country of his adoption and when the call came for volunteers in '61 he responded, enlisting on the Ist of October, 1861, at Lyons, Clinton county, lowa, in Company A, Fifteenth lowa Volunteer Infantry. The regiment was organized at Keokuk, where they re- mained until the 19th of March, 1862, when they were ordered to report at Benton Barracks, St. Louis, where they were equipped. From St. Louis they were sent into Tennessee, arriving just in time to participate in the battle of Shiloh. Mr. Repenn was taken sick in June, being compelled to spend several months in the hospital at St. Louis. When released he was sent to join his command in Mississippi but was taken prisoner en route by General Forrest, who was then at Trenton, Tennessee, and taken to Columbus, Kentucky, and later to Benton Barracks, St. Louis, under parole. He was retained in the lat- ter place until September, 1863, when he was permitted to join his regiment at Vicksburg. Before the expiration of his period of service he took part in a number of sharp skirmishes, being mustered out on the 16th of November, 1864, at Chattanooga, Tennessee. Returning home Mr. Repenn again engaged in agricultural pursuits, continuing to be identified with general farming and stock-raising during the remainder of his active career.
Mr. Repenn has never married and has for several years made his home with his sister, Mrs. Jochims. He has three other sisters: Mrs. Anna Davids, of Osmond, Nebraska; Mrs. A. W. Mustapha, of Davenport ; and Mrs. George Haferbier, of Jackson county, Iowa. He has always been very successful in his ventures and now owns one of the excellent farms of the county, in addi- tion to which he has a very comfortable competence.
WILLIAM EHRET.
On the list of Poweshiek county's honored dead is found the name of Wil- liam Ehret, who while still active in the world's work was numbered among the prominent and well-to-do agriculturists of his locality. He was born in Erie, Pennsylvania, on the 13th of June, 1833, and was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Ehret. His parents were both born in Baden, Germany, but were mar- ried in this country. The mother passed away during the early childhood of
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her son William, and the father later married again. The subject of this review was the youngest in a family of three children, the others being Mrs. Mary Depinet, and Stephen, also now deceased.
William Ehret spent the period of his boyhood on his father's farm in the Keystone state, and in a German school acquired a good common school educa- tion. When he attained the age of sixteen years his father gave him money with which to travel and see something of the country, and after traveling extensively through many of the states of the Union he at last located in Illi- nois, near Springfield, where he embarked in the nursery business, being thus employed in that city and Bloomington for five years. The fall of 1859 wit- nessed his arrival in Iowa, and for a number of years he continued to reside on a farm on which he first located, his attention throughout that period being given to general agricultural pursuits. He was very successful in that under- taking and became the owner of a fine farming property of three hundred and two acres, located on section 30, all well improved and now in the possession of his sons. Indeed his success along farming lines was so substantial that in time he was able to withdraw from active work and he spent the last ten years of his life in honorable retirement, making his home in Iowa City, where he passed away on the 8th of April, 1897.
Mr. Ehret was married in Bloomington, Illinois, on the 22d of August, 1859, to Miss Catharine C. Link, of New Rutland, Illinois. Her birth, however, oc- curred in Columbia county, New York, on the 14th of April, 1838, her parents being Robert and Calinda ( Hover) Link. Both were natives of New York and there the mother passed away, while the father's death occurred in Hardin county, Iowa. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Ehret were born nine children, as follows : Mary E., who married Gordon Mikesell, of Chicago, Illinois; Frank A., of Missouri ; Charles Herbert, of Deep River; Fred William, operating a part of his father's estate; George W., of Jackson township; Edward Elmer, a grad- uate of a commercial college of Iowa City and also of the law department of the Iowa State University, who for the past ten years has been engaged in the railway mail service at Tama; Curtis J., who married Miss Mattie R. King and makes his home with his mother on a portion of his father's estate : Emma, who was born on the 20th of December, 1874, and passed away March 22, 1905 ; and Anna Lillian, a graduate of the Iowa State University, who married J. J. Sharp, an attorney of Hampton, Iowa. There are nineteen grandchildren and four great-grandchildren in the family.
Mr. Ehret was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, the teachings of which formed the guiding influences of his life, and in politics he gave his support to the republican party. He was deeply interested in community affairs, although he never sought nor desired public office for himself, and the cause of education found in him a warm friend. He helped to erect the first schoolhouse in Deep River township and likewise all others that were built up to the year 1880, and in many other directions he lent his cooperation toward the betterment and improvement of the community in which he resided. His death occurred on the 8th of April, 1897, when he was sixty- four years of age, and thus was closed a long, active and useful life. His widow survives and is the owner of a fine tract of forty acres, a part of the
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original homestead, upon which she has since erected a beautiful residence which is now her home. She is a lady of high character, whose many excel- lent qualities make her popular among friends and neighbors.
CHARLES A. WHITE.
Charles A. White, who engages in general farming and stock-raising in Sugar Creek township, was born in Jasper county, Iowa, on the 3d of Sept- ember, 1875. He is the eldest son of Samuel M. and Amanda (Sparks) White, the father a native of Rush county, Indiana, and the mother of Jasper county, Iowa. In his early youth Mr. White migrated to Iowa, locating in Mahaska county in the vicinity of Oskaloosa in 1854, where he obtained the greater part of his education. After leaving school he became identified with agri- cultural pursuits as a means of livelihood. Later he went to Jasper county, where he met and subsequently married Miss Sparks. He engaged in farm- ing there for a good many years but he and his wife are now residents of Riceville, Iowa. In politics Mr. White was always a republican and in matters of religious faith the views of himself and wife coincide with those of the Society of Friends, with which they affiliate. Unto the union of Mr. and Mrs. White were born the following children: Charles A., our subject; Martha, who is deceased; Cora, the wife of Jerry Clark, of Laurel, Iowa; Earl, who is a resident of Los Angeles, California ; Elsie, the wife of John Rasmussen, of Riceville, Iowa; and Oliver. who is also a resident of Riceville.
The boyhood and youth of Charles A. White were spent on the home- stead where he was born, his. education being acquired in the district schools of the vicinity and the public schools. of Lynnville. By assisting his father about the farm he early became familiar with the most practical and satis- factory method of tilling the fields and caring for the crops. After completing his education he gave his entire attention to the work of the homestead until he was twenty-one years of age. Leaving the parental roof at that time he rented a farm, which he cultivated for a year. Withdrawing from agricultural pursuits at the expiration of that period he went into Lynnville where he remained for two years. In 1906 he came to Poweshiek county, where he rented for a year, following which he purchased his present homestead of one hundred and seventy acres. He has ever since continued to reside upon this place and engages in general farming and stock-raising, from both of which he is realizing very good financial returns.
Mr. White was married on the 23d of March, 1899, to Miss Rosa Jane Cox, a daughter of John and Amanda ( MacFarlan) Cox, well known farming people of Union township, Poweshiek county. To Mr. and Mrs. White have been born five children, the order of their birth being as follows: Archie A, who was born on the 4th of May, 1900; Glenn W., born on the 30th of April, 1902: Oliver Perry, born on the 21st of March, 1904; Elbert A., whose birth occurred on the 31st of July, 1907: and Ruth A., who was born on the 4th of October. 1910.
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Ever since acquiring the full rights of citizenship upon attaining his major- ity Mr. White has cast his vote for the men and measures of the republican party. He takes an active and helpful interest in all matters pertaining to the welfare of the community and has for the past two years been serving on the board of school directors. Energetic and enterprising in his methods and progressive in his ideas Mr. White is meeting with success in his under- takings and is becoming recognized as one of the prosperous young agricul- turists of the township.
FRED O. CUNNINGHAM.
Edgewood Farm is the name of the homestead of Fred O. Cunningham, one of the successful stockmen and agriculturists of Madison township. He was born in Jefferson township. Poweshiek county, Iowa, on the 6th of April, 1863, a son of James R. and Mariah (Noble) Cunningham. The father, who was born in Indiana, migrated to Mercer county, Illinois, with his parents in 1863, and later they removed to Iowa, locating in Jefferson township. They crossed the Mississippi river at New Boston on a flatboat, and owing to the strong current were carried six miles down stream before they could make a landing. The trip from the river to Jefferson township was made with three yoke of oxen, one week being consumed in the journey. Mr. Cunningham continued to reside upon the old homestead until 1901, when he retired to Belle Plaine. Iowa where he passed away the following year. He had been very successful in his under- takings and had acquired four hundred and forty acres of land in Jefferson township and one farm in Tama county, which he sold just before his death. After the death of her husband Mrs. Cunningham made her home with her children and was living with her son. Fred, at the time of her demise on the 17th of June, 1910.
The first twenty-six years of Fred O. Cunningham's life were spent on the old homestead, his education being obtained in the district schools of his native township. Afterward he assisted his father until 1889, when he removed to his present farm on sections 23 and 26 of Madison township. Subsequent to his marriage he purchased a portion of the farm and the remainder was owned by his wife. Mr. Cunningham has always made a specialty of raising and feed- ing stock, in which he has met with most gratifying success. He keeps an ex- cellent grade of both cattle and hogs, which he ships to the Chicago market. In 1908 he shipped one hundred head of hogs, averaging three hundred and fifty pounds each, and there were only three sales that day which exceeded his aver- age. Two years later he shipped a carload of steers which averaged one thousand and four pounds each. He fattens his stock in the cornfield before husking the grain and finishes with one or two weeks' feeding in the yards, having found this to be a very satisfactory method.
Mr. Cunningham married Miss Grace Scarl, the youngest daughter of Peter H. and Sarah (Isinhour) Searl. The father was born in Greene county, Ohio, on the 7th of August, 1821, and the mother at Tioga, Pennsylvania, on
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the 19th of February. 1827. Mrs. Searl in the maternal line was of New England extraction while her father's people came from Virginia ; her grand- mother, Zilpha Jackson, was a cousin of Andrew Jackson. Mr. and Mrs. Searl were married in 1844, while residing in the vicinity of Princeton, Bureau county, Illinois, where they had moved with their parents when children. They resided there until 1866 when they came to Madison township, locating upon a farm, in the cultivation of which the father engaged for five years, then removing to a place a quarter of a mile south. Ten years later they re- turned to their former home and there Mrs. Searl passed away in June, 1884. Mr. Searl was killed by lightning on the 9th of May, 1889, while working about the barn of his homestead, which is the place now occupied by his daughter and her husband. Mr. Searl had become quite an extensive land- owner. having acquired six hundred acres in various parts of the county, and was considered to be one of the substantial farmers of his township. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Cunningham have been born two children: Gail, who is seven- teen years of age and a graduate of the Brooklyn high school, class of 1911 ; and Edward, aged eight, who is attending the school in district No. 7 of Madison township.
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