USA > Iowa > Story County > History of Story County, Iowa; a record of organization, progress and achievement, Volume II > Part 20
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J. CLIFFORD ROSS, M. D.
Starting in his profession under highly favorable circumstances, Dr. J. Clifford Ross, now of Ogden, Iowa, has entered upon a career that gives promise of a brilliant future. He is a native of Iowa, born March 4, 1885, and is a son of Frank A. and Ella (Johnson ) Ross. His grandfather Ross was probably a native of Indiana, and came to Story county, Iowa, about 1855, locating in Ontario. There Frank A. Ross was reared and educated. Upon reaching manhood he entered the insurance business, with which he has ever since been identified, his territory being principally in northwestern Iowa. He is known as one of the prominent insurance men of the state and has made his home in Des Moines for the past fifteen years. His wife is a valued member of the Methodist church and is a lady of many excel- lent qualities of mind and heart.
J. Clifford Ross received his preliminary education in the public schools and continued his studies in the East Des Moines high school and the Drake University. In 1904 he matriculated in the medical department of Drake University, where he continued for two years, and then entered the St. Louis College of Physicians and Surgeons, from which he was grad- uated with a degree of M. D. On account of his high standing in his class he was given opportunity of interneship in Jefferson Hospital, St.
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Louis, and was connected with that institution for one year. In July, 1910. he began practice at Slater, where he showed an ability as a physician and surgeon which attracted a steadily growing patronage. Recently, however. he removed to Ogden, Boone county, Iowa.
On the 21st of September, 1910, Dr. Ross was united in marriage to Miss Edna Hendry, a daughter of J. G. Hendry, a well known banker of Bridgewater, Iowa. In addition to his professional societies Dr. Ross is prominently identified with the Masonic order. holding membership in Home Lodge, No. 370, A. F. & A. M .: Des Moines Consistory, No. 3. A. A. S. R. : and Za-ga-zig Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., all of Des Moines. He is also identified with Des Moines Lodge, No. 98, B. P. O. E. He is not affiliated with any religious denomination, but his wife holds member- ship in the Methodist church. Politically he gives his support to individ- uals rather than to party and therefore belongs to that growing class of citizens recognized as independent. Having made thorough preparation for the practice of his profession. Dr. Ross has met with marked success from the very start and he now enjoys the confidence of all who know him. Being gifted with a pleasing address he readily makes friends and is recog- nized as a valuable citizen not only on account of his ability in the healing art but also on account of the interest which he takes in the general wel- fare of the community.
WILLIAM K. WOOD.
One of the first pioneers of Story county, now living, was William K. Wood, who has resided in this county continuously for fifty-nine years. He was born in Logan county, Ohio, on the 19th of April. 1823, and is a son of John G. and Anna ( Kennison ) Wood. The father was a native of Kentucky and the mother of Virginia, but they were both living in Ohio at the time of their marriage and continued to live there for some years after. During the boyhood of our subject, however, they removed to Kosciusko county, Indiana, where Mrs. Wood died in 1844. About ten years thereafter John G. Wood went to Iowa, locating in Story county. where he was living at the time of his demise on the 27th of January, 1870. having arrived at the venerable age of seventy-eight years. At the age of twenty he entered the service of his country being stationed on the northern frontier during our second war with Great Britain in 1812. He was a very religious man and for many years was a communicant of the Baptist church. The paternal grandfather of William K. Wood was a native of England.
Mr. Wood was reared at home, obtaining his education in the brief ses- sions of the district school which was held in a log schoolhouse, which. in common with those of the day, was but inadequately lighted by means of
WILLIAM K. WOOD
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the tiny panes in the small windows and the ventilation and heating were equally poor, the scholars sitting near the fireplace suffering from the in- tense heat and those near the windows shivering with the cold.
On the 17th of October, 1847, Mr. Wood was united in marriage to Miss Melinda Corey and two years later he came west, settling in Corey Grove, Polk county, Iowa, on the 22d of June, 1849. They continued to live there for eighteen months and in the spring of 1851 removed to Story county, locating on the farm where Mr. Wood still lives. It is situated on the northeast quarter of section 16, Indian Creek township, and was orig- inally school land. When he first settled here all grain had to be hauled to Oskaloosa, that being the nearest milling point, and it required two weeks to make the trip, owing to the distance and the poor roads, which in many instances were little more than wagon tracks across the prairie. Such conditions as these could not exist long, however, in a community where such enterprising men as Mr. Wood resided, and very shortly he and his cousin, Christopher Wood, together with Nathan Webb erected a steam mill, adapted to both grist and saw mill purposes, just north of Iowa Center. This was the first steam mill built in Story county and all of the lumber and machinery had to be hauled in wagons from Keokuk. It was of great assistance to the settlers, however, and did much to simplify living conditions being in operation for many years. Mr. Wood has ever been a progressive man, always ready to aid every movement which would in any way tend to better conditions in the community and such men always succeed, and he has not been the exception. At one time he owned thir- teen hundred acres of land, which he has now divided among his children, every acre of which was acquired through his thrift, tireless energy and firm determination to win. Work was very scarce in Iowa in the early days and wages very poor. He arrived here with a sick wife and five dollars in money, but undaunted by conditions and ever hopeful he cheer- fully walked eight miles to obtain two days' work and at another time he went nine miles for three days' work, for which he received eight bushels of wheat. which provided them with their bread that year.
Mrs. Wood died on the 29th of March. 1862. There were three chil- dren by this marriage but Cory died in 1863. Those living are Curtis A. and James H., two of the most prominent and successful live-stock com- mission merchants in Chicago. Mr. Wood was again married, his second union being with Miss Louisa Ingersoll, a native of Pennsylvania and a daughter of David Ingersoll. One child was born of this union, Carrie, the wife of Edwin Pizer, of St. James, Minnesota. Mrs. Wood passed away on the 3d of February. 1870, and on the 8th of the following Decem- ber Mr. Wood married Mrs. Julia ( Addis) Hull, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio. They had one daughter, Queen, who is now the wife of E. P. Sum- mers, of Oregon City, Oregon. On the 8th of May, 1874. Mrs. Wood died and later Mr. Wood married his fourth and present wife, formerly Mrs. Sarah Davis, a daughter of John M. Griffith, who came to Story county
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from MeDonough county, Illinois, in 1868. Mrs. Wood was born and reared in llighland county, Ohio, and by her first marriage had one child. Ida B., the wife of Dr. Frank Thompson, of Cambridge, this county.
Mr. Wood's political allegiance has always been given to the republican party. Ile voted at the first election held in Story county, the polling place being McDaniel's shanty, which stood on the east side of Indian creek. In the fall of 1868 he was elected to represent his district in the legislature and was reelected in 1870. Ile served on several of the most important committees, discharging his duties with great credit to himself and the constituency to whom he was indebted for his office. He has always taken an active part in local politics, serving for many years in the various town- ship offices. He is identified with the Masonic fraternity through member- ship in the Nevada Lodge. Both Mr. and Mrs. Wood are members of the church, he of the Baptist and she of the Methodist Episcopal, but they worship in the Evangelical church in Iowa Center,
Owing to his long residence in the county and his great service in the upbuilding of the community as well as his faithful and at all times capable discharge of public duties he is one of the best known and most highly es- teemed and respected citizens in this district.
W. J. FREED.
In the eightieth year of his age, W. J. Freed makes his home in Ames and for more than fifty-six years he has been a resident of Story county, so that he is today numbered among its honored pioneers. He was long as- sociated with agricultural interests but some years ago put aside business cares and is now living retired in the enjoyment of well earned rest. He was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, September 19, 1831. His parents, Samuel and Nancy (Jones) Freed, were both natives of Pennsyl- vania, where the mother spent her entire life, while the father always lived in that state with the exception of his last two years, which were passed in Michigan. He was a blacksmith by trade and an excellent mechanic. He served a seven years' apprenticeship and then followed the trade through- out his entire life. His family numbered eleven sons and two daughters, all of whom reached mature years with the exception of three, while four of the sons and one daughter are yet living. After losing his first wife the father married again and had two daughters by that union.
W. J. Freed remained with his parents until eighteen years of age and during his youthful days worked in his father's blacksmith shop and also at farm labor for others. In 1849 he left the Keystone state and went to Por- ter county, Indiana, where he joined his older brother, Paul, residing there until 1854. He was married in 1852 and then began farming on his own account, but after two years removed to Story county, lowa, where he has
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since lived, becoming one of the pioneer settlers here. He remained upon the farm until September, 1892, when he removed to Ames and retired to private life but sold his farm only five years ago. He was the owner of two hundred and forty acres of rich and productive land, adjoining the corpora- tion limits of Ontario, a town four miles west of Ames. On coming to this county he entered a quarter section from the government but after culti- vating it for a time sold that propery and purchased the two hundred and forty acre tract, which was in a better location and had timber upon it. There he carried on general farming and stock-raising and he also bought and shipped stock to Chicago for twenty years, that constituting an im- portant branch of his business. When he began shipping State Center was the nearest railroad point and he had to drive his stock to that place in order to make shipments. He was the first stock buyer in the county and in his business affairs he always displayed sound judgment, keen discrimination and unfaltering enterprise.
While Mr. Freed successfully conducted business affairs for many years he did not concentrate his energies upon individual interests to the exclut- sion of all else. He has ever been mindful of his duties of citizenship and in many ways has promoted public progress. On one occasion he spent two days and one night in soliciting subscriptions in Story and Boone counties for the location of the Iowa State Agricultural College. Five counties were working very hard to secure the school, but the untiring efforts of Mr. Freed and others resulted in having the college located at Ames. One man gave thirty acres of a stone quarry and Mr. Freed opened this up and quarried the rock for the foundation for the first buildings of the college erected here. He also raised and dressed a pig which his wife roasted for the free dinner which was held on the 4th of July, 1859, to celebrate the establish- ment of the college, the entire countryside being invited to attend the feast.
In his political views Mr. Freed has always been a republican and an earnest worker in the party ranks. He served for fourteen years as justice of the peace and for two terms as county supervisor. While filling that position the county board located the county farm and built the first house thereon. When Mr. Freed came to Iowa the city of Ames had not been founded and there was no railroad in the locality. Goods were hauled from Keokuk and after the railroad was built to Iowa City Mr. Freed hauled goods from that point to Boonesboro, about two hundred miles, with ox teams. When he was living in Indiana he helped get out timber for the construction of the Michigan Southern. the first railroad into Chicago. He has always been on the side of progress and improvement, and his influence has been a progressive element in the general development of the com- munity.
On the 12th of September, 1852, Mr. Freed was united in marriage to Miss Catharine D. White, who was born in Wayne county. Ohio, June 5. 1833, and went to Indiana with her parents, James and Marjorie (Dough- erty) White. Mr. and Mrs. Freed were married in Indiana and unto them
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were born eight children: Valeria A., the wife of Clate Foster, of South Dakota; Mary Jane. the wife of Harvey Boughman, of Ames; Alice G., the wife of Mark Prine, of Nebraska; Arthur D., a farmer of Kelley, Iowa: Anna, the wife of William Prine, of Clinton, Iowa ; Nancy Elizabeth, the wife of Joseph Goldberger, of Mapleton, lowa; Flora C., the wife of Charles Antes, of South Dakota ; and Kittie B., who is a graduate of the Iowa State College and is now librarian of the public library of Ames. The daughter Alice was for three years a student in the Iowa State College. Four of the daughters have been school-teachers and all of the children are members of the Christian church.
For forty years Mr. and Mrs. Freed have held membership in the Chris- tian church of Ames and for thirty-seven years he has been one of its elders. He has ever taken active and helpful part in the church work, doing all in his power to promote its growth and extend its influence. Ilis politi- cal allegiance has been given to the republican party since 1856, when he supported John C. Fremont. The family residence is at No. 514 Fifth street and in addition to this Mr. Freed owns four other dwellings in Ames. lle has always enjoyed good health and has been an active man. Ile and his family were one of a party of five families that came here together, but Mr. and Mrs. Freed are now the only representatives of the older genera- tion now living. They have always enjoyed the warm regard. good will and confidence of those who know them and they are today among the most esteemed and venerable citizens of the county. They have witnessed many changes here, for at the time of their arrival Story county was largely an unimproved and unsettled district. They have seen towns and villages spring up, farms entered and improved and the work of general progress carried steadily forward.
CARL A. ROSENFELD.
Carl A. Rosenfeld, a representative and prominent agriculturist of Story county was born December 10, 1875, upon his present farm on sec- tion 33. Washington township, about a mile north of Kelley, and has always resided here, his time and energies being now given to the cultivation of a place of one hundred and ninety acres on section 33. and also to a portion of a tract of three hundred and seventy acres which belongs to him, his mother and sister. It is known as the Rosengift farm and is de- voted to stock-raising.
Hlis parents were George and Louise ( Fritch ) Rosenfeld, the former a native of Baden and the latter of Saxony, Germany. The father was born June 4. 1824, and in early manhood served for three years in the German army. lle was a schoolmate of General Siegel, the distinguished German citizen, and because of his active participation in the revolution of 1848
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sought a home and liberty in America and won distinction here by his ser- vice in the Civil war. George Rosenfeld learned the mason's trade in his native land where he remained until 1855, when he crossed the Atlantic to New York. The same year he was married there to Louise Fritch and soon afterward they removed to Morrison, Illinois, where he worked at his trade until 1873, when he came with his family to Story county and settled upon the farm which is now the family homestead and upon which he resided until his death, which occurred on the 6th of March, 1902. He was a very successful agriculturist, capably managing his business affairs and making other investments in property until he was the owner of five hundred and twenty-five acres of valuable land in this county at the time of his death, including the tract which is now cultivated by his son Carl. The father devoted his time to general farming and stock feeding. His wife, who still survives him, was born in Saxony, Germany, January 3. 1855. She is now a resident of Ames. By her marriage she became the mother of four children : Lester G., who is living a mile south of the Rosen- gift farm and half a mile east of Kelley on a part of the old home place ; Clara, the wife of R. W. Crane, of Trenton, Missouri ; Carl A. ; and Minnie, the wife of C. L. Severly, of Ames.
Carl A. Rosenfeld spent his youthful days on the old homestead, and his experiences were those which usually fall to the farm lad. He pur- sued his education in the public schools and when not busy with his text- books worked in the fields under the direction of his father, so that his training well qualified him to take charge of a farm of his own when he started out in life independently. He is now extensively and successfully engaged in the breeding of Aberdeen Angus cattle and in 1909 sold an Angus bull calf, Prince Pride, which was the first Aberdeen Angus to be shipped from the United States to the Argentine Republic, being sold direct by Mr. Rosenfeld to South American parties. He has made exhibitions of stock at the international stock shows at Chicago for the past four years. He has been engaged in stock-breeding since 1902 and keeps from thirty to one hundred head of Aberdeen Angus cattle upon his place. He is also engaged in breeding Poland China hogs, Belgium horses and Plymouth Rock chick- ens. All lines of his stock are registered and all are thoroughbreds except some stock which he feeds for general market. His whole time is devoted to the stock business, and he has sold some very fine cattle, horses and hogs. The calf which he shipped to South America brought six hundred and twenty-five dollars.
On the 20th of March, 1901, Mr. Rosenfeld was married to Miss Anna E. Johnston, who was born in Ogden, Iowa, September 4, 1882, and is a daughter of Louis and Marie Hermanson, natives of Denmark. Mrs. Rosenfeld lost her mother while an infant and was reared by John John- ston, taking his name. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Rosenfeld have been born three children, George Albert, Louise Marie and Clyde Lester.
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The family is prominent in the community and Mr. Rosenfeld occupies a leading position among the stock-raisers of this part of the state, conduct- ing a business of extensive proportions and regarded throughout lowa as an authority upon Aberdeen Angus cattle. lle is a most energetic man, and his well formulated plans indicate sound judgment and keen discrimi- nation.
DANIEL GUY MILLS, M. D.
Dr. Daniel Guy Mills, who for fifteen years has engaged in the general practice of medicine at MeCallsburg, progressing continuously by reason of his broadening experience and wide reading and study, was born in Ot- tawa, La Salle county, Illinois, July 7. 1861, but from the age of five years has been a resident of Story county.
It was in 1866 that his parents, Edward Clark and Levantia D. (Guy) Mills, came to lowa. They were natives of New York, the former born at Cohoes and the latter at Guilford. Mr. Mills was of English lineage, his parents having reached Cohoes only a short period before his birth. He was a son of Daniel and Sarah Mills, who after living for some time in the Empire state removed westward to Ottawa, Illinois, when Edward C. Mills was a youth of seventeen years. After arriving at years of maturity he wedded Levantia D. Guy, who when fifteen years of age went to East Pawpaw, Illinois, with her parents, George and Rebecca ( Keith ) Guy. Her mother was born in Ireland of Scotch parentage. After living in Illinois until 1866 Mr. and Mrs. Edward C. Mills came to Story county. Iowa, settling near Iowa Center, in Indian Creek township. The father died there when but forty-two years of age, and the mother, long surviving him, passed away in this county in 1907, at the age of seventy. Mr. Mills had followed farming as a life work and was the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of land in Indian Creek township. The family num- bered eight children : Daniel G .; William E., who is living in Maxwell. Towa; Ida, who died at the age of eighteen months; Lela A., the wife of 1 .. E. Byers, who resides at Sante Fe on the Isle of Pines, in the West Indies; Frank W .. a practicing physician at Ottumwa, Iowa: Charles C., who is located in Oklahoma: Rose A., the wife of John E. Douglas, of Polk county; and Levantia D., also residing at the Isle of Pines, in the West Indies.
Reared upon the old homestead farm in Indian Creek township. Dr. Mills had the usual experiences of farm boys, working in the fields when not occupied with the duties of the schoolroom and learning many lessons from close contact with nature. Desirous of securing a broader education than had hitherto been afforded him. he entered the Iowa State University of Iowa City in 1892 and, electing to pursue the medical course, was grad-
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uated M. D. from that institution in the spring of 1896. He then began practice in McCallsburg, where he has since been located, and throughout the intervening years has enjoyed a large and growing practice, indicative of the confidence reposed in his skill and ability by his fellow townsmen. He is conscientious in the performance of all professional duties, carefully diagnoses his cases and his judgment is rarely, if ever, at fault. He keeps in close touch with the advancement of the profession through his member- ship in the Story County Medical Society and the Iowa State Medical So- ciety.
In 1882 Dr. Mills was married to Miss Sarah L. Morrison, who was born in Cedar county, Iowa, April 15, 1862, a daughter of John A. and Fannie J. (Wilson) Morrison, who came to this county when Mrs. Mills was about fifteen years of age, settling in Collins township. The father is now deceased, while the mother resides in Rhodes, Iowa. Dr. and Mrs. Mills have become the parents of four children. Guy Wilson, the eldest, now editor of the Zearing Advocate, married Leila E. Peck and has two children, Carrol B. and Lawrence G. John Clark, editor of the McCalls- burg Tribune, wedded Myrtle R. Marsh and had two children : Everard C., now deceased; and Linn Edward. Altha May is the wife of C. T. Knut- son, of McCallsburg, and has one son, Chester Andrew. Edward Wil- liam, the youngest of the family, is at home.
Dr. Mills holds membership with the Modern Woodmen of America and the Royal Neighbors. His political allegiance is stanchly given to the republican party and he is an active and helpful worker in its ranks. He served for four years as county coroner but otherwise has not sought office, for his professional duties make constant demand upon his time and at- tention. He is widely recognized as an able physician and in his practice conforms at all times to a high standard of professional ethics.
PHILIP ALLEN.
Philip Allen, who is engaged in general farming and stock-raising on section 22, Milford township, was born in Randolph county, Indiana, April 24, 1854. his parents being Philip and Louisa Allen. His father died of cholera during the infancy of his son and namesake, and the boy was left an orphan when but a year old, at the mother's death. He was the youngest of four children, the others being: George W., a farmer living at Macki- naw, Illinois ; Mary, a resident of Winchester, Indiana, who is the widow of Moses Conyers, a Civil war veteran; and Ella, the wife of William Denton, also of Winchester, Indiana.
After the death of his parents, Philip Allen was reared by other people until about fifteen years of age, when he started out in life on his own account. From that time on he practically had no home until he made one
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of his own. Indeed, he earned his living from the age of ten years, work- ing at farm labor by the month in Indiana and Illinois until 1896, when he came to lowa. During the period of his residence in Illinois, he lived in Tazewell county, until four years prior to his removal to lowa, which period he spent in Iroquois county. In 1896 he purchased his present farm comprising one hundred and sixty acres on section 22, Milford township. and in the intervening period of fifteen years he has carried on general agricultural pursuits and stock-raising. The past year he has rented his land, but during nearly the entire period of his residence in lowa he has personally cultivated the fields, which he has brought under a high state of improvement, adding all of the accessories and equipments of the model farm of the twentieth century.
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