USA > Iowa > Story County > History of Story County, Iowa; a record of organization, progress and achievement, Volume II > Part 28
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They are the parents of eight children, who are as follows: Elmer Palmer is living in Illinois. Jennie Wadsworth became the wife of George G. Hutchinson, cashier of the First National Bank at Lake City, Iowa. She was a student of Overland College, while Mr. Hutchinson is a graduate of the Iowa State University. Herron Ames married Bertha Chapman, of Wellington, Ohio, who was a teacher in the Cleveland high school. Frank Johnston is a graduate of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, that state, and is now practicing law at Fort Smith, Arkansas. He attended the Iowa State College at Ames for two years and the University of Michi- gan for three. Maria was a student at Ferry Hall and later at Oxford College at Oxford, Ohio. She married Raymond Hutchinson, a gradu- ate of the Iowa State University, who is now the cashier of a bank at Rock- well City, Iowa. James Starr is deceased. Benjamin Wadsworth and Margaret Davidson are attending school in Nevada.
The family always attend the services of the Presbyterian church, of which the parents are members. They are a family of unusual refinement and education and hold a prominent social position in the community where they reside, their home being noted for its hospitality and the gracious cor- diality accorded all guests. Mr. Eckels has been a resident of Story county for only nine years, yet that time has sufficed for him to impress his per-
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· sonality upon those who have formed his acquaintance, and he is generally recognized as a man of unusual attainments. He has a gentleman's sense of honor and this coupled with his high ideals and manly dignity has won him the esteem and respect of the entire community.
ROBERT ALEXANDER ROBISON.
During a residence of fifty years in Story county Robert A. Robison left an indelible impress here by reason of the fact that he exemplified in his life the sterling traits of good citizenship and of activity and honor in business. Through careful management and judicious investment he be- came one of the extensive landowners of the county, owning at the time of his death nearly twelve hundred acres of valuable farm land. He had devoted many years to general agricultural pursuits and stock-raising near lowa Center, having arrived in this state in the fall of 1856.
Hle was born in Mifflin county, Pennsylvania. May 15. 1822. His father, John Robison, was a native of the same locality, was reared to manhood there and after arriving at years of maturity wedded Miss Mary Anderson, also a native of Pennsylvania. They took up their abode upon a farm in Mifflin county and resided there until called to their final rest. the father passing away in 1853 and the mother a number of years later. Their family numbered eight children, seven sons and a daughter.
Robert A. Robison, who was the sixth in order of birth, remained under the parental roof through the period of his boyhood and assisted his father until eighteen years of age, when he began learning the carpenter's trade. which he followed for a number of years, eventually becoming a contractor and builder. In 1855 he heard and heeded the call of the west. Bidding adieu to the Keystone state, he removed to Lafayette, Indiana, where he worked at his trade for about eighteen months, and in the fall of 1856 came to Iowa, settling in Story county, at Iowa Center. There he established himself in business as a contractor and builder, but after four years de- voted to that pursuit took up his abode upon a farm in 1859 and con- centrated his energies upon the work of tilling the soil. He first bought eighty acres of land and added to the farm from time to time as his re- sources increased. until in his home place he had over four hundred and twenty acres. Elsewhere he bought other property until he became the owner of nearly twelve hundred acres. He brought his fields under a high state of cultivation and added modern equipments to his different farm properties. Upon the home place he erected a fine residence. together with two large barns and other outbuildings necessary for the shelter of grain. stock and farm machinery.
His success came to him largely after his removal to Iowa and was the direct result of untiring industry and good management. He worked his
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way steadily upward until he was recognized as one of the self-made men of his township. In addition to tilling the soil he raised and fed cattle and hogs and found that a profitable source of income. Year by year his farm- ing and stock-raising interests were carried on carefully, systematically and profitably until 1893, when he left the farm work to others and removed to the city of Nevada, where he resided until his death. During the first seven years of his residence in Nevada his home was upon a farm lying partially within the corporation limits. About 1900 he removed to Linn street, occupying an attractive residence, in which his widow now makes her home.
Mr. Robison was married in Pennsylvania, in February, 1852, to Miss Nancy Greer, a native of that state. She, too, was born in Mifflin county and was a daughter of Adam and Mary Greer. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Robi- son were born eight children: George G., who is married and resides in Nevada; Ida, who became the wife of A. G. Moore and died near Nevada, December 28, 1909, leaving three daughters: Emma, the wife of Warren Maxwell, of this county ; Roland, who is married and is an extensive cattle feeder living four miles west of the town of Maxwell; Charles, who is married and resides on a farm six miles south of Nevada; Fannie, who is the wife of Ephraim Proctor, living about four miles from Cambridge ; Edward, a resident of Maxwell, Iowa; and Bert, who follows farming near Nevada. All of the children are now married and have homes of their own.
When Mr. and Mrs. Robison came to Story county in September, 1856, their cash capital consisted of but ten dollars. The following winter was a most severe one and they suffered much with the cold. They had started from Lafayette with ox teams but one of the oxen became crippled and Mr. Robison traded the other for a horse and bought another horse, driv- ing the rest of the way with the newly acquired team. At that time the county contained a population of little more than two hundred and the town of Nevada was not founded for five years more. There was scarcely any money in circulation and Mr. Robison worked at his trade and in com- pensation therefore took what he could of the necessaries of life. Des Moines, thirty miles away, was the nearest trading point. Food supplies were scarce and prices were very high at first. The family met all of the hardships, privations and trials of pioneer life, but with the passing years all this changed, and as the result of his energy, diligence and wisely di- rected effort Mr. Robison became one of the wealthiest men of the county.
After his retirement he spent two winters in California in company with his wife. In all matters of citizenship he stood for progress and reform. seeking the adoption of methods and measures for the benefit of the com- munity at large. He instructed his children in habits of industry and economy and reared a family who are a credit to his name. He continued his residence in Nevada until his death, which occurred January 23, 1906. In the meantime he had been an interested witness of the growth and de-
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velopment of the county, which had been transformed from a largely un- inhabited district into one of the populous and prosperous sections of the state. His labors were an element in its substantial growth, and no man rejoiced more heartily in what was accomplished along the lines of im- provement and upbuilding. He possessed a genial nature that attracted warm friendship and, while to him was allotted a long life of about eighty- four years, it was with deep regret that his fellow townsmen learned that he had been called to his final home. Mrs. Robison still resides in Nevada and is one of the oldest among the pioneer women of this part of the state.
JESSE BARKER.
The name of Barker is well known in Story county and is recognized as a synonym for integrity of character and also for success in business affairs. Jesse Barker, the founder of the family in this county, is now more than four score years of age and for forty-five years has been identi- fied with the agricultural interests of Iowa. He was born at Windham, Greene county, New York, October 12, 1828, a son of Ezra and Mary (Conley) Barker. The parents were New Englanders, locating in Greene county after their marriage. Subsequently they lived in various places in the Empire state, the father passing away in Steuben county, New York. The mother came to Iowa with her son Azel, who located in Kossuth county, where she continued until her death.
Jesse Barker was reared in New York state and as he grew to manhood was given the advantages of a common-school education. He engaged in farming in Steuben county until May, 1866, when he sold his farm, being attracted westward on account of superior advantages offered in the Mis- sissippi valley. He came to Story county and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of unimproved land in Union township, to which he later added eighty acres. He lived with his family for a time in a rude board house. later erecting a comfortable residence which is now the family home. By close application to a business, for which he was well adapted by natural ability and training, he became one of the prosperous farmers of the township, cultivating his land so as to produce highly gratifying results. He engaged in general farming but during recent years has lived retired, having sold all but one hundred acres of his place.
On the 20th of January, 1850, in Steuben county, New York, Mr. Barker was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Mary Brown, a daughter of Abijah and Polly (McClary) Brown, natives of New York, but at an carly day the father brought his family to lowa. Of the nine children born to our subject only three are now living, namely: Charley (or C. D.) ; Eugene ; and Delphine, the wife of W. C. Bennett, of Greene county, lowa. The son Eugene is a well known farmer of U'nion township. He married
MR. AND MRS. JESSE BARRER
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Miss Jennie Chashe, a daughter of David and Emma (Lampman) Chashe, and they became the parents of five children : Cora, now the wife of W. Huff; Jessie, the wife of Clinton Warfield, by whom she has one child, Selma Louise; Glenn Irvin; David Earl; and Effie Winnefred.
Mr. Barker is a self-made man, whose prosperity has been gained through his own well directed efforts. Possessing at the outset of his career good business talent, he took advantage of opportunities as they were presented and gained a position of respect and responsibility. He has displayed many traits of character which are recognized as belonging to the best citizenship and he assisted to the extent of his ability in the development of Story county. Today he is enjoying the results of many years of labor, in the course of which he assisted many others less fortunate than himself. Politically Mr. Barker gives his adherence to the republican party. He is not connected with any religious denomination but is friendly toward them all.
LOUIS HERMANN PAMMEL.
Louis Hermann Pammel, occupying the chair of botany in the Iowa State College, is numbered among those whose work has been most effec- tive and resultant in giving to the college its high standing among such institutions of learning in the country. He is also widely and favorably known because of his contributions to scientific literature. In Dr. J. Mc- Keen Cattell's American Men of Science Dr. L. H. Pammel's name ap- pears among the American men of science as one who has won distinction as an investigator. It is also a recognition of the work done in lowa State College as he is the only man so selected from the college whose name is starred.
He was born in La Crosse, Wisconsin, April 19, 1862, his birthplace being one of the first brick houses erected in that city. His father, Louis Pammel, was a native of Hoxter, Germany, and in 1853 came to America, settling first in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He afterward returned to Ger- many for his bride, who in her maidenhood was Sophie Freise, a native of Stade, Germany. Following his return to the United States he took up his abode in what was then the small city of La Crosse, where he en- gaged in the meat business until 1867, when he removed to a farm three miles from the city on the state road between Madison and the Missis- sippi river. Three sons and three daughters were born unto Louis and Sophie Pammel, namely : Louis; Hermann ; Gustaf ; Mathilda ; Dora ; and Emma, who became the wife of Professor N. E. Hansen, but is now deceased.
Louis H. Pammel attended the country schools and afterward pursued a year's course in a La Crosse business college. Private instruction later Vol. II-16
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prepared him for entrance to the University of Wisconsin, in which he was enrolled as a student in September, 1881. Previous to this time he had worked at ordinary routine farm labor, doing the chores about the home place, plowing and cultivating the ground and caring for the harvests. The summer vacations while in college were also spent in farm work. In the university he pursued the agricultural course and was graduated in 1885, the only agricultural student graduating in that class. Previous to that time the university had graduated but a single student in that course. In addition to the prescribed work he pursued special work in German literature under Professor W. II. Rosenstengel, and also made a study of botany, which he pursued under the efficient and able educator, Dr. William Trelease, who later became director of the Missouri Botanical Garden at St. Louis. Because of his special work he took special honors in botany, preparing a thesis on the Anatomy of the Seeds of Some Leguminosæ. This paper was later published in the Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club. This was the first of many of Professor Pammel's papers that have been accorded publication, although his introduction to the sci- entific world was through a paper by Dr. Trelease on Some Phenological Observations and the List of Parasitic Fungi of Wisconsin.
After leaving the university, Professor Pammel was associated from December, 1885, until the following July with Dr. W. G. Farlow, of Har- vard University, as private assistant and later was proffered the position of assistant in the Shaw School of Botany of Washington University. St. Louis, under his old teacher, Dr. Trelease. While there he published two of his papers, one on Mildews, and a second on Root Rot of Cotton. the latter containing the results of his investigations of a serious disease of cotton in Texas, which he investigated for the Texas Agricultural Experi- ment Station during the summer of 1888.
In February. 1889. Professor Pammel received and accepted a call to the chair of botany from the Iowa Agricultural College, as it was then known. He has been in continuous service of the Iowa State College since, except for occasional summer work done for the Bureau of Forestry, Bureau of Plant Industry of the United States department of agriculture. When he was called to the chair of botany in 1889 the department had the upper floor of North Hall, now an annex to Margaret Hall. He had to give all of the instruction in the class room and laboratory. The depart- ment was well equipped for the time. He had been preceded by two most efficient and popular instructors,-Dr. C. E. Pessey, who became the pro- fessor of botany of the University of Nebraska, and Dr. Byron D. Hal- sted, professor of botany, Rutgar's College, New Jersey. He carried out the same general policies and has endeavored to see the department well equipped in every way. During this time the department was sent from pillar to post, having had quarters in the Agricultural building, built in the 'gos, then in the old Main building, from which the department was driven
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by two disastrous fires, then in the dining room of Margaret Hall, and finally in the modern and well equipped Central building, where it oc- cupies splendid quarters on the top floor, in one of the best buildings of its kind in the country. Though much was lost by the two fires, he has started a splendid herbarium, containing the large and extensive herbarium made by Dr. C. C. Parry, formerly a citizen of Davenport. This collection con- tains many types from the Rockies and the Pacific coast, as Dr. Parry was an early Rocky Mountain explorer.
In 1889 Professor Pammel was honored with the degree of Master of Science from his alma mater and in 1899 Washington University of St. Louis conferred on him the Doctor of Philosophy degree, on which oc- casion his thesis was Anatomical Characters of the Seed of Leguminosæ Chiefly Genera of Gray's Manual. His contributions of papers along scientific and economical lines are regarded as of marked value and worth in the scientific world. Among his more important contributions are : Grasses of Iowa (two volumes) ; Ecology (one volume) ; Pet Bog Flora of Northern Iowa; The Anatomy of the Caryopsis of Some Grasses; Fun- gus Diseases of Grasses; Manual of Poisonous Plants, a large volume of over one thousand pages; and Common Weeds of the Farm and Garden. These indicate something of the line and scope of his activities and their favorable reception by the scientific world indicates his standing in the profession.
He is a fellow in the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Iowa Academy of Science. He is a member of the Botani- cal Society of America and Deutsch. Bot. Gesellsch, St. Louis Academy, Society for the Promotion of Agricultural Science, Society of American Bacteriologists, American Breeders' Association, American Forestry As- sociation and a corresponding member of the Davenport Academy of Sci- ence. He has been president of the Iowa Academy of Science and Iowa Park and Forestry Association. He was formerly a member of the Iowa Geological Board. At the present time he holds membership with the Delta Theta Sigma, an honorary agricultural fraternity, and is a director of the Cosmopolitan Club, in which he takes great interest. Aside from his interest in general college affairs, Professor Pammel has ever mani- fested a most helpful spirit toward his students. He has the faculty, without which the educator never attains the highest success, of regarding each student from the standpoint of the individual and in his instruction and personal relations of meeting scientific needs. A number of the men of his training now occupy important positions in college and govern- mental work, including F. C. Stewart, botanist of the Geneva (New York) Agricultural Experimental Station, C. R. Ball. C. W. Warburton, J. I. Schulte, Miss Emma Sirrine, P. H. Rolfs, F. Rolfs, A. J. Norman, F. W. Faurot, R. E. Buchanan, E. R. Hodson, A. L. Bakke, J. R. Campbell, E. Sherman, G. W. Carver and Dr. L. Lewis.
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Professor Pammel was married June 29. 1887, to Miss Augusta Emmel. of Chicago, and unto them have been born six children, Edna, Harriet, Doris, Lois, Violet and Harold. They are all faithful communicants of the Protestant Episcopal church, in the work of which they take active part. Theirs is an attractive home opposite the campus and is the scene of many delightful social functions.
DAVID VANCE THRIFT.
David Vance Thrift, proprietor of a restaurant in Nevada, was born in Utica, Licking county, Ohio, August 18, 1845, and is a son of William and Margaret (Newell) Thrift, whose family numbered five sons and three daughters, of whom David V. is the youngest and the only one now living. Ile was only three years of age at the time his mother died and but six years of age when his father passed away. His uncle, Joseph Thrift, was a commissioner sent out by the government and located the county seat of Story county, which he named Nevada after the Sierra Nevada Mountains, for he was an old Californian. His residence was at Boonesboro, Iowa. He went to Fort Des Moines with the soldiers as a tailor and engaged in making the clothing worn by the troops. He was the father of the first white child born there, and his eldest son, William Hamilton Thrift, served as adjutant general of lowa under Governor Cummins. The life of Joseph Thrift was in many respects an eventful and unusual one, owing to the varied experiences that came to him. He was a native of Virginia and spent his last days in California.
Early in life David Vance Thrift started out to earn his own living. He was reared in Bellefontaine, Ohio, to the age of thirteen years and then went to Findlay, Ohio. In that district he worked for farmers for his board and clothing and also was employed as porter in hotels. In fact he scorned no employment that would yield him an honest living, doing what- ever he could until sixteen years of age, when on a certain afternoon he walked sixteen miles to Carey and there boarded the train for Bellefon- taine, Ohio. This was in the year 1861 and he enlisted, under his nick- name, "Leroy" Thrift, as a member of Company E, Eighty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, which command was organized at Kenton, Hardin county, Ohio. He served for two years with the army as an independent sharpshooter and was then honorably discharged on account of disability.
In 1863 he went to Warsaw. Indiana, where he learned the tinner's trade, at which he worked for six years. On the expiration of that period he came to Iowa, settling in Kellogg, where he established a hardware store which he conducted for a year. He then sold out and went to Monroc. Jasper county, where he again became proprietor of a hardware store but again sold after a year. In 1874 he arrived in Nevada and opened the first
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bakery shop and restaurant in the city. He continued the business for two or three years, when he sold out and for five years thereafter he was em- ployed by T. E. Alderman & Sons, working at the bench in their hardware store. He then opened a hardware store of his own, which he sold five years later, going to California, where he spent six months, after which he returned and opened a restaurant, which he has since conducted. He has made this popular with the public and is accorded a good patronage. While there have been no sensational chapters in his business career, he has worked his way steadily upward and is now the owner of two good busi- ness blocks in the city in addition to his restaurant.
On the 27th of December, 1865, Mr. Thrift was married to Miss Emily A. King. a native of Ohio. and they have an extensive circle of warm friends in this city. Mr. Thrift belongs to the Grand Army of the Re- public and to the Knights of Pythias. In matters of citizenship he is as true and loyal to his country today as when he followed the old flag upon southern battlefields. He deserves all the praise implied in the term, a self-made man, for he has worked his way steadily upward, depending entirely upon his own resources from the age of thirteen years. Whatever success he has achieved is attributable entirely to his earnest labor and ca- pable management.
WILLIAM N. CANADY.
Within the borders of Story county there still reside many of the vet- erans of the Civil war who in early manhood, with the vigor and courage of youth, fought for the defense of the Union and have since remained loyal citizens of the country, stanchly supporting measures which they be- lieve to be for the best interests of the state and nation. Among this num- ber is William N. Canaday, who was born in Nicholas county, Kentucky, on Saturday, December 31. 1842, in the last hour of the year. His parents, John and Jane (West) Canady, also natives of Kentucky, were residents of that state until 1850, when they came with their family to Iowa, settling in Clinton county near Dewitt. The mother died in Woodbury county, Iowa, but the father spent his last days in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Their family numbered twelve children, five sons and seven daughters, of whom Robert Canady served for three years as a soldier of Company H. Twenty-sixthi lowa Infantry, during the struggle to preserve the Union.
William N. Canady was but eight years of age when his parents left Kentucky and went to Clinton county, Iowa, where his youthful days were spent upon a farm. The public schools afforded him his educational privi- leges and when not busy with his text-books he worked in the fields. His time was given to the farm work until his enlistment for service in the Union army on the 12th of August, 1861, as a member of Company A.
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Eighth lowa Infantry The regiment was assigned to the Army of the Tennessee, and with his command Mr. Canady participated in the battles of Shiloh, Corinth, the Siege of Vicksburg, Champion Hill, Grand Gulf and Memphis, being in Memphis in 1864 when General Forest made his raid. The Eighth Iowa saved the city on that occasion. Afterward Mr. Canady took part in the battle of Spanish Fort and was in all in sixteen important engagements. He received an honorable discharge on the 20th of April, 1865, and then returned home.
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