USA > Iowa > Tama County > History of Tama County, Iowa, together with sketches of their towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 58
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In October, 1859, T. W. Jackson was elected Coroner. Ile was a lawyer, living at Toledo, and is noticed at length in the chapter upon the Bar of the county. It seems he did not qualify as Coroner.
I. J. Wilkins was elected to fill the vacancy, in November, 1860. Mr. Wilkins was a Free Will Baptist preacher, and a genial, talkative gentleman. Ile still resides in Toledo, well advanced in years.
G. W. Cowles was elected Coroner to succeed Mr. Wilkins, at the general election in 1861. lle still lives in Tama City.
I. J. Wilkins was again elected in the fall of 1862.
Franklin Davis, who is mentioned as being the first Coroner, was again elected in October, 1863, ten years after his first election to the office.
In October, 1865, Nathan Fisher was elected Coroner, and being re-elected in 1867 and 1869, served for six years. Nathan Fisher is now Justice of the Peace, at Toledo. Ile was born in Clinton county, Ohio, September 4, 1815. ITis parents were James and Margaret (Ilockett) Fisher, the former a native of Kent county, Delaware ; the latter of Guilford County, North Carolina. The father died in 1873, the mother in 1877. There were four children in the family, two boys and two girls, three of whom are now living-Rebecca, Nathan and Daniel. Jane died in 1835. Nathan was reared in Ohio until he was twenty, then moved with his parents to Indiana, locating in Ilamil- ton county, twenty miles north of Indian- apolis. IIe was here engaged in farming for twenty years. July 30, 1835, Mr. Fisher was united in marriage with Miss Sarah G. Powell, daughter of Emery and Annie (Roton) Powell, natives of Dela- ware. In 1853, he moved to Tama county, locating in Carroll township, on section 28. where he entered 320 acres, and
Y
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
engaged in farming until 1858. That year he came to Toledo, where he has since lived. When he came to Toledo, he first engaged in the manufacture of brick. In 1862, he was elected Justice of the Peace of Toledo township, which office he has held ever since, with the exception of one year. In 1857-58, he held the office of Drainage Commissioner, giving bonds to the amount of $10,000; but he states that, during the two years, he did not do five cents' worth of business. He has also been Township Trustee, and a member of the City Council of Toledo. Mr. Fisher is a staunch Republican, and has been since the organization of that party. Mr. and Mrs. Fisher have had a family of seven children-James E., now living in Kellogg, Jasper county, Iowa ; Melissa J,, wife of J. R. Haworth, of Iowa Falls; Martha A., Harriet, died in 1842; Mary, wife of Andrew Wise, died February 6, 1883, in Norton county, Kansas ; Caroline M., wife of John K. Lux ; and Margaret E., wife of C. S. Bailey, of Buffalo county, Nebraska.
M. A. Newcomb succeeded Fisher, by the election in 1871. In 1883, he was still a resident of l'ama county, living in Tama township.
G. W. Cowles came next, but either did not qualify or resigned before the expira- tion of his term of office.
In the fall of 1874, E. M. Bielby was elected Coroner.
J. C. Kendrick was elected in 1875; was re-elected in 1877 and 1879, and served for six years.
In 1881, Dr. HI. C. Myers was chosen to the office, but did not qualify.
At the general election, in the fall of
1882, J. C. Kendrick was elected Coroner of the county. He was born in Columbia county, Ohio, August 22, 1833. Flis parents were David and Jane (Henderson) Kendrick. The former was a native of New Hampshire, and the latter of Ireland. When of sufficient years, J. C. learned the trade of a mason, which occupation he afterward followed the greater share of the time while in the State of Ohio. In April, 1865, he removed to Tama county, Iowa, locating on a farm two miles south- east of Toledo. Upon coming to this county, Mr. Kendrick brought with him, a thousand sheep, and for three years was engaged in sheep raising. At the end of that time, however, he found the business an unprofitable one, and therefore disposed of them. He has held the office of Con- stable six years, and is now serving his fourth term as Coroner of the county. In polities, is a Republican. He was married, in August, 1858, choosing for a wife Miss Elizabeth Case, a native of Portage, Ohio. They have one child living-Owen B., born June 22, 1859. Mr. Kendrick is a member of Hiram of Tyre Lodge, A. F. & A. M., of Tama city.
SCHOOL FUND COMMISSIONER.
The first to fill this office was Noah Myers. Tre particulars regarding the various School Fund Commissioners, and also
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS,
Will be found in connection with the chapter upon educational matters.
COUNTY ASSESSOR.
Shortly after Tama county was organ- ized, an act was passed by the General Assembly, abolishing the office of Town-
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IHISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
ship Assessor throughout the State, and creating the one above named. The object was to have one man assess the whole county. In April, 1857, J. P. Wood was elected County Assessor, and was the first, last and only one elected, as the work was found to be too much for one man to attend to, and this office was abolished, and the work of assessing reverted to the old township system, which is still in force.
PROSECUTING ATTORNEY.
In early days, each county had what was termed a County Prosecuting Attorney, to prosecute State cases, before the courts sitting in the various counties. The first Prosecuting Attorney, of Tama county, was John Huston, who was elected in March, 1858.
Afford Phillips succeeded Huston, being elected in August, 1854. He is still a resi- dent of the county seat, and is one of the wealthiest men in the county.
In August, 1856, Nathan D. Wieting was elected Prosecuting Attorney, and served until the office was abolished by law, and that of District Attorney created in its stead. Sketches of some of the gentlemen who have held this office will be found in connection with the Bar Chapter.
DRAINAGE COMMISSIONER.
The first Drainage Commissioner, for Tama county, was Anthony Wilkinson, one of the very first settlers in the county. lle was elected in April, 1854.
The next was Nathan Fisher, who was elected in April, 1857. He has held various offices in the county, and is noticed elsewhere in this volume.
In 1859, Z. T. Shugart was elected
Drainage Commissioner, and was re-elected in 1861.
T. B. Martin succeeded Shugart, being elected in October, 1863.
W. S. Turbett, who was elected in 1867, is the next Drainage Commissioner shown by the records to have been elected. He is one of the early settlers of the county,- was born in Cumberland connty, Pennsyl- vania, November 19, 1820. His parents were Thomas and Nancy (Wallace) Turbett. The subject of this sketch was educated in the common schools and in Dickerson College. When seventeen years of age be commenced teaching school and at nineteen he embarked in the mercantile business. March 3, 1854, he married Sarah Nidigh, a daughter of Daniel Nidigh, of Perry county, Pennsyl- vania. Six children have been born to them : Henry C., Daniel W., Thomas .I., William F., Ella and James. In 1855, Mr. Turbett went to Crawford county, Ohio, where he spent one year clerking in a store. In 1856, he removed to Davenport, Iowa, and in May, 1856, came to Toledo, where he engaged in the butcher business, being the first that Toledo can boast of. This business he followed for several years, when he opened a general store, in which he continued until 1876. Mr. Turbett has been identified with thecounty for many years, and has lived to see many changes take place in Toledo and vicinity. Mr. Turbett, in polities, is a staunch Demo- crat, having cast his vote with that party ever since he reached his majority.
In October, 1869, E. T. Gallion was the choice of the people for this office, and was the last person to fill it. The office has been abolished by law.
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
CHAPTER XIV.
INSURANCE, ENDOWMENT AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS.
In this connection, are presented, his- tories of the most important organizations of Tama county. Where it was possible to obtain information, a synopsis of the object and mode of operation, of the several organizations, are given.
OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY OF TAMA COUNTY.
This society was organized by the pio- neers of the county in 1872. The first meeting was held on the 17th day of Octo- ber, at the court house, in Toledo. Rezin A. Redman was chosen Chairman, and Thomas A. Graham, Secretary. Speeches were made by many of the old settlers, advocating the organization upon a sound and permanent basis, as a means of keep- ing alive and further cementing old friendships, and renewing among the par- ticipants old ties and associations. Such business as presented itself was transacted, and the meeting adjourned to meet October 24. At this meeting the organi- zation was made complete, constitution and by-laws adopted, and the time fixed for holding annual meetings upon the second Wednesday of October. The constitution provided that any person who had been in Tama county for fifteen years, could become a member of the society by signing a record kept for the purpose by the Secretary. The first officers were as follows: President, Anthony Wilkinson
Secretary, David D. Appelgate ; Treas- urer, Franklin Davis.
Thomas S. Free, D. F. Bruner, W. II. Stivers and John T. Ames were appointed a committee to compile a history of the early settlers of the county.
This organization continued in force for several years, when it was dropped.
THE RE-ORGANIZED SOCIETY.
In the spring of 1883 the society was re-organized. The following officers were elected :
President-John Ramsdell, of Tama City.
Vice-President-A. J. Wheaton, of Toledo.
Secretary-George L. Bailey, of Toledo. Treasurer-Leander Clark, of Toledo.
At this meeting it was decided to have a grand re-union in the summer of 1883, to talk over old times, and to renew and strengthen the ties of friendship formed in days of pioneer life.
At this time the Union Publishing Company, of Springfield, Ill., were engag- ed in the preparation of the "History of Tama County, " and to ensure its correct- ness, committees were appointed to revise, correct and approve the different depart- ments of the work.
The following were the gentlemen appointed to examine the general history:
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
Hon. George R. · Struble, of Toledo, IIon. Leander Clark, of Toledo ; J. H. Hollen, of Tama City; W. C. Salsbury, of Le Grand; J. C. Vermilya, of Tama City; D. F. Bruner, of Toledo; Daniel Connell, of Gladbrook.
To this list, were added as a reserve committee :
Ex-Gov. Joseph Dysart, of Dysart ; James A. Willey, of Salt Creek ; Samnel Giger, of Howard.
The following Vice-Presidents for the various townships were appointed :
Ilighland-J. B. Merritt.
Columbia-Leonard Stoddard.
Richland-James F. C'ram.
Salt Creek-Anthony Wilkinson.
Indian Village-C. J. Stevens.
Tama-W. T. Ilollen.
Toledo-Franklin Davis.
Otter Creek-Abram Tompkins.
York-Charles Mason.
Carlton-John Peterson.
Iloward-D. K. Gallagher.
Carroll-George M. Fee.
Oneida-J. W. Barton.
Spring Creek-W. B. King.
Crystal-J. S. Townsend.
Clark-Joseph Dysart.
Lincoln-J. F. G. Cokl.
Grant-Robert Whannell.
Buckingham-J. V. B. Green.
Geneseo-T. R. Mellhinney.
Perry-T. F. Clark.
The certificates of the general commit- tee, and of the committees appointed by the various Vice-Presidents, are given elsewhere in this volume.
FARMERS' MUTUAL AID COMPANY OF TAMA
COUNTY.
During the winter of 1872-3, the project
of organizing a Tama county insurance company was quite extensively discussed among the farmers of Tama county, and on the 11th of March, 1873, a meeting was held at the White Pigeon sehool honse, in Carlton township, at which an organiza- tion was effected. The name adopted was the Farmers' Mutual Aid Company. At this time, it embraced only the townships of Spring Creek, Crystal, Howard and Carlton, but later, this was extended so as to embrace the whole county. Risks were carried on all farm property, household furniture, stock, barns, grain and hay ; but the towns and cities were not included. As the name implies, it was to be strictly for the benefit of farmers, as against fire and lightning.
At this meeting, L. F. Hammitt, was elected President ; D. II. Patterson, Secre- tary ; and Samuel Giger, Treasurer. At first the business of the company did not fully come up to the expectations of the founders ; but it soon improved and was very successful. In December, 1878, the Company was carrying risks to the amount of $1,032,141 : and during the year 1878, paid losses to the amount of $1,816.55, making total running expenses for the year $1,992.51.
The presiding officers have been L. F. Iammitt, Franklin Davis, Mr. Townsend, and John McClain. The present officers are as follows : President, John McC'lain; Secretary, David McCormick ; Treasurer, J. Q. Clark, of Toledo. The company is now prospering finely, and the enterprise has, in every way, proved an entire success, the policies being held by farmers all over the county.
The company is at present, carrying
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
risks to the amount of $649,800. The total losses paid sinee organization amount to about $14,264. The Association prom- ises to become one of the substantial insti- tutions of the county.
IOWA MUTUAL BENEFIT ASSOCIATION.
This is a Tama county enterprise, hav- ing been organized by some of the promi- nent citizens of Toledo, on the 8th day of April, 1882, with headquarters at Toledo. The first officers elected were: President, N. HI. Wilder; First Vice-President, II. S. Thompson; Second Vice-President, W. Il. Harrison; Treasurer, P. J. Wieting; Secretary, W. H. Harrison, Jr .; Counsel- lor, W. J. Ham; Actuary, N. C. Wiering; Medical Director, E. R. Smith, M. D. The enterprise met with marked favor and success, and within a year from its organization had nine hundred members. The mutual plan was adopted, making all umnally interested, and giving the right to every certificate holder of casting as many votes at the annual elections as were ex- pressed in his certificate. The association issues endowment certificates, which mature in from six to eighteen years, ac- cording to the age of the applicant at the time of issuance. Certificates are issued for one, two and three thousand dollars, not to exceed the latter. The rates of membership fee of Division A are $8 upon the first thousand, and $4 upon each additional thousand. The annual (lues are $4 for the first, and $2 on each subsequent thousand. Assessments will not increase with the age of a mem- ber.
The funds to meet certificates matured by death, and those matured during life, after exhausting the reserved fund set
apart for that year, are raised by assess- ment upon the members of cach Division.
The beneficiaries of those certificates which mature by death within five years of the date of the same will receive fifty per cent. of the amount expressed therein; the net remainder being set apart in "The Reserve Benefit Fund," which .must be invested, according to the articles of in- corporation, in United States bonds or bonds of the State of Iowa or other equally safe securities. This reserve will accumulate until 1892, when the associa- tion will begin to use the same to pay cer- tificates matured during life. One-tenth of the same will be set apart at the be- ginning of each year for that purpose, and no assessment can be made until the amount set apart has been exhausted.
Those who die any time after the close of the fifth year will receive the full amount of their certificates. The net cash result of an assessment when this division has less than 1,200 members shall be a payment in full of a certificate that matures during that time, provided there shall not be paid more than the amount due at the time as named in the certiti- cate.
Division B is entirely separate and in- dependent of Division A, and members of this will not be assessed for claims in Division A. It offers to persons between sixty-five and seventy-five years of age, all the benefits of endowment insurance.
Those who die within three years from date of certificate will receive the amount of an assessment, not to exceed one-half the amount of their. certificate. The remainder, not to exceed one-half the amount of certificate, goes into the reserve
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
fund of this division, and the balance, if any, carried to the assessment fund.
Those who die after three years will receive the full amount of an assessment, not to exceed the amount of their certiti- cate. The reserve benefit fund of this division will be invested in the same class of seenrities as the reserve fund in Division A, and be used exclusively in the payment of life-matured certificates in this division.
Under this plan the member remaining until his certificate matures is doubly assured of its payment, while the assess- ments are thus lessened, and the associa- tion is rendered perfectly sound, and the ·certificate holder safe.
The articles of incorporation provide that the reserves and accrued interest shall be used only to pay matured certificates. Hence they cannot be used for expenses, salaries, or any other purpose.
Life matured certificates will be paid within ninety days of proof of identity and surrender of certificate.
Those maturing by death will be paid within ninety days of satisfactory proof of death of member.
The present officers of the Iowa Mutual Benefit Association are as follows:
N. II. Wilder, (President Toledo City Bank,) President; 1I. S. Thompson, (lumber merchant,) Vice-President ; P. G. Wieting, (Cashier Toledo City Bank,) Treasurer; W. HI. Harrison, Jr., (wholesale bookseller,) Secretary ; E. R. Smith, M. D., Medical Director.
General Agents :- W. W. Lacey, E. Buck, W. C. Smith, James W. Ballard.
MUTUAL ENDOWMENT ASSOCIATION, OF TOLEDO.
This association was incorporated by M.
S. Drury, William H. Harrison, J. L. Drury, W. F. Johnston, and E. C. Eber- sole, on April 20, 1883, at Toledo, under the code of 1873. The officers elected were: President, E. B. Ebersole ; Treas- urer, W. F. Johnston ; Secretary, J. L. Drury ; Actuary, W. Il. Harrison ; Vice- President, M. S. Drury.
The articles of incorporation declared as follows :
"The object of this association was to afford benefits to its members, or their beneficiaries, in such manner, and upon the terms and conditions specified.
The principal place of business shall be at Toledo, in Tama county, Iowa.
The private property of the officers, trustees, and members shall be exempt from the debts of the corporation.
The affairs of this association shall be managed by a board of five trustees, wh ch shall consist of M. S. Drury, Win, 11. Harrison, Sr., J. L. Drury, W. F. Johnston, and E. C. Ebersole, and their successors, and in case of a vacancy occur- ring by the death, resignation, or refusal to act, or removal from office for any canse, of any of said trustees, those who remain shall fill such vacancy by appoint- ment.
A majority of all the trustees shall constitute a quorum at any meeting.
The Board of Trustees shall have power to elect a l'resident, Secretary, Treasurer, and such other officers and agents as they may deem necessary to carry on the busi- ness of the association, from their own number, or otherwise, and to fix their terms of office and compen- ation.
Any person between fifteen and sixty-
e
6
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
five years of age may become a member upon the conditions herein named.
The Board of Trustees may enact such by-laws, not inconsistent with these arti- eles, as they may deem expedient for the proper transaction of the business of the corporation.
Any person of proper age, may become a member by paying to the association a membership fee, as follows : On a certifi- eate of $1000, six dollars ; of $2000, eight dollars ; of $3000, ten dollars; of $4000, twelve dollars; of $5000, fourteen dol- lars.
For the purpose of paying the running expenses of the association, each member, in addition to the membership fee, shall be required to pay at such time as the Board of Trustees shall fix, by by-law and annual due, as follows : On $1000, fonr dollars ; on $2000, six dollars ; on $3000, eight dollars ; on $4000, ten dollars; on $5000, twelve dollars.
The association shall issue to its mem- bers endowment certificates for $1000, 82000, $3000, $4000 and $5000, not to exceed $5000 to any one member, by which the association shall agree to pay to the holders thereof, at the time stated in the certificates, the sums therein named.
If any member die before his certificate matures his beneficiary, or assignee, if any such appears on the books of association, and if not, his heirs shall be entitled to receive, and the association shall pay upon his certificate, the actual amount paid therein to the association, including membership fee, all assessments and annual dues, and the amount paid shall be in full satisfaction of said certificate, and
of all elaims to be made upon the same against the association.
The money to pay the amounts due on certificates of deeeased members, that is those dying before their certificates mature, shall be raised by assessment upon those remaining, the assessments to be graded according to the age of the member at the time of joining, on each one thousand dollars of benefit.
The assessments shall not increase with the age of members, but shall remain the same as at the time of joining.
The association sball keep a separate account with each of the following funds: 1. The Membership Fund ; 2. The Ex- pense Fund ; 3. The Surplus Fund ; 4. The Death Fund ; 5. The Endowment Fund ; 6. The Maturity Fund.
The Membership Fund shall consist of membership fees and shall be used to pay agents for securing members for the asso- ciation. The surplus, if any, may at the end of any fiscal year be carried to the Ex- pense Fund, if the trustees shall deem it expedient.
The annual dues shall be charged to the Expense Fund. This fund shall be used to defray the expenses incidert to the man- agement of the affairs of the association, including the reasonable salaries of its trustees, officers and agents, except solie- iting agents, who must be paid wholly out of the Membership Fund. Any excess re- maining of the Expense Fund, at the end of any fiscal year, may, at the discretion of the trustees, be carried to the Surplus Fund.
The Surplus Fund shall consist of such funds as may be transferred to it from the Expense Fund. This fund or any portion of it may at the discretion of the trustees
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
be transferred at the end of any fiscal year up to January 1, A. D. 1889, to the En- dowment Fund, after that to the Matu- rity Fund. But the trustees may, if they see proper, allow the Surplus Fund to accumulate, for the purpose of procuring a proper site and erecting suitable buildings for the use of the association.
The Death Fund shall consist of the proceeds of assessments made on the death of members, and shall be used first to pay the amount due upon the certificate of the member on account of whose death the assessment was made. The surplus of each assessment shall be carried to the Endowment Fund up to January 1, A. D. 1889, after that to the Maturity Fund.
The Endowment Fund shall consist of such moneys as may be transferred to it from the Surplus and Death Funds and the interest accumulating thereon up to January 1, A. D. 1889. This fund must always be kept invested in interest-bearing bonds of the United States, or the State of Iowa, or in first mortgages on real estate. The interest arising from the Endowment Fund, after January 1, A. D. 1889, shall be carried to the Maturity Fund.
The Maturity Fund shall consist of inter- est on the Endowment Fund as provided in the last section, and of such moneys as may be transferred to it from the Surplus or Death Funds. This fund shall be used to pay only matured certificates, and if at any time, there is not sufficient money in this fund to pay the certificates which have matured, the deficiency shall be met by an assessment of the members which shall be apportioned among the members
in the same ratio as the assessments made upon the death of a member.
It shall be the duty of the trustees to keep all the funds of the association invested so far as practicable, either in interest bearing U. S. or Iowa bonds, or in first mortgages on real estate, and the books and records of the association shall always be open to the inspection of members.
In case of the death of any member, such proof must be presented within six months from the date of death, as the trustees shall fix in the by-laws.
Within thirty days after the proof of death of any member has been presented to the association, the Secretary shall notify all remaining members to forward within thirty days their pro rata assessments. Should any member fail to forward his assessments by the time limited in such notice, he shall forfeit all his rights as a member, with all sums he has paid. The placing in the postoffice at Toledo, Iowa, of a notice of any assessment properly stamped and directed to the member, at his address, as it appears upon the books of the association, shall be deemed suthi- cient notice.
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