USA > Iowa > Sac County > History of Sac County, Iowa > Part 66
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Samuel Stephen, who died at the age of thirteen: James Francis, who lives at Ringsted, Iowa; William L., whose life history is here presented; Clara L., of Odebolt: Mrs. Florence L. Norris, who resides in Oelwein, Fayette county, this state, and Arthur G., of Moline, Illinois. Nathaniel B. Um- barger was an elder in the Presbyterian church and a great believer in the work which was accomplished by the church. Fraternally, he was a mem- ber of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. He had been a prominent man in the affairs of his township since its organization, and was one of the leading citizens at the time it was organized. He died in the hospital at Ida Grove, Ida county, on October 26, 1911. His widow is still living in Odebolt.
William L. Umbarger was educated in the district schools of his town- ship and later graduated from the Odebolt high school. He has lived on his present farm since he was born, and now has one of the most attractive farms in the county. He was married May 23, 1906, to Mabel Smith, daugh- ter of Mr. and Mrs. James Smith, of Oelwein, Iowa, and to this marriage have been born three children : Helen, deceased; Alice, born June 25, 191I, and James William, born March 12, 1914.
Politically, Mr. Umbarger is a Republican, but his farming interests have demanded so much of his time and attention that he has not taken an active part in political affairs. He and his wife are zealous members of the Presbyterian church and to this denomination they contribute liberally of their time and substance.
SEBASTIAN BUEHLER.
Although Sebastian Buehler has been called to another field of action beyond this vale of shadows, yet his memory is fresh in the minds of his many friends of Sac county. who were the recipients of his pleasant greet- ings and valued friendship during his life time. He was one of the large number of Germans who have come to this county and been important factors in developing the county and bringing it to its present prosperous condition. He believed in lending whatever aid he could in pushing forward the cause of civilization and at his death the county lost a man who never shirked his duty as a citizen of the commonwealth. Additional honor is due him be- cause of the fact that he served in that long and bloody struggle which was necessary in order that the Stars and Stripes should float from the Great Lakes to the Gulf. Although he was a mere lad of sixteen when he enlisted, he served throughout the whole four years of the war, and the exposure to
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which he was subjected during that struggle left him in such physical condi- tion that he was never in good health again.
Sebastian Buchler, the son of Jacob and Mary Katherine Buehler, was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, March 30, 1845. He came with his parents to America when he was ten years of age and settled in Lake county, Indi- ana. His parents were still living here in 1861 and, although he was a mere lad of sixteen, he proffered his services for the support of his adopted county and enlisted in the Twenty-fourth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry on September 28, 1861, being mustered in at Indianapolis, Indiana, on October 22, 1862, as a private in the Twenty-fourth Cavalry under the leadership of Capt. J. A. Sims. His battery was assigned to the First Brigade of the Twenty-third Corps, and was attached to the Army of the Ohio. He was taken sick near Glasgow, Kentucky, on March of the next year and was in the hospital for twenty-nine days, and was then removed to Louisville, Kentucky, and placed in Hospital No. 7 for thirty-four days, after which he was taken to Indiana and placed in the hospital and upon his recovery was transferred to the Invalid Corps and sent to Washington, D. C., for detailed duty. He served at Washington until May, 1864, when his company was transferred to Company K, Twelfth Regiment of Veteran Reserve Corps, and served with this corps until his discharge July 27, 1865.
Mr. Buehler returned to his home at the close of the war, a veteran in service, but a youth of twenty years, who had actually spent his boyhood days serving his country. Sebastian Buehler was married in Chicago on March 17, 1869, to Mary Obrecht, who was born August 8, 1845, in New York state. Her parents, Jacob and Louisa Obrecht, were natives of Alsace- Loraine, Germany, who came to America in the early forties. In 1852 the Obrecht family moved to Lake county, Indiana, where the mother died, and in 1872 her father moved to Sac county, Iowa, where his death occurred.
In July, 1871. Sebastian Buehler and his wife arrived in Sac county, lowa, and bought two hundred acres of land in Richland township, at four dollars an acre. Mr. Buehler's brother-in-law, O. Rudolph, accompanied him, and the two were the first settlers in Richland township. Mr. Rudolph was later caught in a blizzard in Ida county, Iowa, and some years later died in Indiana. as a result of the terrific exposure to which he had been sub- jected in the storm. Although Mr. Buehler was not in good health, due to his exposure during the Civil War, yet he prospered and from time to time added to his land holdings until at the time of his death he was the owner of three hundred and twenty acres of well improved land in this township, and there is now a total of four hundred acres in the estate.
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Mr. and Mrs. Sebastian Buehler were the parents of nine children, six of whom are living: Henry, who is a farmer of Richland township, this county. is married and has three children, Louise, Mildred and Dorothy; Mrs. Julia Kuehl, who lives in Heron Lake, Minnesota, has six children, Alfred, Alice, Leonard, Everett, Raymond and Elsa; Mrs. Emma Hix, a resident of Richland township. this county, has two sons, Warren and George; Sebastian, who is married and lives on the old home place in Rich- land township. is the father of two children, Mary and Fern; Mrs. Anna Hix, also a resident of Richland township, has two daughters, Marian and Louise : Louise, the youngest of the nine children of Mr. and Mrs. Buehler. is still with her mother.
Mr. Buehler was a stanch adherent of the Republican party, and served his party in an official capacity for many years, filling the office of township trustee for nine years, also serving on the school board of his township, and. in these important positions he rendered faithful and efficient service to all of the citizens of the township, always taking an active interest in every measure which he thought would benefit his township and community. He was a stockholder and director of the Farmers Creamery Company of his township, an institution which has been of great benefit to the farmers of this locality. He was a valued member of the Grand Army of the Republic post and took much pleasure in attending its meetings. His religious affiliations were with the Methodist Episcopal church, to which he rendered faithful and loyal service during his life. Up to the time of his death, on March 12. 1899, he took a prominent part in all enterprises which had for their object the welfare of the community and was never found wanting in those qualities which characterize the public-spirited citizen. His life was such that it reflects honor upon himself and he left a name which will be revered by his children in the years to come.
AUGUST C. PETERSMEYER.
In every community are to be found individuals who, by reason of pro- nounced ability and forceful personality, rise superior to the majority and command the homage of their fellows :; who, by revealing to the world the two resplendent virtues, perseverance in effort and directing purpose, never fail to attain positions of honor and trust and become in the full sense of the term leaders of men. Of this class is the well-known gentleman and success-
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Is alBeteremayer.
A. P. Petersmeyer.
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ful grain merchant whose name appears above, a man who ranks among the leading citizens of Odebolt, and who for a number of years has borne an influential part in the affairs of the city and county in which he resides.
A. G. Petersmeyer, a prosperous grain merchant of Odebolt, was born November 21, 1863, in Lake county, Indiana. He is the son of Frederick and Caroline ( Saak) Petersmeyer, both of whom were natives of Germany. Frederick Petersmeyer was born in about 1825 in Germany and came to America when a young man, settling in Lake county, Indiana. Here he fol- lowed the trade of a carpenter until after his marriage, when he became a farmer. In 1871 he came to Sac county and bought land. The following spring he brought his family to this county and in a few years was a farmer of means and influence in Richland township. He added to his land holdings from time to time until he had four hundred and eighty acres at the time of his death, in 1900. In 1886 he moved to Odebolt, where he spent his declining days. His wife died in 1910. Frederick Petersmeyer and wife were the par- ents of fourteen children : Caroline, the deceased wife of Henry Frevert; Henry W., of Los Angeles, California, who has large land interests in Canada; Mrs. Flora Walter, of Vaughn, Montana: August C., with whom this narrative deals ; Fred W., of Hillsboro, South Dakota; Mrs. Sophia Sea- right, of Odebolt ;- Mrs. Emma Cook, of Pipestone, Minnesota ; Doctor Will- iam, of Ashton, Illinois: Edward, of Oklahoma City; Mrs. Lydia Roland. whose husband is employed as roadmaster for the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad ; Lillian, who is employed in Davidson's department store in Sioux City ; Clare, of Odebolt ; Alvin, who died in 1890, and one child, which died in infancy.
A. C. Petersmeyer received his education in Lake county, Indiana, and Sac county, Iowa. He also received a commercial course at the German- English College at Galena, Illinois. He remained with his father on the farm until 1889, when he came to Odebolt and engaged in the grain business. He has been remarkably successful in this line of work. He and his brother, H. WV. Petersmeyer, established the business in 1890, and since 1902 A. C. has had the entire ownership of the business. The present capacity of the storage plant is seventy thousand bushels, and in 1910 an addition was built to in- crease this capacity. The annual shipment of grain includes from forty to seventy-five car loads of corn, seventy-five to a hundred car loads of popcorn and forty to seventy-five car loads of oats. Mr. Petersmeyer also maintains a seed distributing house. The popcorn is the great crop, and he employs three men to handle this part of his business. His plant now represents an invest- ment of over twenty-five thousand dollars. While engaged primarily in the
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grain business, he also buys live stock and ships annually from fifty to seventy-five car loads of hogs.
Mr. Petersmeyer was married June 11, 1896, to Wilhelmina Meyer, a native of Missouri, and the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Meyer. Henry Meyer was born in Germany and came to America when a young man and located in Missouri. In 1894 he came to Odebolt, where he is now residing.
Politically. Mr. Petersmeyer is a Republican, but owing to his heavy interests, he has never had the time to indulge in the game of politics. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and give to it freely of their means. Mr. Petersmeyer's record has been one replete with duty well done. He has been an advocate of wholesome living and a believer in clean politics, and has always stood for the highest and best interests of his community.
L. H. McCREA.
One of the prosperous farmers of Wall Lake township, who has built up a comfortable home for himself and risen to a position of affluence in the county, is L. H. McCrea, who was born September 12, 1868, in Michigan and is the son of Leander A. and Anna ( Berm) McCrea. Leander McCrea was born in 1835 in New York of Scotch-Irish parentage. In 1878 Leander McCrea and his family moved from Michigan to Iowa and settled in Sac county on a farm near Carnarvon, and the town of Carnarvon is now built on part of the land which Mr. McCrea purchased in 1878. Mr. and Mrs. Leander McCrea are now living in Butler, Missouri, where they moved in 1898. They were the parents of eight sons and one daughter: Frank, of Arthur, lowa; Perry, of Terry, Montana; William: Joseph. of Ashton, Illinois : L. H., whose history is here recorded; Alfred, of Westbrook, Illi- nois ; Roy, of Auburn, Sac county ; Jay, of Baxter Springs, Kansas ; Leander, of Rockerville, South Dakota; Mrs. Nellie Feeley, of Missouri.
L. H. McCrea was educated in the public schools of Michigan and Sac county, Iowa. He finished his education at the schools of Carnarvon in Wall Lake township. He stayed at home until he was twenty years of age and then began working out by the month. Upon his marriage in 1890 he rented land and continued to rent until he purchased his present farm of one hundred ninety-one and a half acres in 1911. His farm cost eighty-seven and a half dollars an acre, and is one of the best productive farms in the township. Practically all of the farm is under cultivation. In 1913 he raised, in addi-
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tion to his corn and other crops, forty head of cattle, seventy-seven head of hogs and thirteen head of horses. He is making a pronounced success of his stock raising, and finds the larger portion of his annual profits lying in that direction.
Mr. McCrea was married in 1890 to Minnie Morton, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Morton, of Sac City. To this marriage have been born fourteen children, ten of whom are now living: Ruby, Barbara, Gordon, Merl, Louis, Vivian, Sherman, Marjory, Henrietta and Burl. Ruby is clerking in the store at Lake View, Sac county. while Barbara is a public school teacher. All of the remaining children are still with their parents.
Mr. McCrea was, up until 1012, a Republican, and in the division which came about in the Republican party at that time he cast his influence in favor of the Progressive party. He is now, like thousands of other voters, some- what undecided as to which party he will support, although he is progressive in his views. He and his family attend the Methodist Episcopal church and contribute of their substance to its support. Fraternally, he is a member of the Yeomen. Mr. McCrea is one of the sterling and substantial citizens of his township and a man with genial disposition and optimistic way of view- ing life, which has endeared him to a large circle of friends and acquaintances throughout his community.
DAVID CORRELL.
This biographical appendix to the history of Sac county is for the ex- press purpose of preserving the records of the men worth while in this county, and especially the records of those citizens who have done their share in the developing of the county and assisted in a substantial way in having their adopted county attain the enviable prestige which it holds among the ninety and nine divisions of the great state of Iowa. It is meet, there- fore, that we write this brief review concerning David Correll, a citizen of the city of Odebolt and one of its valued residents.
David Correll was born April 6, 1853, near the city of Wooster, Wayne county, Ohio, the son of Jacob and Catharine (Floyd) Correll, natives of Pennsylvania. Jacob was born on January 17. 1815, and departed this life June 16, 1892. His wife Catharine was born August II, 1814, and died April 15. 1903. Jacob migrated with his parents to Ohio when a youth and became orphaned at a very early age. He learned the trade of tailor and fol-
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lowed it as a merchant tailor in Wooster. Ohio. After working at his trade for some years he purchased a farm near Wooster and moved thereon and from that time on he followed the vocation of agriculturist. In 1854 he removed to Clinton county, Iowa, and purchased a farm. He was a pioneer settler of this county, which has furnished a large number of the best families in Sac county. He ended his days on his Clinton county farm and became very prosperous previous to his demise, leaving his family well provided for and bequeathing them a heritage of right living and a high standard of morals.
Jacob Correll was the father of eight children, as follows: Abram died in Maquoketa, Iowa, December 20, 1909; Daniel, a resident of Marion, Iowa: Samuel, of Parsons, Kansas; Levi, also a citizen of Parsons, Kansas; Maria, a resident of Maquoketa, Iowa; Amanda, who died March 29, 1873: Mrs. Catharine O'Brien, deceased June 3, 1882 ; David.
David Correll was reared and educated in Clinton county and was united in marriage on September 2, 1880, with Laura Isabel Davenport, who was born. April 13, 1855, in Winamac, Indiana. She was the daughter of Charles L. and Mary Davenport. She departed from the scene of her earthly career July 15, 1913. She was a good and faithful wife and a kind and loving mother to her children. Iler demise was deeply mourned by the members of her family and many friends and acquaintances. She had been a member of the Methodist church from the time she was sixteen years of age and, was a devout and true Christian woman. She was very active in the church work and took a leading part in the women's home department, the Foreign Missionary Society and the Ladies' Aid Society and was a mem- ber of the Ingleside Club, a literary organization. She was the mother of the following children: Esther, wife of Fred Gilbert, of Odebolt ; Zula, wife of Percy Brown, residing in Eugene, Oregon.
After the marriage of David and Laura Isabel Correll in the town of Elwood, Iowa, they came direct to Sac county, arriving at Odebolt. They located on a farm of three hundred and twenty acres of land in Clinton town- ship which cost twenty dollars an acre, part of which was already broken for cultivation. The father of Mrs. Correll had previously invested in an entire section of land and had divided it among his four children. David bought an additional one hundred and sixty acres and he and his wife held the land in common, finally increasing their holdings until they owned four hundred acres. In addition to this excellent holding of Sac county land, Mr. Correll was the owner of four hundred and eighty acres in the Dakotas. They lived on the farm until February, 1908, when they removed to Odebolt
SAC COUNTY, IOWA. 685
and erected a fine two-room residence which is one of the best in the city. located on beautiful Park avenue in the west part of the city.
Mr. Correll is a Republican politically ; he is a stanch member of the Methodist Episcopal church and is affiliated with the camp of Modern Wood- men. lle is well read, sociable and is universally recognized as a man among men, one who has lived an honest, industrious and upright life. His character is above reproach and he is highly esteemed by all who know him.
EMETT STARNER.
Every active man of affairs looks forward in anticipation of the time when he can retire to a comfortable home and live in comfort for the re- mainder of his days, unmarred or undisturbed by thoughts of need which intrude themselves into the horizon of the improvident or struggling ones whose career is yet in the making. This is a most worthy ambition and one which should imbue every individual head of a family in order that he might adequately perform and complete his mission on earth. Sometimes we find that retirement is not conducive to contentment if the successful person has not cultivated sufficiently the educational, mental and aesthetic side of life as he should. Life hangs heavily upon the man who is without diversion or aim and is left without purpose or ability to properly exercise his faculties after the need of bodily and mental exertion to further enhance his fortunes has passed. Happy indeed is the man who possesses a hobby, or several of them, in fact, for he can spend hours in pleasurable recreation and can con- tinue to take a real and genuine interest in things worth while during his days of repose. He whose name forms the caption of this review, while retired from active mercantile pursuits, principally on account of there being no necessity for him to longer continue in business from a financial standpoint, takes a keen interest in affairs and has much to occupy his mind and atten- tion, because of worthy and beneficial proclivities engendered by the posses- sion of a well trained mind and well developed faculties along original lines. Emett Starner, retired merchant and pioneer of the city of Odebolt, is per- haps better versed in the happenings in his neighborhood during his long residence in Sac county than any living person. For years he has kept a careful diary of daily occurrences and has kept an accurate weather report. principally for his own diversion, but which is now valuable.
Emett Starner was born January 8, 1852, in Adams county, Pennsyl-
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vania, the son of Isaac and Sophia ( Worley) Starner, both native born to that state. They resided in Pennsylvania until the year 1894 and then re- moved to Odebolt so as to be in close proximity to their children when old age came creeping on them. The father died in Odebolt and the aged mother still resides here with her son and a daughter, Mrs. William Ream.
Mr. Starner received his early training on a farm in his native state and managed to secure a good education in the schools of his neighborhood. this education having since been augmented and broadened by much private reading. In 1876 he left home and located in Illinois and spent four months in the town of Moweaqua. He then went to Ames, Iowa, and located in the farming section of Story county, there working at farm labor for nearly two years.
On March 14. 1878. Mr. Starner arrived in Odebolt, or rather on the site of the town which had just been projected and planned. He was given employment on the Wheeler ranch and remained in Mr. Wheeler's employ for a period of fourteen years, four years of which time he was assistant superintendent and during the last six years of his service he was the efficient and valued superintendent. When one considers that this famous ranch comprised over seven thousand acres, and even now, when it is owned by the Adams family and consists of ten sections of land or a total of sixty-four · hundred acres, the responsibility engendered and assumed by the head of such an immense plant is significant. He measured fully up to the require- ments of his position, however, and was such a favorite with his employer and had given evidence of such pronounced executive ability that Mr. Wheeler tried to induce him to take entire charge of his immense ranch in southern Texas which he later bought after disposing of his Sac county holdings. .
In 1893 Mr. Starner embarked in the furniture and undertaking busi- ness in Odebolt and was very successful, the exercise of the same talents which had given him success as a farm superintendent contributing to his business success. He disposed of his furniture and undertaking establish- ment in September, 1912, and retired from active pursuits, having no other cares at the present time but looking after his property interests, which are considerable. He is the owner of three hundred and twenty acres of land in North Dakota and has a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in South Dakota. He also owns three building lots and residence properties in the city and has recently erected a fine. modern bungalow with every comfort and convenience installed.
Mr. Starner's wedded life began on February 26, 1885. when he
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espoused in holy wedlock Helen C. Sprague, a daughter of Oliver C. Sprague, a native of New York and who settled in Sac county in the year 1879. Oliver Sprague owned a farm in Wheeler township and made his home in Odebolt, residing with Mr. Starner until his death. Mr. and Mrs. Starner have one son, Arthur V., now in Los Angeles, California.
Politically, Emett Starner has been allied with the Republican party. By virtue of his birth and the Reformed church being the faith of his for- bears, he was brought up in the Reformed faith. He is an attendant and supporter of the Methodist denomination, of which Mrs. Starner is an active member. He is a member of no fraternal societies and considers his home as his club and lodge room for all purposes of recreation.
He of whom this brief resume is recorded is one of Odebolt's substantial and enterprising citizens. He has seen the city grow from its very inception and has kept a record of events and happenings in the town and vicinity since 1876. He is genial, hospitable, well read and an excellent and interesting conversationalist who is well versed on many topics of interest. His col- lection of antiques, gathered in the course of a lifetime, is very valuable, among them being a magnificent great hall clock which was brought from England in 1795 and is very old, but in fine condition. His library is very extensive and is adapted to a home of culture and refinement such as he and his wife maintain.
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