USA > Iowa > Sac County > History of Sac County, Iowa > Part 58
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90
Thomas Longman, a prosperous farmer of Cedar township. Sac county. Iowa, was born March 13, 1855, in Holloman county, Ontario, Canada, and is the son of George and Julia ( Murphy ) Longman. His parents were na- tives respectively of England and Canada. George Longman and wife came to Illinois in 1869. when Thomas was about fourteen years of age, and in 1889 the parents moved to Nebraska, where they lived the remainder of their lives. They were the parents of fourteen children, eight of whom are still living.
Thomas Longman was educated in the schools of Illinois, and when twenty-six years of age began farming for himself in that state. For the first ten years he rented land and by thrift and economy he saved sufficient money so that he felt able to go West and purchase a farm of his own. Accordingly, in 1893 he went to Nebraska, where he purchased a farm, but sold it three years later. He then came to Sac county, Iowa, where he rented land for twelve years in Coon Valley and Jackson townships, and such was his success in farming that he was able, in 1908, to buy his present farm of two hundred acres, for which he paid sixty-six dollars an acre, and has improved it in various ways until it is now easily worth two hundred dollars an acre. In 1913 he had eight horses, twenty-five head of cattle and other live stock upon his farm. He has made a notable success of farm- ing since coming to this county, and is rightly regarded as one of the best
600
SAC COUNTV. IOWA.
farmers of the township. He keeps well informed on all the latest develop- ments in agricultural work and does not hesitate to depart from old and established methods if he believes he can improve his farm in any way.
Mr. Longman was married in 1883 to Bridget Maria Finnegan, of Illinois, and to this marriage have been born five sons and two daughters, Arthur, Edward, Leo, Hugh, Roy, Marguerite and Winifred. The last four children are still at home with their parents, while the others are farming in other parts of this county. It has been said that success comes to those who deserve it, and if this be the case, Mr. Longman has certainly deserved it. as he has worked hard for his property and what he has gained has been earned by the sweat of his brow, and he is well deserving of a place in the list of representative men of Sac county.
J. REESE DRURY.
The gentleman to whom the reader's attention is now directed was not favored by inherited wealth or the assistance of influential friends, but in spite of these, by perseverance, industry and a wise economy, he has attained a comfortable station in life, and is well and favorably known throughout Sac county as a result of the industrious life he has lived here for many years, being regarded by all who know him as a man of sound business principles, thoroughly up to date in all phases of agriculture and stock raising and as a man who, while advancing his individual interests, does not neglect his gen- eral duties as a citizen.
J. Reese Drury, a substantial farmer of Boyer Valley township. Sac county. Iowa, was born April 25, 1852, in Mercer county, Illinois. His par- ents, Isaiah and Margaret Jane ( Leach ) Drury, were both natives of Indiana and moved to Marshall county, Iowa, in 1862, where they resided until 1884. when they moved to Louisiana, where Isaiah Drury died. Isaiah Drury and wife were the parents of nine children: Samuel, of Marshall county, Iowa : Mrs. Mahala Daugherty, of Marshall county; J. Reese, with whom this narrative deals; Albert, of Marshall county: Mrs. Mary Ellen Cline, of Louisiana : Lafayette, of Oregon ; William, of Nebraska : Clara, of Louisiana, and James A., of this township.
J Reese Drury was educated in the district schools of Marshall county, and remained on the home farm to assist his father until he was twenty-one years of age. He then began farming for himself in Marshall county and later owned a farm of one hundred and thirty acres in that county. In the
4
J. REESE DRURY AND FAMILY
601
SAC COUNTY, IOWA.
spring of 1880 he sold this farm and moved to Sac county, where he pur- chased one hundred and sixty acres of unimproved land in Boyer Valley township for eight dollars an acre. He planted fruit trees and improved the place in other ways so that he was able to greatly enhance its value. He con- tinued to operate this farm until 1901, when he sold it to his brother. James A., who is now living on it. The next year he purchased his present farm of two hundred and forty acres, for which he paid sixty dollars an acre. He had intended to locate in Lyon county, after selling his farm in 1901, and bought a farm there, but later decided to sell it and return to Sac county. The land which he purchased in 1902 in this county for sixty dollars an acre is now easily worth two hundred dollars an acre, so Mr. Drury feels that he made no mistake in locating in this township. He feeds the grain which he raises on his farm to his own stock and annually produces about fifty head of cattle and one carload of hogs for the market. He has a fine home, good barns and outbuildings. In order to take care of his stock through the winter months ht has erected a silo, and finds this to be one of the most useful buildings on his farm.
Mr Drury was married on March 21, 1875, to Sarah A. Cline, who was born in Linn county, Iowa, December 27, 1858, and is the daughter of Jacob and Mary Ann Cline, natives of Pennsylvania and Ireland, respectively. To this marriage there have been born seven children: Rush Leander, of Sac county, lowa, who was born in 1876; Mrs. Lewis Simpson, who has three children, Crystal, Leland and Millard, and they live in Chickasaw, Iowa ; Mrs. Elizabeth A. Jensen, of Sac City, who has one son, Milton, aged four ; Mrs. Clara Steele, of Sac county, who has one son, Clarence ; Ruby May; Ollie Reese and Charles Roosevelt. The last three children are still with their parents.
Politically, Mr. Drury is affiliated with the Republican party and takes an intelligent interest in the current issues of the day. All of the family are attendants of the Presbyterian church and give to it of their time and means. Fraternally. he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, An- cient Order of United Workmen, Modern Woodmen of America and the Brotherhood of American Yeomen. Mr. Drury has been honest and suc- cessful in his chosen field of endeavor, by applying those principles of hon- esty and integrity, which always insures success if rightly followed. He has done his duty as a loyal American citizen, by taking his full share of the responsibilities of his community and accordingly is entitled to a position in this volume of representative men of Sac county.
602
SAC COUNTY, IOWA
JAMES DAVID CORSAUT.
An enumeration of the representative citizens of Sac county would be incomplete without specific mention of the well known and popular gentle- man whose name introduces this sketch. A member of one of the old and highly esteemed families of this locality and for many years a public-spirited man of affairs, he has stamped the impress of his individuality upon the con- munity and added luster to the honorable name which he bears, having al- ways been actuated by a spirit of fairness in his dealings with the world in general, and leaving no stone unturned whereby he might benefit his own condition as well as that of his friends and the favored section of the great commonwealth in which he has been content to spend his life. Straightfor- ward and unassuming, genial and obliging, Mr. Corsant enjoys the good will and respect of a wide circle of friends throughout this part of the state.
James David Corsaut, the son of David and Sarah ( Hunt ) Corsaut, was born January 12, 1870, in Michigan. David Corsaut was born near London City, Canada, in 1839. His wife. Sarah Hunt, came from Eng- land to Canada when she was three years of age. In 1885 David Corsaut and family came to Butler county, Iowa, and a year later moved to Hamil- ton county, where they stayed for six years. In the spring of 1892 they came to Sac county and settled on a farm of three hundred and twenty acres in Jackson township, where Mr. and Mrs. David Corsaut are now living. They were the parents of six children, five of whom are living: Will and Charles King are at home; James David, whose history is herein delineated ; Mrs. Emma Hendrickson, of Sac City, lowa: Mrs. Zadie Kier, of Spencer, Iowa, and Hannah, who died at the age of two.
James David Corsaut received his education in the public schools of Michigan and Iowa and worked with his father on his large farm until his marriage in 1900. He is cultivating a fine farm of three hundred and twenty acres owned by the family and raises a considerable amount of stock in addition to his general farming. He and his father and brothers make a specialty of the breeding of Percherons. They have three fine stallions, one of which, "Cato," was imported from Belgium. In 1913 they had nineteen head of horses and forty head of cattle. They always have a fine herd of Shorthorn cattle, and adds not a little to his annual income from the sale of this cattle.
Mr. Corsaut was married January 10, 1900, to Margaret Rebecca Gish- willer, the daughter of Nicholas Gishwiller, the mayor of Sac City. This marriage has been blessed with four children, all of whom are at home:
603
SAC COUNTY, IOWA.
Frances Alvira, aged fourteen; Dwight James, aged twelve; Zadie Emma. aged ten, and Lorne Fuller, aged eight.
In his political relations, Mr. Corsaut has allied himself with the Re- publican party, but, owing to his many interests, he has not been able to take an active part in political affairs. The family are all members of the Presbyterian church and give it their earnest support at all times. Mr. Corsaut is a member of the Yeomen and is very much interested in the activities of that order. Two of his children, Dwight and Lorne, drew first prizes in a declamatory contest recently, which was held by the Yeomen. Mr. Corsaut is one of the most important stock raisers in the county and has been identified with the material growth and prosperity of this section of the state. By his straightforward and commendable course he has won his way to a respectable position in the life of his community and has earned a reputation as an enterprising man of affairs.
THEA HUSER.
Our nation owes much of its progressiveness to the infusion of the Germanic element amongst its population, for in all walks of life they have been found efficient, energetic and patient, enduring with fortitude the hard- ships of pioneer life and doing their full share in the work of pushing for- ward the wheels of progress wherever they have located. There is scarcely a locality in the Union that has not felt their strong and ameliorating influ- ence, consequently they have ever been most welcome here and all honor is dne them.
Thea Huser, a prominent stock buyer and farmer of Cedar township, Sac county, lowa, was born in Germany on April 29, 1864. His parents were David and Christina ( Zirike) Huser. The Huser family came to America in 1873 and settled in Des Moines, Iowa, but shortly afterwards moved to a farm in Polk county, near Des Moines, where the mother died on March 16, 1878. David Huser died at the home of his son in Sac county on April 27, 1895. David Huser and wife were the parents of nine children. six of whom are living in the United States: Frank, of Des Moines: Mrs. Christian Ashing, of Chamberlain, South Dakota; Mrs. Minnie Beadle, of Butte, Montana ; Harry, of Teco, Washington; Henry, of Missoula, Mon- tana, and Thea.
Thea Huser received a very limited education in his native land before
004
SAC COUNTY, IOWA.
coming to this country, and, owing to the fact that his parents were very poor, upon their arrival in this country he had to start out to help support the family, so the nine-year-old Thea was bound out to a neighboring farm- er. who paid him three dollars a month and gave him his board and clothes. As he grew older his wages increased and he saved every possible cent that he could. He did all kinds of honest work and was never afraid to tackle anything which would give him an honest wage. He came to Sac county on his marriage in the spring of 1895 and bought one hundred acres of land in Cedar township, paying thirty-six dollars an acre for the land. He has put all of the improvements on the place which it now has, and in 1902, in partnership with David Lewis, he bought a half section of land in Jackson township for forty-three dollars an acre. The next year he sold this and bought one hundred and thirty acres at sixty-five dollars an acre. In 1907 he bought forty acres in Jackson township, at seventy-seven dollars and a half per acre, and later bought an adjoining forty for eighty dollars an acre. In the same year, 1909, he and C. F. Brobeil purchased three hundred and twenty acres in Cedar township, for which they paid one hundred and five dollars an acre. As a result of all of his buying and selling of real estate he now owns four hundred and seventy acres, which lie in three farms. In addition to his large agricultural interests, he buys a large amount of live stock every year and feeds it on his own farms, and has averaged for the past two years over two hundred head of live stock annually, his sales amounting to from twenty to twenty-five car loads each year. He has im- proved his farm in every way and has spent thousands of dollars in tiling and ditching his land. His home farm at the present time is worth two hundred and fifty dollars an acre and could not be purchased at that price.
Mr. Inser was married in 1895 at Ankeny, lowa, to Minnie Swart- fager. of Des Moines, Iowa, who was born near Des Moines on November 27. 1861. the daughter of Frank and Anna Swartfager, natives of Germany and Pennsylvania, respectively. To this marriage has been born one son, Harry, who is now aged thirteen years. Politically, Mr. Huser is a Repub- lican, but his business interests have prevented him from taking an active part in the affairs of his party. He and his wife are zealous members of the Presbyterian church and are interested in the various activities of that denomination. Mr. Huser takes an active interest in everything pertaining to agricultural affairs, and is one of the stockholders of the Sac County Fair Association. He is at present the president of the association and is doing everything within his power to make the fair a real benefit to the farmers of his county. Personally, Mr. Huser is a very likable man and has a host
605
SAC COUNTY, IOWA.
of friends throughout the county. It is evident that his selection as presi- dent of the Sac County Fair Association is the result of his popularity among the farmers of the county who recognized in him a man who was deeply interested in agricultural affairs.
FRED LEROY BLAIR, M. D.
Devoted to the noble work which his profession implies, the gentleman whose career we essay to briefly outline in the following paragraphs has been faithful and indefatigable in his endeavors and has not only earned the due rewards of his efforts in a temporal way, but has has also proved himself eminently worthy to exercise the important functions of his calling, by reason of his ability, his abiding sympathy and his earnest zeal in behalf of his fel- lowmen. His understanding of the science of medicine is regarded by those who know him as being broad and comprehensive, and the profession and the public accord him a distinguished place among the men of his class in Iowa. His has been a life of earnest and persistent endeavor, such as always brings a true appreciation of the real value of human existence, a condition that must be prolific of good results in all the relations of life.
Dr. Fred Leroy Blair, the son of John B. and Sylvia (Allen) Blair, was born March 7, 1879. in Elm Grove township, Calhoun county, Iowa. His father was born in Darlington, Wisconsin, in 1840 and died in this town- ship August 22, 1912. The mother of Doctor Blair is still living at Yetter, Iowa. John B. Blair and his wife, with four children, came from Wisconsin in 1873 to Calhoun county. They drove through with a team and had all of their household goods in the wagon. They first settled in Elm Grove town- ship and homesteaded one hundred and twenty acres, where John Blair lived and died. John Blair was a gallant soldier of the Civil War, enlisting in Company I. Third Regiment of Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, at the out- break of the war and serving throughont. He was in the battles of Vicks- burg, Chattanooga, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, Atlanta and with Sherman on his famous march to the sea. After getting the land in this county, Mr. Blair improved it in every way, fenced, drained and erected good buildings, making it a very productive farm. John Blair and wife were the parents of eleven children, four were born in Wisconsin and the last seven in Iowa; two died in infancy and the other nine living are as follows: Mrs. G. V. Yepson, of Calhoun county, Iowa ; Mrs. Jasper Yepson, of Yetter, Fowa;
606
SAC COUNTY, IOWA.
William B., who died of apoplexy in South Dakota in 1911 ; L. J., a farmer of Calhoun county : F. C., a farmer of Calhoun county ; Dr. Fred L. ; E. J., of Calhoun county : Ralph, of Yetter, Iowa, and Ilarry A., of Calhoun county.
Dr. Fred L. Blair was educated in the common schools of his home township and later attended the State Normal School at Cedar Falls. He took his medical course at the State University of Iowa. graduating June 16, 1005, from that institution. The day after he was graduated he located in Lytton, opened his office and has had a lucrative practice from the first. One week from the time Doctor Blair located here, he was married to Marion Reilly, of Yetter, Calhoun county, Iowa, and to this union have been born four children: Fred Leroy, Jr., born May 2, 1906; Peter, born January 16, 1908: Harold, born February 6, 1910, and Bernardine, born June 22, 1913.
In politics, Doctor Blair is a Republican, but the nature of his pro- fession prevents him from taking a very active part in politics. He and his wife are regular attendants of the Presbyterian church, and give to it their earnest support. Fraternally, he is a member of the Ancient Free and Ac- cepted Masons, and has taken all of the degrees up to and including the thirty-second. He is a member of the Mystic Shrine of Sioux City, having taken the degrees December 5. 1913 : he is also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Yeomen and Modern Woodmen of America. Doctor Blair takes a great interest in his work, is a member of the various societies and associations which cater to the medical profession, among which are the Sac County, Iowa State and American Medical Associations. Doctor Blair's success so far indicates that he will have a long and useful career before him.
ED. WILLIAMS.
It is a pleasure to investigate the career of a successful, self-made man. Peculiar honor attaches to that individual who, beginning the great struggle of life alone and unaided, gradually overcomes unfavorable environment. removes one by one the obstacles from the pathway of success and by the master strokes of his own force and vitality succeeds in forging his way to the front and winning for himself a competency and a position of esteem and influence among his fellow men. Such is the record of the popular citizen of Cedar township, Sac county, Iowa, to a brief synopsis of whose life and character the following pages are devoted.
Ed. Williams, one of the older farmers of the county, was born May
607
SAC COUNTY, IOWA.
23. 1859. in Polk county, Iowa, and is the son of John and Caroline ( Fletcher ) Williams. John Williams was a native of Sweden and came to New York city when a small boy. His wife was born in Ireland, and like- wise came to New York city when a young lady. The young couple later met, were married in New York city, immediately camne West and settled in Polk county, Iowa, being among the very first pioncers in that county, and they spent the remainder of their lives there, Mr. Williams dying in 1902, and his wife in March, 1904. They reared a family of eight children, six of whom are living : John and Mrs. Ella Sargent, of Polk county ; Isaac and Ed., of Sac county, and Mrs. Rose Allen, of Des Moines.
Ed. Williams was reared in Polk county, this state, receiving his educa- tion in the schools of his home neighborhood. He worked on his father's farm until he came to Sac county in the spring of 1892, bought his farm and rented out the farm on which he lives for a short time, until fall when he moved to Sac county to reside on his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres, for which he paid thirty dollars an acre. He has thoroughly drained this farm since purchasing it and improved it with buildings, fences and tiling until the land is today worth two hundred dollars an acre. At a low estimate he has placed over ten thousand dollars worth of improvements upon the farm within the last twenty years. It is needless to say that he has been a successful farmer. In 1912 he had seventy-five acres of corn which averaged seventy bushels to the acre. This last year ( 1913) he had seventy acres in corn, which averaged forty bushels to the acre. He keeps on an average each year five head of horses and from nine to seventy-five head of cattle annually, and raises seventy-five to one hundred head of hogs. When he came to this farm he had to go into debt for part of the purchase price and the farm at that time had no tiling, little fencing and only a small house and a straw stable. He owns one hundred and sixty acres in Brookings county. South Dakota, near Aurora. Mr. Williams deserves great credit for the remarkable improvements which he has brought about in the character of his farm within the last score of years, and it is safe to say that he has done as much within that time as any other farmer in the township in public as well as his own private affairs.
Mr. Williams has always taken an active part in the body politic and as a Republican has served as township trustee for six years, township school treasurer for sixteen years, and has held other township offices of trust and responsibility.
Mr. Williams was formerly a director and organizer of the Farmers Savings Bank; is president of the Farmers Elevator Company; president of
608
SAC COUNTY, IOWA
the Farmers Lumber Company, and is a director of the Farmers Mutual In- surance Company of Sac county.
Mr. Williams has been twice married, his first marriage occurring on December 4. 1886, to Myrtle Kellison, who died March 18, 1899, leaving two children, only one of whom is now living, Georgia, who is now at home with her father, while Edna died at the age of ten years. Mr. Williams was married the second time on May 16, 1900, to Fannie Norton, of Marshall county, this state, and the daughter of Levi and Catherine ( Gilmore ) Nor- ton, who were natives of Pennsylvania and Ireland, respectively, and were among the early homestead settlers (in 1855) of Marshall county, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Williams attend the Methodist Episcopal church, of which denomination Mrs. Williams is a member, and contributes liberally of their means to its support. They are genial people, who have a large circle of friends and acquaintances in the community, who admire them for their many good qualities.
JOSEPH KEISER.
There are several hundred German descendants in Sac county who have come to this county to make their homes because they felt that it was one of the best farming counties in the United States. The success which has at- tended them in their efforts along agricultural lines in this county shows that they have not been mistaken. While it is true that German farmers could make a good living anywhere, yet, under the favorable conditions which are found in this county, a great majority of them have risen to positions of affluence. Among the many substantial German farmers of this county, Joseph Keiser occupies a prominent place.
Mr. Keiser was born February 28, 1834, in Germany and is the son of Joseph and Elizabeth Keiser. His parents came to America in 1852 and stayed in New York with an uncle for a few years. They then moved to Wisconsin, where they lived the remainder of their days.
Joseph Keiser received his education in the schools of Germany and accompanied his parents to this country and lived with them in New York, and later in Wisconsin. Before the death of his parents, in Wisconsin, he was married on April 6, 1863, to Adeline Smith. His wife was born June 18, 1840, in Switzerland, and is the daughter of John Martin and Magdalena (Frei) Smith. Her parents came to America in 1852, and settled near Mil- waukee, Wisconsin.
MRS. ADELINE KEISER
JOSEPH KEISER
600
SAC COUNTY, IOWA.
Mr. and Mrs. Keiser continued to live in Wisconsin until 1867, when they went to Tama county, Iowa. In the spring of 1876 they came to Sac county and lived on a rented place near Wall Lake for one year. In the winter of 1877, they built a house, fourteen by thirty-four feet in size, on their newly-purchased farm of one hundred and sixty acres, purchased in 1874 in Clinton township, and moved into it in the spring of 1877, in time to go through with the "grasshopper war" of that year. They have been hard workers and now have all time comforts of life. Since buying their first one hundred and sixty acres of land, they have added two other quarter sections, so that they now own four hundred and eighty acres of land, one hundred and sixty acres of which is in Calhoun county. They have a fine home, set back from the highway in the midst of a large grove of stately trees.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.