USA > Iowa > Story County > History of Story County, Iowa; a record of organization, progress and achievement, Volume II > Part 32
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dren having passed away in 1903, Mr. Fowler was married in 1906 to Miss Hattie D. Brouhard, who was born at Colo, lowa, March 5, 1877, and is a daughter of Bainie and Mary Brouhard. The father, who was a well known farmer of New Albany township, passed away in 1908. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Fowler has been brightened by the birth of one child, Dorothy Lucile, who was born May 30, 1910.
Mr. and Mrs. Fowler are both members of the Universalist church. He gives his adherence to the republican party, of which he has been a stanch supporter for many years. He served for nine years as a member of the Ames school board and was also one of the organizers of the Ames Commercial Club, filling the position of secretary-treasurer for eleven years. He is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias and has passed through all of the chairs in the latter organization. As a Mason he has become well known in Iowa, filling nearly all of the subordinate offices in the several bodies, and also presiding over the lodge, chapter and council. He became a member of Arcadia Lodge, No. 249. of Ames, in 1894, and of Three-Times-Three Chapter, No. 92, R. A. M., of Nevada, in 1896, receiving the degrees of Royal and Select Master in Joshua Chapter, No. 127, in 1898. He was a charter member of Gebal Council, No. 5. R. & S. M., of Ames, in 1900, being given the commandery degrees in Excalibur Commandery, No. 13. of Boone, in 1898. He received the distinguished honor of the Order of High Priesthood September 4, 1901. He has been a regular attendant upon the assemblies of the Grand Council almost since its inception and was given merited recognition in 1906 by being elected illustrious grand principal conductor of the work. In the following year he was elected right illustrious deputy grand master and at the annual assembly held in Water- loo in October, 1908, was made most illustrious grand master of the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters of the state of Iowa. Genial, courteous and agreeable in manner, he has made a host of friends and is undoubtedly one of the most popular citizens in Story county. Happy in his family relations and successful in business and public life, he has just reason to congratulate himself upon the selection of Iowa as his home.
CHARLES E. TAYLOR.
Charles E. Taylor, who for twenty years has been identified with build- ing operations in Ames, where a liberal patronage is accorded him. was born in Le Raysville, Bradford county, Pennsylvania. August 2, 1844, and is a son of Nelson and Martha ( Fletcher ) Taylor, who were also natives of Le Raysville. The ancestry of the family is traced back to John Taylor, who came from Sussex county, England. in 1630, and settled at Lynn. Massachusetts. He had two sons, John and Thomas. The former's wife.
C. E. TAYLOR
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Mrs. Rhoda Taylor, was a widow when she married John Taylor. They settled at Windsor, Connecticut, in 1639, and had five children but three died, leaving John and Thomas as the surviving members of the family. In 1646 their father sailed for England, leaving the family at Windsor, but the vessel was lost at sea. The legend concerning this lost ship was afterward put in poetic form by Henry W. Longfellow under the title The Phantom Ship. The widow and her two sons, John and Thomas, aged six and four years at the time of the father's death, continued in Windsor for some time, but in 1655 Mrs. Taylor became the wife of Mr. Hoyt and re- moved to Norwalk, Connecticut. When Thomas Taylor was fourteen years of age the town of Norwalk granted him land as "one of the children of the town." He was married February 14, 1668, to Rebecca, a daughter of Edward Ketchum, of Stratford, and on the 14th of October, 1669. his name was presented as one who desired to be made a "freeman." In the same year he was made a member of the general court from Norwalk. In 1685 he became one of the first eight settlers of Danbury, Connecticut, and was chosen ensign of the military company. He was also the first representative to the general court from Danbury, serving in 1697, 1701 and 1706. He died January 17, 1735, aged ninety-two years.
His fifth son, Nathan Taylor, was born at Norwalk, February 7, 1682, and in 1706 married Hannah, a daughter of Lieutenant Daniel and Mary Benedict. He enlisted in Colonel Waterbury's regiment and served in the Revolutionary war as sergeant from May until October, 1775. He died in 1781, at the age of ninety-nine years, leaving four sons. He had acted as color bearer in the Revolutionary war at the remarkable age of eighty- nine years and nine months, while his grandson John Taylor, who was born at Danbury, Connecticut, June 12, 1754, marched by his side carry- ing a musket. Nathan Taylor received an honorable discharge at the ex- piration of his term of enlistment. He preached his farewell sermon as a minister of the Congregational church when ninety-six years of age and died in Connecticut at the notable old age of ninety-nine years. The family is noted for longevity. In 1755 Thomas Taylor, the great-great- grandfather of Charles Taylor of this review, was killed at Lake George, New York, while fighting for the British in the French and Indian war. Various ancestors of Charles E. Taylor bore arms in the different wars in which the country has been engaged. His grandfather, Abraham Taylor, served in the Revolution under command of Captain Camp and Colonel Canfield. The great-grandfather, Lieutenant Perrin Ross, was one of the heroes in the war for independence and was killed in the Wyoming mas- sacre. Another great-grandfather, Brigadier General Samuel Fletcher, of Vermont, was in the Revolution and still another, Elinas Brister, who served as a private. In another ancestral line is found the record of Ithel Stone, of Hartford, Connecticut, who was a great-great-grandfather of Charles E. Taylor and served as a colonel in the Revolutionary war.
Vol. II-18
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Nelson Taylor, the father, born in Le Raysville, Pennsylvania, in 1816, died at Ames, Story county, lowa, at the venerable age of ninety-two, after residing here for twenty-five years. He had been a pioneer of the middle west of 1855, at which time he settled in Illinois. He had followed the tanner's trade in early life but after his removal to the west carried on agricultural pursuits and was actively connected with farming up to the time of his death, being ill only four days. His wife, who was born in Le Raysville, Pennsylvania, June 20. 1820, died in Illinois, in 1868. In their family were six sons and two daughters, of whom four sons and a daughter are yet living. The oldest brother. Byron F. Taylor, served for three years as a soldier in the Civil war. After losing his first wife his father married again.
Charles E. Taylor was a youth of eleven years when he accompanied his parents on their removal from Pennsylvania to Illinois. He remained with them upon the farm in the latter state until twenty years of age and then started west. He traveled over the Union Pacific Railroad when its terminal was at Cheyenne. He then returned to Nebraska and from there retraced his steps into lowa. Between the ages of twenty and thirty-one years he largely devoted his time to teaching in the common schools through the winter months and a portion of the summer seasons were spent in Illi- nois. In 1868 he came to Ames but the following year his mother's death recalled him to Illinois, where he again taught school for one term. In March, 1870, he made his way to the Pacific coast and conducted a meat market in Amador county, California, but in August. 1871, returned to Illinois, where he again followed the profession of teaching for two terms. After that period he came again to lowa and has since been a resident of Ames witli the exception of three years, which were spent in Del Rio, Texas. He was engaged in clerking in Ames for fourteen years and for the past twenty years has been engaged in carpenter work. As time has passed on he has met with success in this undertaking and is now in com- fortable circumstances.
On the ist of December, 1874, Mr. Taylor was united in marriage to Miss Nancy M. Wilder, of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, and unto them have been born four children : Edna M., the wife of Silas Kalsen, of Wood- bine, lowa; Phila Etta, at home ; Ilarry N., who is employed by the North- western Railroad Company and resides at Boone, Iowa; and Charles E., who is a conductor with the Chicago & Northwestern at Des Moines. There are also two grandsons and three granddaughters and Mr. Taylor also has two half-brothers and a half-sister living in Story county.
Mr. Taylor is a well informed man, keeping in touch with the general interests of the day. He is also greatly interested in the geological forma- tion of the county and has written some articles upon that subject. He belongs to lowa Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution and since twenty-one years of age has been a member of the Masonic frater-
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nity. He was initiated into the order in Illinois and is now secretary of Ames Lodge. His many sterling traits of character have gained him warm regard. His periods of residence in different parts of the country have given him intimate knowledge of America and her opportunities and conditions and he is thoroughly content to make his home in Iowa, for he believes that no state has been more richly endowed by nature.
JOHN B. ANGELO.
John B. Angelo, one of the well known retired farmers of Story county, who is now serving as mayor in the town of Maxwell, was born in Morgan county, Illinois, on the 26th of June, 1846, a son of Samuel W. and Rhoda (Burwell) Angelo. His parents were both natives of Pennsylvania, his father removing to Illinois when a child with his parents, but the mother remained in the Keystone state until she had reached womanhood when she, too, came west and settled in Illinois. Some years after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Angelo decided to remove to Iowa and in 1853 they located in Polk county near Rising Sun, where, two years later the father died. In 1857 Mrs. Angelo with her family of six children went to Jasper county to reside upon a farm which the father had entered prior to his death and there she continued to live up to the time of her death in 1894.
The childhood and youth of Mr. Angelo was somewhat harder than that of many boys. Being the son of a widow and one of the older chil- dren in the family he was required to perform a large portion of the work about the farm. His education was acquired in the district schools, the sessions of which were brief and the standard of scholarship at that period not of the best. When yet not much more than a lad his oldest brother left home and located in Nebraska and the next older entered the army, going to the front for the Union as a volunteer during that momentous period in the early '6os, thus leaving our subject the entire responsibility and care of the home farm. He managed the old homestead first for his mother and later as a renter until 1902, when he retired from active work and removed to Maxwell, where he has since continued to reside.
Ever since attaining the age which conferred upon him the full rights of citizenship Mr. Angelo has been a strong partisan of republicanism, feeling that party's policy of the centralization of power and protection best subserved the interests of the majority. He has always taken a more or less active interest in politics, having served for several years as town- ship trustee when a resident of Jasper county, and twice being the choice of his fellow citizens for the office of justice of the peace, and in both capacities he proved himself well worthy of their confidence. His excellent guardianship of the public interests and his strong advocacy of every movement which promised the betterment of conditions essential to the
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community proved him to be a man of progressive ideas and one well able to direct and fill any local office. As justice of the peace he proved him- self fully as competent, his decisions in all cases meeting with the approval of the general public. Since his retirement and residence in Maxwell he has served six years in the town council, and in the spring of 1909 he was elected mayor and is still the incumbent of that office.
Mr. Angelo was united in marriage on the 9th of January, 1876, to Miss Ada R. Kimberly. a daughter of Isaiah and Mary Ann (Cleverly) Kimberly, of Jasper county, where they continue to reside, he at the vener- able age of eighty-five years and she having passed her seventy-ninth anniversary. One child was born to this couple, Wyatt B., who is practic- ing law in Plainfield, Wisconsin.
Mr. and Mrs. Angelo are both members of the Christian church, of which he has been a trustee for years. He is also identified with the Masonic fraternity, being a member of Herald Lodge, No. 455, A. F. & A. M. He is one of the progressive men of his community, who has always been held in high regard, both he and Mrs. Angelo being popular in both church and social circles of Maxwell.
HORACE GREELEY HANDSAKER.
Among the native sons of this county whose close application and in- dustry have been rewarded by a comfortable competence is Horace Greeley Handsaker. He is the son of William and Emily Handsaker and was born on section 22, Richland township, on the 3d of January. 1870. The mother was born in Indiana and was reared in Illinois but the father was an Englishman by birth and came to the United States when he was a young man, settling in Richland township, this county, where he met and married Emily Wyatt. Of the eight children born of this union six are living.
The boyhood and youth of H. G. Handsaker differed but in detail from that of the majority of boys who are reared in the rural districts. It was the usual routine of school, work about the farm and such sports as are usually enjoyed by strong and energetic lads. llis education was acquired in the district schools of the township in which he was born and reared. On laying aside his text-books he assisted his father in the work of the home farm until he had reached the age of twenty years, when he
began life for himself. For two years he served in the capacity of a farm hand, but at the end of that period he was able to become somewhat more independent and rented a farm from his father, which he continued to cultivate for five years. His thrift, good management and hard work were rewarded during that period to the extent that he was able to become a property owner and he bought two hundred and forty acres on section 22, Richland township, where he still resides. Later he invested in one hun-
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dred and sixty acres of land in Worth county and he has more recently acquired three hundred and twenty acres in the Panhandle of Texas. Thus the aggregate of his realty holdings is seven hundred and ninety acres, all of which is valuable land. His home farm is well stocked, its fertile fields yield abundant harvests and it contains a comfortable resi- dence and commodious barns.
Mr. Handsaker was united in marriage to Miss Emma Cook, a daughter of the late Michael Cook and Rose Cook. To this couple have been born four children, three daughters and one son, as follows: Eva, who died in infancy; Lulu, who is attending school; Bertha and Harold.
Ever since he attained his majority Mr. Handsaker has given his political allegiance to the republican party. He has never been particularly active in politics, not aspiring to public office, but always discharges his duties as a citizen by casting a vote at each election for the candidates of the party of his choice. He has always been an active, progressive, ener- getic man, who has met with more than average success in his life work and at the same time has won and held the esteem and good-will of those who have known him from childhood.
W. S. HEMPING.
WV. S. Hemping, a general farmer and stock-raiser of New Albany township, Story county, is winning success in his chosen life work owing to the fact that his efforts in that direction have ever been characterized by unfaltering industry and intelligently applied labor. He was born in Ogle county, Illinois, on the 3d of June, 1861, and represents a family which was founded in the United States in the early part of the nineteenth century. In the year 1803 his paternal grandfather came from Germany to the new world, locating at Halifax, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, where the re- mainder of his life was spent. He was a minister of the Lutheran church and his entire time was devoted to preaching the doctrines of that faith.
His son, J. N. Hemping, the father of our subject, was born on the 17th of October, 1818, in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania. He was afforded the advantage of a college education, and it was his father's wish that he devote himself to the ministry. This occupation, however, did not appeal to J. N. Hemping who, taking up farming as a life work, was identified with that enterprise throughout his active life. In 1856 he came west, taking up his abode in Ogle county, Illinois, and in May, 1866, arrived in Story county, where he resided until his demise. In April, 1840, he was united in marriage in St. John's Lutheran church near Elizabethville, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, to Miss Eva Brosius, who was also a native of the Keystone state, her birth occurring in Dauphin county, July 28, 1824. Mr. Hemping passed away on the 6th of March, 1896, on the
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old homestead in New Albany township, Story county, but his wife still survives and makes her home with a son in South Dakota. By her mar- riage she became the mother of the following children: Dan, a veteran of the Civil war, who was born January 18, 1842, and passed away January 9. 1895: Elizabeth, who was born November 26, 1843, and died in May. 1898; Peter and Moses, both of whom passed away in infancy; Mary, who was born in May, 1846, her death occurring August 5. 1906; Kathryn, who was born October 16, 1851, and was killed in a railroad accident in Colo on the 15th of July, 1900; Susan, who was born November 14. 1853. and resides in Lincoln, Nebraska; John N., born March 31, 1856, and living in Ford county, Kansas; and Aaron I., who was born October 28, 1865, and now makes his home in South Dakota.
Coming with his parents to Story county when a lad of five years, W. S. Hemping therefore acquired his education in the schools of New Albany township, while he received thorough practical training in the work of the home farm. The wholesome atmosphere of rural life was conducive to a healthy, normal growth both mentally and physically, and with the passing of the years he learned much concerning the value of industry, integrity and perseverence. He remained with his parents until thirty years of age, when he removed to the farm adjoining the old home- stead, the property of his wife. upon which he yet makes his home. Here he is successfully engaged in general farming and also devotes considerable time to stock-raising, making a specialty of breeding high grade Percheron horses. He is meeting with success in his enterprise, owing to the fact that he employs modern and progressive methods in the conduct of his interests and gives careful personal supervision to both branches of his business.
On the 10th of March, 1892, W. S. Hemping was united in marriage to Rachel Isabel Trites, whose birth occurred in New Albany township on the 22d of January, 1862. Her father, Henry Trites, a native of Germany, made the trip across the Atlantic in 1853 as a passenger on the William Tell, landing at New York. In 1858 he arrived in Story county and in the following year started for Pikes Peak. He returned to Story county. however, in 1860, in which year he was united in marriage to Miss Sarah McCamy. Agriculture was the occupation to which he devoted his time and attention, and he spent his entire life upon the farm. Iowa was yet a frontier district when he arrived within its borders. Mrs. Hemping's mother and her family came west with ox teams and it took nine weeks to make the trip from Randolph county, Indiana, to Story county. Mr. Trites cast in his lot with the carly settlers and bore an important part at the time of the Spirit Lake Indian uprising. He undertook the task of notifying the troops at Fort Bridgely, South Dakota, of the uprising. as many people had already been killed. The task was a difficult one, as the distance to Fort Bridgely was one hundred miles and the journey had to be made on foot, with four to six feet of snow on the ground. Ile was a Mason, holding membership in Columbia Lodge, No. 292, A. F.
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& A. M., at Colo. He passed away on the 8th of August, 1892, and his funeral services, held at the Methodist Episcopal church, at Colo, were conducted by Rev. Ellenberger, with the Masonic order assisting. He is survived by his widow, who now makes her home at Colo, whence she removed in 1894, and two daughters, Mrs. Hemping and Louise Hemping.
Unto Mr. ad Mrs. Hemping have been born two sons: Henry, born on the 10th of December, 1893, who lives at home and attends high school; and William Silas, born on the 31st of December, 1898, who is also with his parents and is attending school.
Mr. Hemping is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows and has held all of the offices in the order. In politics he is a stanch republican, strongly supporting the progressive branch of that party, but he is without ambition for public office. He has, however, served as a member of the school board for four years, the cause of edu- cation and intellectual development finding in him a stalwart champion. Indeed his ideas are progressive along other lines, as well, and every measure or project which has for its object the upbuilding and develop- ment of the community finds in him hearty cooperation. He has passed practically his entire life within the borders of Story county and his genuine worth has gained him many warm friends during that period, his excellent traits of citizenship gaining him the respect and good-will of his fellowmen.
BURTON L. MEAD.
Burton L. Mead, whose farm of one hundred and sixty acres lies within the corporate limits of Collins, may be designated as one of the fortunate citizens of Story county. His home is one of the most attrac- tive in the township, and as a farmer, although a young man, he enjoys a reputation for success seldom accorded a man of his years. Born on the farm where he now resides, January 14, 1882, he is the son of Charles and Phoebe V. (Fish) Mead. The father became one of the wealthy men of this section and died in 1894. The mother is now living in Collins.
Burton L. Mead was reared upon the home farm under highly favor- able conditions for acquiring a good physical constitution and also a thor- ough knowledge of all the details of agriculture and stock-raising. He received his preliminary education in the public schools and subsequently attended the Capital City Business College at Des Moines, where he acquitted himself most creditably and gained the basis of a thorough business education. At the age of eighteen years he was made assistant cashier of the Exchange State Bank of Collins, serving most acceptably for three and one-half years, when he resigned and located upon the
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home farm, which reverted to him on the settlement of the family estate in 1903. This place comprises one hundred and sixty acres and is one of the highly improved farms of Story county. It is provided with sub- tantial buildings and all conveniences of a first class, up-to-date establish- ment. Mr. Mead makes a specialty of stock-feeding, using not only all the grain and hay that he raises but he also buys extensively from others. He is a good judge of stock and being well acquainted with the markets is generally able to secure the very best prices available.
On the 11th of November, 1903, Mr. Mead was united in marriage to Miss Hattie E. Middleton, of Modale, lowa, a daughter of William and Catherine (Mintun) Middleton, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Iowa. Mr. Middleton came to lowa about 1846 and engaged in farming in Harrison county. He also served as foreman on the construc- tion of the Union Pacific Railway when it was built through Nebraska, but is now living retired at Modale at the age of eighty-three years. There were eighteen children in his family.
To Mr. and Mrs. Mead two children have been born: Leroy William, and Elena Kathryn. Politically Mr. Mead gives his support to the repub- lican party and fraternally is identified with Fervent Lodge, No. 513. A. F. & A. M., of Collins. He is a kind and considerate husband and father, an enterprising citizen and a faithful friend, who is willing to make any reasonable sacrifice to advance the comfort and happiness of those with whom he associates. By an industrious and straightforward life he has gained an enviable reputation for efficiency and integrity, and his per- sonal worth is fully demonstrated in the high esteem in which he is held by people of Collins and vicinity.
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