USA > Iowa > Sac County > History of Sac County, Iowa > Part 54
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have had three children, only one of whom is living, Charles, born June 12, 1904, and Vern and James, twins, who died at the age of seven. James Shelmerdine has made his home with his son-in-law, Mr. Anthony, since March, 1905.
David Shelmerdine, the oldest child of Mr. and Mrs. James Shelmer- dine, has lived for the past forty-four years on his present farm. He has made a success of his chosen vocation and is one of the most progressive farmers of his vicinity. He was married March 16, 1904, to Erminda, the daughter of Neils Nielson, who is now living in Sac City. Mr. and Mrs. Shelmerdine have one daughter. Emeline Leona, who was born August 8, 1906.
FRANK PILLOUD.
Among the earnest men whose enterprise and depth of character have gained a prominent place in the community and the respect and confidence of his fellow citizens is the honored subject of this sketch. A leading farmer and stock raiser of the township in which he lives and a man of decided views and laudable ambitions, his influence has ever been exerted for the advance- ment of his kind, and in the vocation to which his energies have been devoted he ranks among the representative agriculturists of the county.
Frank Pilloud, the son of Frank and Mary E. ( Washburn ) Pilloud, was born in Marshall county, Iowa, November 21, 1871. Frank Pilloud, Sr., was a native of Switzerland, born in Fribourg in 1828, and his wife was a native of Ohio. He came to America when a young man and first stopped in Cincin- nati, Ohio, for some time, after which he came to Muscatine county, lowa, and from there he went to Marshall county, this state, but later returned to Muscatine county. lle then came to Sac county and bought eighty acres in Coon Valley township in 1880, and three years later he sold this tract and bought one hundred and sixty acres in the same township. In 1886 he came to Cedar township, and bought one hundred and sixty acres, and died in that township in 1888, his widow following him four years later. Four children were born to Frank and Mary Pilloud: Mrs. Vernie Strain, of Oklahoma; Mrs. Fannie Glass, of Sac City, this county, and L. C. and Frank, who are in partnership on the farm. Two children died in infancy, Lillie May, the youngest born, died at the age of one year.
Frank Pilloud, Sr., was a soldier in the Union army during the Civil War. He enlisted in Company E, of the Second Iowa Cavalry, October I,
RESIDENCE OF FRANK PILLOUD
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1861, for a term of three years and was discharged on the expiration of his term of service, October 3, 1864, at Davenport, Iowa. He was a sergeant of his company, and participated in the following engagements: Tiptonville, Missouri, Island Number Two, Fort Pillow, under General Pope ; Hamburg, Tennessee ; Glendale, Mississippi ; Farmington, May 9, 1862 ; Booneville, May 30th ; Blackland. Mississippi : second battle of Booneville. July ist of the same year ; and was in many severe skirmishes, among which were Baldwin, King's Creek, Ripley, Rienzi, the battles of luka and Corinth, Mississippi ; Payton's Mills, Grand Junction, Hudsonville ; Holly Springs ; Lumkins Mills: Water- ford : Tallahatchee : Water Valley ; Coffeeville, and the battles around Mobile, Alabama. Other engagements in which his regiment took an active part were Palo Alto, Birmingham, Fort Chalmers, Panola, Coldwater. Jackson, Missis- sippi, Glendale and the evacuation of Corinth.
L. C. Pilloud, the brother of Frank, was born in Marshall county, lowa, October 15. 1869. He began farming for himself at the age of seventeen years, and, after the death of his father, managed the home place for the mother. For the past twenty years he and his brother, Frank, have farmed in partnership, and today have one of the finest farms in this part of the county. In 1895 the brothers bought one hundred and twenty acres of land in Jackson township, for which they paid thirty-six dollars and a half an acre. Three years later they added another one hundred and sixty acres at twenty-nine dollars an acre. In 1909 they purchased two hundred and forty acres which cost them eighty dollars an acre, and they are now the owners of five hundred and fourteen acres in Jackson township, ranging in value from one hundred and fifty to two hundred dollars an acre. The land is well tiled, well fenced and has excellent buildings of all kinds upon it. In addition to raising large crops of grain they handle large amounts of live stock each year and will average ninety head of cattle and two hundred head of hogs annually, which they place upon the market.
The brothers are both members of the Baptist church, to which they give their generous support. Politically, they are both Republicans and take an intelligent interest in the affairs of the day. Frank Pilloud was married August 30, 1909, to Ada Pearl Waisner, a native of Sac county, and a daugh- ter of James and Martha Waisner, natives of Pennsylvania and Dallas county, lowa, respectively, and to this union has been born one daughter, Daisy Pearl, born August 28. 1910. The brothers can be relied upon at all times to identify themselves for the support of the right side of any measure for the (35)
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welfare of the community. They are genial, hard-working men who have in- coporated in their lives the sound principles of right living. and they are good examples of conscientious and patriotic American citizens.
GEORGE W. WADSLEY.
In past ages the history of a country was comprised chiefly in the record of its wars and conquests. Today history is largely a record of commercial activity and those whose names are foremost in the annals of the nation are those who have become leaders in business circles. The conquests now made are those of mind over matter, and the victor is he who can most success- fully establish, control and operate commercial interests. Mr. Wadsley is one of the men whose lives have been an essential part of the history of Sac county, lowa. Tireless energy, keen perception, honesty of purpose, genius for devising and executing the right thing in the right place and time are the chief characteristics of the man. These, combined with every-day com- mon sense and guided by strong will power, are concomitants which will insure success in any undertaking.
George W. Wadsley, implement and vehicle dealer of Early, Iowa, was born August 11, 1866, in Delaware county, Iowa, the son of John L. and Ruth ( Boutling ) Wadsley, who were both natives of England, and were married in Canada. In 1854 John Wadsley and his family moved to a farmi in Delaware county, lowa, where they lived until his death, which occurred February 8, 1882. John Wadsley and wife were the parents of five children : C. A., of Early; L. J., of Cherokee, Iowa; Mrs. Louisa Boots, of Delaware township, in this county; George W., with whom this sketch deals, and Joseph B., of Storm Lake, Iowa.
George W. Wadsley came to Sac county with his mother, sister and brother, J. B. Wadsley, in 1885, and settled on a farm in Delaware town- ship. Mrs. John Wadsley died in Delaware township, Sac county, February 1. 1909. George Wadsley lived on this farm for eighteen years, or until he removed to Early. in 1903. He had just passed his fifteenth year when his father died. and he had the responsibility of managing the family affairs from that time. Mr. Wadsley now owns three hundred and twenty acres of fine farming land in Delaware township. In 1904 Mr. Wadsley moved to Early and purchased an implement and vehicle business, which had been previously established. It is now located in a large building on Main street.
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and comprises a large stock of goods valned at about ten thousand dollars. He carries a full line of agricultural implements and a good assortment of the vehicles which are most in common use in this neighborhood. He has built up his trade until he now has a fair share of the patronage of Early and vicinity.
Mr. Wadsley was married July 1, 1891, to Mary Gooding, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Gooding, of Dubuque county, Iowa, and to this union there have been born three children, Floyd M., Walter R. and Mildred. The political affiliations of Mr. Wadsley have always been with the Republican party, and although deeply interested in the success of his party, he has never been an active participant in political life. The members of the family are all adherents of the Methodist Episcopal church of Early, and interest them- selves in its various activities. Mr. Wadsley is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Mr. Wadsley, as a public-spirited citizen, has interested himself in whatever has tended to promote the welfare of Early and vicinity, and the social and moral advancement of his fellowmen.
Mr. Wadsley was a member of the town council for seven years. He has served on the school board for three years and has been re-elected for three years more.
GEORGE C. STANZEL.
Inherited traits which have been transmitted from a successful parent to his son, who had followed in his father's footsteps in the pursuit of agri- culture, and which have been of great assistance in determining the course for the son, are a heritage which has a greater value than noble or princely birth. All of us, as we grow older, recognize the wisdom of our fathers and. in later years, are more likely to heed admonitions long since given than while we were permitted the personal counsel and advice of the parent while on earth. A successful farmer of Sac county who has profited by the ex- ample set by an illustrious parent, and who has achieved a remarkable snc- cess of his own accord, is George C. Stanzel, of Boyer Valley township.
Mr. Stanzel is the owner of over eight hundred acres of land, consisting of several farms, as follows: Two hundred and forty acres in his home farm, which is equipped with good buildings and a modern farm residence of thirteen rooms, erected in 1903; four hundred acres in Clinton township. with fair improvements; one hundred and sixty acres, well equipped for
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carrying on farming operations, in Delaware township; one hundred and sixty acres in South Dakota; only recently he was the owner of over eleven hundred acres, but sold off a portion of his holdings. Mr. Stanzel, being shrewd and far seeing, deals to a considerable extent in farm lands and takes advantage of the constantly rising values. He usually buys a farm which is in need of improvements of a more substantial character than it possesses, improves it himself and then sells at an advance over the purchase price. He is an excellent farmer.
Mr. Stanzel was born August 31, 1865, in Clinton county, Jowa, and is the son of William A. and Lawrinda Roxana (Clark) Stanzel. His father was a native of Germany, born in August of 1833, and died in Sac county in January of 1911. His mother was a native of Ohio, born' in March, 1842, and now a resident of Odebolt. William A. came to America when fourteen years of age and settled in the timber country of Wisconsin, near the city of Milwaukee, and moved from there to Illinois. He came to Clinton county, lowa, in 1863 and was there married in 1864. In March, 1876, the family came to Sac county and settled in Clinton township, where William .A. resided until his death in Odebolt. He died a very wealthy man and a large land owner. An extended account of the life of William A. Stanzel and his esteemed widow appears in this volume, so it is unnecessary to enlarge further concerning them in this resume.
George C. Stanzel began for himself when he attained the age of twenty-one years, and worked for his father on the home farm for one year. He then rented land of his father one year and his father gave him two hundred acres of unimproved land on certain conditions. He had made a practice of giving each son an improved farm of one hundred and sixty acres, but gave George his choice in the matter, and the son selected an unimproved tract. William A. Stanzel divided in all over one thousand acres of land among his children previons to his demise, thus insuring their success.
He of whom this chronicle is written cultivated his farm for two years and improved it, after which he was employed as a canvasser and salesman for some time and gained valuable experience, which has been of consid- erable benefit to him as a result. He successfully sold lightning rods for several years in addition to carrying on his farming operations. On his father's retirement from the home farm to Odebolt, George C. took charge of it and tilled the three hundred and twenty acres with the assistance of his two younger brothers for one year. He then lived for one year on the Fulcher farm in Clinton township. In 1896 he removed to his farm of four
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hundred acres in Clinton township. His various additions to his original farmstead are as follows: In 1887 he added eighty acres ; in 1890 he bought one hundred and twenty acres more, making four hundred acres in all, which cost him an average price of thirty dollars an acre. For five years he lived in Clinton township and then moved to Boyer Valley township, where he had invested in eighty acres in 1901. to which he added one hundred and sixty acres in 1906. He secured his South Dakota land in 1912, at which time he also bought one hundred and sixty acres known as the Greenley place. Mr. Stanzel has bought and sold several farms in the meantime and practically makes a business of handling farm lands on his own account.
Mr. Stanzel was married February 19, 1894, to Carrie Fulcher, who was born February 9. 1871. in Badingham, England, the daughter of · Thomas and Eliza ( Reed) Fulcher. The Fulchers came to America in July. 1872, and first located in DeKalb county, Illinois, where they resided until 1895. when they removed to Sac county in the fall of the same year. The father of Mrs. Stanzel is deceased and the mother is yet living. Mr. and Mrs. Stanzel are the parents of four children, three of whom are yet living, namely : Thomas William, born March 6, 1895, and died May 4, 1902, at the age of seven years; George .Albert, born March 10, 1896; Freddie, born August 26, 1903 ; Florence Mildred, born January 31, 1907.
Mr. Stanzel is a Republican in politics. He and his family are affiliated with the Methodist church. His only lodge is that of the Knights of Pythias, located in the town of Early. He is keen, intelligent and enterpris- ing and is universally respected as an able and progressive citizen, who looks carefully after his own affairs, yet is not unmindful of his duties as a citizen of the county. -
GEORGE ROSENHAUER.
Among the many German citizens of Sac county who have attained notable success in farming in this county there is no one who is entitled to more credit than George Rosenhauer, proprietor of a fine farm in Boyer Valley township. He came to this county with only a small amount of money, and has accumulated a fine farm of two hundred and thirty-seven acres and improved it in such a way as to make it one of the most attractive homes in this part of the state. His life has been full of hard work and he richly merits his present success.
George Rosenhauer was born March 31. 1854. in Kenosha county.
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Wisconsin. His parents, John S. and Julia ( Krause ) Rosenhauer, were both natives of Germany, and came to this country early in the history of Wisconsin. John S. Rosenhauer and wife are the parents of three children : Edward, of Wisconsin; Mrs. Catherine Schaller. of Sac City, Iowa, and George, with whom this narrative deals. John Rosenhauer is still living in Kenosha county, Wisconsin, at the advanced age of eighty-seven years, while his wife has been dead twenty years.
George Rosenhauer was reared and educated in Kenosha county, Wis- consin, and when twenty-one years of age he came to Sac county on a visit to his sister, who was then living here. He became interested in this county. and after his marriage, in 1881, he decided to permanently locate in Sac county. In the fall of 1882 he and his wife came to Sac county and spent . their first winter in Sac City. They then moved on to his sister's farm in Boyer Valley township, where they lived for the next nine years. In 1891 Mr. Rosenhaner bought one hundred and sixty acres in Boyer Valley town- ship, which he later traded for his present farm. He now has a farm of two hundred and thirty-seven acres in Boyer Valley township, which is a model farm in every way. He has two large barns, fifty-six by seventy-six and thirty-six by forty-eight feet in size. The interesting thing about his barns is the fact that they are electrically equipped, having electricity for both light and power. There is a flowing spring on his former farm, which gives him a never-failing supply of water, and this one feature itself is worth the price of many acres of land. He has a beautiful and attractive home, one and one-half miles south of Early, which will compare favorably with any of the city homes as far as modern conveniences is concerned. He has been a successful farmer because he has used the best methods in cultivating the soil and raising his stock.
Mr. Rosenhauer was married January 10, 1881, at Burlington, Wis- consin, to Anna Grass. To this marriage have been born six children : Elmer, who is in the automobile business at Early; Katie, the wife of Karl Fulcher, of Clinton township; Martha: Clara, a teacher in Boyer Valley township: William and Lola. Martha. William and Lola are still at home with their parents and the two youngest children are now in school at Early. Politically, Mr. Rosenhauer is a Democrat, and has taken an active part in the local campaigns of his party. He has served as trustee of Boyer Valley township and rendered faithful and efficient service to the citizens of the township while in that capacity. Fraternally, he is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. He was reared in the faith of the Lutheran church, while his wife is a member of the Catholic church. Personally. Mr. Rosen-
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hauer is a genial and companionable man and enjoys a wide acquaintance throughout this section of the state. Because of his energy in whatever he undertakes, he has been a leader in this community and has naturally been one of the most potent factors in the development of his township.
MICHAEL DAHM.
Among the prosperous farmers of German parentage who have made their home in Sac county, Iowa, is Michael Dahm, of Boyer Valley town- ship. Coming to this county with practically nothing. he has, by the sweat of his brow, carved out a very respectable fortune within the past thirty years, and is now the owner of a half section of fine farming land in Boyer V'alley township, this county. He is one of the oldest pioneers of the county. having lived here since 1875, and what he has accomplished is due solely to his energy, industry and sturdy persistence, qualities which are essential to success wherever they are properly used.
Michael Dahm was born on November 3. 1848, in Cook county, Illinois, the son of Anthony and Margaret Dahm, who were both natives of Germany, who came to this country and settled in Buffalo, New York. Later they went to Cook county, Illinois, and in 1852 moved on west to Dubuque county, lowa, where they remained until 1865, when they moved to Clinton county, this state, where the father died in 1884. Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Dahm were the parents of five children. Fred. Barbara, John, Katherine and Michael. Katherine went with her husband to Boyer Valley township, this county, in 1872, where she died many years ago. The other children are now living in Sac county, Iowa.
Michael Dahm came to Sac county, lowa. in 1875. and located in Boyer Valley township. His first work consisted of breaking raw prairie land, and in 1876 he bought a part of his present farm. Until 1885. how- ever, he lived on rented land, and in that year moved on to his own farm of one hundred and twenty acres. While it was partly improved it had no buildings on it, and for this reason he had not moved to it sooner. He later purchased two hundred acres of fine land. Mr. Dahm raises considerable live stock, and in 1913 shipped twenty-five head of cattle and one hundred and fifty head of hogs to the markets, and he finds stock raising a very profitable adjunct to his agricultural operations.
Mr. Dahm was married in 1885 to Katherine Engler, daughter of Mr.
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and Mrs. John Engler, who were the proprietors of the first hotel in Early. Mr. and Mrs. Dahm are the parents of six children : Mrs. Eva McQuirk, who lives in Boyer Valley township, and has four children, Cyril, Joseph, Florence and Robert; Anthony L., a farmer of Boyer Valley township; Mary A., Frederick B., Gertrude and Sylvester. the four youngest, who are still with their parents at home.
While Mr. Dahm is nominally a Democrat. yet he reserves the right to cast his vote for the best man in his opinion at elections irrespective of party lines. He is a class of the ever-increasing number of men who are inde- pendent in all of their local elections. He and all the members of his family are faithful and consistent members of the Catholic church and give to it their earnest and zealous support at all times. Mr. Dahm has so ordered his course at all times as to command the confidence and respect of the people of his community. He is a man of honorable business methods and ad- vocates the promotion of the public welfare in any way.
LOUIS BAHL.
The life history of no man can exceed in interest that of him who comes to this land of opportunity as a immigrant and who, in this great land, han- pered by lack of knowledge of language and custom. yet overcomes all obstacles and reaches a position of influence in his adopted country. Such has been the history of Louis Bahl, who is now living a retired life in Sac City, Iowa. He was born June 28, 1840. in Prussia, the son of Frank George and Anna Elizabeth ( Bear ) Bahl. His parents came to this country when he was fourteen years of age and first located in Iowa. They came up the Mississippi river from New Orleans and had intended to locate in Arkansas, near Port Smith, but they could not ascend the Arkansas river on account of the low water. Therefore, they continued on their way up the Mississippi and landed at Davenport. lowa, and thence they went to Muscatine county, where Frank Bahl bought sixty-five acres of land and built a small house. He had twelve hundred dollars in cash when he bought his farm and paid six hundred dollars of it for his land. The first winter which they spent in this country was very mild and they experienced none of those discomforts which they suffered during some of the succeeding winters. The family continued to live in Musca- tine county until the outbreak of the war. Three of the sons of Frank Bahl. William, Frank and Henry, enlisted in the Union army and served throughout
LOUIS BAHL AND FAMILY
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the war. They engaged in forty-two skirmishes and battles and came out un- wounded at the end of the long struggle. William and Frank, it is interesting to note, were twins.
Louis Bahl received his elementary education in the public schools of Germany and also attended school a short time after coming to this country, in order to better acquaint himself with our language. He worked on the home farm until he was married, at the age of twenty-three, and then rented land from his parents, who had moved to Davenport. He also rented a farm adjoining his father's farm after the first year, and when his father sold the farm Louis teamed for a couple of years in Davenport. He then moved to a forty-acre farm in Muscatine county, and later rented an eighty-acre farm. After living four years on this farm he rented a one-hundred-and-twenty- acre farm and lived on it for four years. In 1874 he moved to Cedar county and lived for seven years on a two-hundred-acre farm. which he rented. Then for the next three years he rented a three-hundred-and-twenty-acre farm. In 1800 he went to Scott county, where he rented a farm for four years, and in 1894 came to Sac county and bought three hundred and twenty acres in Douglas township for thirty-five dollars an acre. There was one set of build- ings on this farm and it was already somewhat improved, so that he had an opportunity to begin getting returns on his investment at once. He later built another set of buildings. In 1902 he bought one hundred and sixty acres at thirty-six dollars an acre, and sold this farm four years later for ten thousand dollars. In the spring of 1908 he moved to Sac City, where he has a fine residence in the northern part of the city.
Louis Bahl was married on November 20, 1863, to Augusta Ehrecke. who was born October 18, 1845. To this union were born twelve children, all of whom are living: Charles, of North Dakota; Mrs. Frances Evers, of Douglas township: Louis, Jr .. of Dickinson county, Iowa ; Mrs. Ida Royalty, of Butler county, lowa : Mrs. Hannah Fisher, of Fort Pierce, Iowa : William, of Douglas township: Mrs. Anna Straub, of Clay county, lowa; Edward. of Storm Lake, Iowa; Albert, of Douglas township: Mrs. Augusta Spinhirni, of Texas ; Frank, of Montgomery, Iowa, and Harry, of Dickinson county, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Bahl have twenty-six grandchildren. They celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on November 15. 1913.
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