USA > Iowa > Taylor County > History of Taylor County, Iowa; from the earliest historic times to 1910, biographical sketches of some prominent citizens > Part 29
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FRANCIS EMERY CROSSON.
Professor Francis E. Crosson, whose close connection with the educational . progress of Taylor county has constituted his life work a vital and valuable force in the development and upbuilding of this section of the state, was born December 20, 1857, in Abingdon, Knox county, Illinois. His parents were William Har- vey and Asenath (Vinsonhaler) Crosson. The father was born at Blanchester, Ohio, in 1833 and in 1855, when a young man of twenty-two years, became a resident of Abingdon, Illinois, where he was married in 1856 to Miss Asenath Vinsonhaler. He engaged in farming until the outbreak of the Civil war, when he enlisted in defense of the Union as a member of Company D, First Illinois Cavalry. He participated in the battle of Lexington, Missouri, was captured by Price, and paroled in 1865. Later he crossed the plains with other gold seekers but after a year returned to Knox county, where he followed farming until 1873. In that year he brought his family to Taylor county, Iowa, and made his home upon the farm in Ross township until his death, which occurred in August, 1894. His wife was born near Hillsboro, Ohio, in 1835, and during her early girlhood accompanied her parents to Abingdon, Illinois, where she was living at the time of her marriage. Following the death of Mr. Crosson she was married, in 1898, to Asa Stowell, of Gay township, and at present lives in Clearfield, Tay- lor county.
Professor Crosson acquired his early education in the rural schools of Illi- nois and Iowa, with a short time in the Bedford high school. He then engaged in teaching for a few terms after which he had the benefit of a year's instruc- tion in Oskaloosa College, of Oskaloosa, Iowa, and spent nearly two years in Drake University at Des Moines. His taste and inclination, as manifested in
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his youth, were along the lines of reading and study, with preference for the sciences. While in school he decided to prepare for the medical profession and in one vacation spent much time with a physician in Des Moines. He after- ward returned to Taylor to engage in teaching that he might thus be enabled to continue his studies as a preparation for the practice of medicine, but became engrossed in school work and continued in that field of activity until his election to the county superintendency in 1895. His first teaching was done in 1876 and was continued until 1879, when he entered college. In 1883 he again resumed his duties as an instructor and with the exception of a year spent in newspaper work in Lenox he taught continuously until 1895. He was then elected county superintendent, serving from January 1, 1896, until January I, 1902, and with one exception no other county superintendent of schools in Tay- lor county has served as long. He was elected for a third term, being the only county official ever thus chosen for more than twenty years. In politics he has always been a republican, active in his work for the party's interests, for he believes firmly in its principles and seeks the general welfare through his sup- port of its candidates. After leaving the county superintendent's office he was in the employ of Maynard, Merrill & Company, school-book publishers, until 1905, when he became ill and the following year went to Los Angeles, California, with a hope that the change of climate would prove beneficial. The following year he returned to Taylor county, where he is now living.
In 1887 Professor Crosson was married to Miss Alice Isabel Dougherty, a daughter of Abner N. and Ellen Dougherty. Mrs. Crosson was born in this county in 1863 and by her marriage has become the mother of three children; Phil, who was born April 14, 1888, and died June 20, 1905; Mary, born January 20, 1892 ; and Ellen, born September 25, 1894. The family are widely known in this county and occupy an enviable position in those social circles where in- telligence is regarded as a necessary attribute to congeniality. For many years Professor Crosson has been a loyal member of the Modern Woodmen of America, and since 1880 has been a consistent member of the Christian church. He holds to high ideals and throughout his entire life he has done with his might every- thing that his hand has found to do and performed all public service with a sense of conscientious obligation.
FRANK L. NOBLE.
The farm of one hundred and twenty acres in Dallas township which is now owned by Frank L. Noble, was formerly the old Burlingame homestead, so that it has been in possession of the family throughout a long period. Mr. Noble was born on this farm, May 7, 1875, a son of John S. and Harriett A. (Burlingame) Noble. The father is a native of Michigan, born in 1847, and was the eldest in a family of six children born unto Mr. and Mrs. Lodowic Noble. The other children were Henry, Jerome, Frank, Lora and Ruth. Mrs. Harriett A. Noble was likewise born in Michigan, in 1853, a daughter of William H. and Hannah J. Burlingame, whose family numbered two daughters, the younger being Lucy B.
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John S. Noble was but a boy when he came to Iowa from his native state, the year of his arrival here being 1859. He was here engaged in farming but his interests were interrupted at the time of the Civil war, for he went to the front as a member of Company I, Fourth Iowa Cavalry, with which he served through- out the period of hostilities. Returning home he once more resumed his farm work and for many years was the owner of the place on which the son now makes his home. It was in this state that John S. Noble was united in marriage to Miss Harriett A. Burlingame, and their union was blessed with five sons and two daughters, namely: Hattie A., Billy S., Frank, Bessie E., Fred, Jerome and Chauncey A.
Frank L. Noble, the third in order of birth, was reared to the pursuits of the farm and under the able instruction of his father became well qualified to carry on farming when he started out to make his own way in the world. He has spent his entire life at his present home, he having purchased the property from his grandfather. The place consists of one hundred and twenty acres in Dallas township, it being one of the valuable properties of this section of the county. On the farm are seen good buildings, which are kept in excellent repair, while through the rotation of crops and strict adherence to the best methods of farm- ing Mr. Noble keeps his land in a rich and arable condition.
Mr. Noble was married March 21, 1900, to Miss Myra Glasgow, who is a native of Taylor county, born November 16, 1880. Her father, William Glasgow, was born in Illinois in 1833, a son of Mr. and Mrs. William Glasgow, Sr., the other children of the family being Samuel, Charles, Bell and Mattie. William Glasgow, Jr., was married to Miss Julia A. Roberts, who was likewise born in Illinois, the year of her birth being 1844. Their union was blessed with five sons and two daughters, namely : Myra, Frank A., Marion R., George W., John, Lola M. and William C.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Noble have been born two sons and two daughters: Guy H., who was born December 17, 1900; Lawrence G., whose birth occurred No- vember 2, 1902; Gladys B., born December 28, 1904; and Wilma A., who was born on the IIth of March, 1906.
Mr. Noble gives stanch support to the republican party. Early trained to habits of thrift and industry, these have been strong traits in his later life and no doubt have had much to do with his present success. Having spent his entire life in Dallas township, he is well known in this and other sections of Taylor county, while his estimable wife shares with him in the respect and esteem in which he is universally held.
C. W. SAGE.
C. W. Sage, to whom is due the credit of having improved two highly cultivated farms, is one of the most industrious and progressive agriculturists of Taylor county. He was born in Mercer county, Illinois, on the 9th of June, 1853, and is a son of Charles E. and Keziah M. (Norris) Sage. The father was a native of Saratoga, New York, where he was reared and married. He engaged in farm-
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ing in Saratoga county, that state, for some time, and then removed to Michigan, where he resided for two years. Continuing his westward journey he next located in Illinois, where he cast in his lot with the pioneer settlers of Mercer county and opened up two farms, in the operation of which he continued for some time. Subsequently he removed to Galesburg, Knox county, Illinois, and from there to Van Buren county, Iowa, finally locating in Knoxville, where his death occurred in 1871. In his family were two sons and five daughters, of which number C. W. Sage, of this review, and three sisters still survive.
C. W. Sage was a little lad of four years when he accompanied his parents to Galesburg, and there he was reared to manhood. He acquired a good education in the common schools of that city and remained under the parental roof until he attained years of maturity. He then learned the baker's trade and was engaged in that line of activity for three years, when, thinking to find agricultural pursuits more congenial and profitable, he withdrew from that business and began working by the month on a farm in Knox county, Illinois. His time was thus employed from 1878 until 1881, at the end of which period he came to Iowa and purchased land in Marshall township, Taylor county. He resided thereon but one year, how- ever, and then sold the property and invested in one hundred and sixty acres in Grant township, that farm forming the nucleus of his present possessions. When he purchased it, the land was only partially improved and he at once directed his entire energies to its further cultivation. As time passed by he pros- pered in his enterprise and was able to add from time to time to his original purchase until his home farm now consists of two hundred and forty-eight acres, all under a high state of cultivation. The excellent condition of his farm is due to his intense energy and industry. Upon the home place he has erected a neat and attractive residence, has built a substantial barn and good outbuildings, and has enclosed his fields with well-kept fences, while he has also set out a large orchard and a beautiful grove of evergreen, arbor vitæ and white pine. He combines general farming with stock-raising interests, making a specialty of fattening hogs, while he also raises high-grade horses, being the owner of several fine animals and having in his possession one especially fine team which has been awarded premiums at various fairs. In the conduct of his various business in- terests he has been extremely active and industrious, in fact carrying on the work of two men, and these qualities have been the salient characteristics of the very gratifying success which is today his.
On the 29th of March, 1885, Mr. Sage was united in marriage to Miss Ida Shawler, who was born in Warren county, Illinois, but reared to maturity in Ringgold county, Iowa. Her father, Richard Shawler, was a farmer by occupa- tion and was numbered among the early pioneer settlers of that county. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Sage have been born four children, as follows: Frank, assisting his father on the home farm; Lila, the wife of Frank House, a farmer of Grant township; Marie and Mildred, still under the parental roof; and Lena, who passed away at the age of thirteen months.
Mrs. Sage and the two eldest children are members of the Christian church of Clearfield, in the work of which they are deeply interested and the teachings of which form the guiding influences of their lives. Politically Mr. Sage gives stalwart allegiance to the republican party and has served as road supervisor.
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He was one of the promoters of the first telephone company of the county, the. line extending from Maloy to Clearfield, and has been identified with various other improvements instituted throughout the county. Public-spirited in an eminent degree, he does all in his power to further those measures and matters which have for their object the substantial upbuilding and growth of the com- munity, and the consensus of public opinion accords him a high place in the ranks of Grant township's representative citizens.
JAMES A. AVEY.
The ranks of the Civil war veterans are fast being decimated. Year by year many respond to the last roll call, and it is fitting that while some of the boys in blue survive they should be honored by their fellow-townsmen for the service which they rendered to the country during the darkest hour in all its history. Mr. Avey is among those who for three years or more did active duty on southern battlefields, and in days of peace he has been equally loyal to his country and is now numbered among the public-spirited citizens of Block- ton. At the present time he is living retired, but for many years was a pro- gressive farmer of Union and Taylor counties. He comes of a family whose representatives were numbered among the early pioneers of Ohio. Born in Clermont county, that state, on the IIth of March, 1842, he is a son of Joseph and Sarah (Cazel) Avey. The father was also a native of Ohio and was there reared and married. His parents were among the first settlers of that state and aided in the improvement and development of the section of country in which they resided. Joseph Avey followed the occupation of farming in Ohio, where he passed away, and his wife, long surviving him, died at the ripe old age of ninety-two years.
James A. Avey was reared in the state of his nativity and there acquired his education in the common schools. He remained at home, assisting his father in the work of the farm, until twenty years of age, when he responded to his country's call for aid and, in 1862, enlisted as a member of Company F, Fifty- ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, which became a part of the Army of the Cum- berland. Throughout his term of enlistment he saw much active service, partici- pating in several hotly contested battles, among the most important being the en- gagements at Stone River, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge and Chattanooga, while he was also in the Atlanta campaign and helped to take Jonesboro and Atlanta. There was a time when, for a period of nearly two months, he engaged in either a battle or skirmish every day. Later he did guard duty and partici- pated in many minor engagements, serving faithfully and efficiently until the close of the war, when he was mustered out at Nashville, where he was honorably discharged on the 29th of June, 1865.
Returning home with a most enviable military record, Mr. Avey remained in Ohio for two or three years, being employed by the month, and then, in 1868, he went to Knox county, Illinois, where he worked at farm labor for about two years. The year 1871 witnessed his arrival in Iowa, where he located in Union
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MR. AND MRS. J. A. AVEY
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county, near Creston, opening up a farm of eighty acres there. This he continued to operate for five years, at the end of which time he sold the place and in 1877 purchased land in Gay township, Taylor county. The farm consisted of one hun- dred and sixty acres, which was only partially improved and upon which stood a little cabin. With characteristic energy he set about the development of the place, cultivated the unimproved land, replaced the cabin by a good comfortable house, erected substantial barns and outbuildings, set out a fine grove and orchard and added to his original purchase a tract of eighty acres, so that his farm, which subsequently consisted of two hundred and forty acres, became one of the finest in the locality, lacking in nothing that goes to make up. a model farm of the nine- teenth century. In addition to general farming he engaged in the stock business, raising and fattening hogs and cattle for market, and this branch of his interests proved a most profitable one. He remained on his farm for several years, ac- tively engaged in its operation, and then, in 1903, feeling that the creditable de- gree of prosperity to which he had attained justified his retirement from active business, he left the farm and removed to Blockton, where he purchased a com- fortable residence. He also owns a half block of town property and four acres in another tract. His home is one of the attractive ones of the city and its hos- pitality is enjoyed by a large number of Mr. Avey's friends.
Mr. Avey laid the foundation of a happy home life by his marriage, March 13, 1878, in Clermont county, Ohio, to Miss Mary Jane Thompson, who was born and reared upon a farm adjoining the old Avey homestead and attended the same school as did he who was to be her future husband. She is a daughter of Thomas and Mary (Cramer) Thompson. Her father, a native of Delaware, went to Ohio during the period of the Civil war, settling in Clermont county, where he was married. He entered a tract of land, which he cleared and improved, and later he sold this farm and removed to Batavia, where his remaining days were spent. After his death his wife resided with her daughter Mrs. Avey, until she passed away in 1898 at the venerable age of eighty-five years. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Avey was blessed with three sons and one daughter, as follows: Pro- fessor Harry Avey, a teacher in a mission school in India, who is a graduate of the Blockton high school and the Agricultural College at Ames, Iowa, and is now teaching mechanical engineering; Joseph, a farmer of Gay township; Ho- mer, also engaged in farming; and Luella, who married Ellis Nulph, the junior editor of the Blockton News.
Mr. and Mrs. Avey are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and she was formerly a very active Sunday-school worker. Mr. Avey maintains pleasant relations with his old army comrades in his membership in the Grand Army of the Republic. He has been a stanch advocate of democracy since age con- ferred upon him the right of franchise and has been called to fill various offices. He served as township trustee while still upon the farm and was also treasurer school system of the community. He has been active in local party ranks and has of the school board, doing all in his power to upbuild and strengthen the public served as delegate to various county conventions. Starting out in life without any specially favoring circumstances, Mr. Avey steadily worked his way up from the bottom of the ladder until, through his indefatigable energy, untiring perse- verance, close application and good judgment, assisted very materially by his
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estimable wife, he gained a high place among the prosperous and progressive farmers of Taylor county, while today he ranks among the valued and repre- sentative citizens of Blockton, his many excellent traits of character winning him the confidence, respect and good will of his fellowmen.
ALEXANDER MCKENZIE.
Alexander McKenzie, recognized as one of the foremost business men of Taylor county, actively identified with commercial interests in Lenox for a quarter of a century, was born in Whiteside county, Illinois, in September, 1844, and was there reared to manhood. He attended the public schools in acquiring his education and in August, 1862, when not yet eighteen years of age, he enlisted at Fulton, Illinois, in response to the president's call for aid, joining Company I of the Seventy-fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry. With that command he went south and the first and only engagement in which he participated was at Perryville, Kentucky, for there he sustained three gunshot wounds, one through the jaw while another bullet pierced his arm and the third struck his leg between the bones. He was sent to the hospital at Louisville where he remained all through the winter of 1862-63, his mother going there and nursing him through his illness. His injuries were such that he was honorably discharged in the spring of the latter year and he is now one of the government pensioners, no pecuniary reward, however, being sufficient to recompense him for the suffering which he has under- gone because of his injuries.
After his return home Mr. Mckenzie again continued his education by at- tending school. He was married in Afton, Iowa, in October, 1870, to Miss L. C. Devore, a native of Carroll county, Illinois. Following their marriage Mr. Mc- Kenzie engaged in farming in Illinois for two or three years and then came to Iowa in the winter of 1874, purchasing raw land in Adams county. He commenced with eighty acres which he brought under cultivation and improvement. In his work he prospered and as his financial resources increased he bought more land from time to time until he owned four hundred acres. On this he placed substan- tial improvements and for ten years he carried on general agricultural pursuits.
In 1884 he removed to Lenox where he began dealing in agricultural imple- ments and at the same time he superintended the operation of his farm for a few years. Later he extended his efforts in commercial lines by becoming a dealer in furniture and afterward turned his attention to the hardware trade, carrying a large line of shelf and heavy hardware. He secured a liberal patronage by reason of his honorable dealing, his fair prices and his earnest desire to please his patrons and from the beginning the enterprise has proved a source of profit. He erected a large business block and now carries an extensive stock to meet the demands of a growing trade. He is justly accounted one of the successful and prominent business men of Lenox and his enterprise and activity have proven factors in the commercial advancement of the town. While living on the farm he also conducted a contracting business for a time, building residences and barns and also making a specialty of the building of bridges for ten years. At one
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time he was engaged in the hardware, furniture and implement business for ten years at Bedford, entering that enterprise as a member of the firm of Widner, Mckenzie & Company, which later became Mckenzie & McGregor.
The home of Mr. and Mrs. McKenzie has been blessed with one son, Howard, who is now his father's partner and the active man of the firm at the present time. He is maried and has four children.
In his political views Alexander McKenzie is a republican, giving stalwart al- legiance to the party since age conferred upon him the right of franchise. He served as township trustee for some years and was a member of the city council of Lenox for a number of terms, discharging the duties of both positions in a most prompt and acceptable manner. He belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic and on several occasions has been honored with election as commander of the post. In that organization he maintains pleasant relations with his old army com- rades, few of whom have made greater sacrifices for the country than Mr. Mc- Kenzie did. In all of his business life he has adhered to the highest standard of commercial ethics and in citizenship he has sought ever the welfare of the com- munity before the aggrandizement of self. He is a man of genuine personal worth and his sterling qualities have gained him a high place in the regard of his fellow- men.
JOHN B. DOWELL.
The farming interests of Benton township find a worthy representative in John B. Dowell, who is living on section 22. He is one of the progressive, active and enterprising farmers and stock raisers of the community, his time and energies being given to the cultivation and development of two hundred acres of land, constituting a neat and well-improved farm pleasantly located within two miles of Bedford. He has resided on this farm since 1895, in which year he came to Taylor county. He was born in Menard county, Illinois, August 22, 1865, and is a son of Thomas F. Dowell, also a native of the same county. The father was there reared and after attaining his majority married Ann Goff. He was a farmer of Menard county and later removed westward to Missouri, set- tling near Hopkins in Nodaway county, where he purchased three hundred and sixty acres of land. There he engaged in farming and spent his last years upon that place, his death there occurring in July, 1906. For some time he had sur- vived his wife, who died in 1887.
J. B. Dowell was reared to the age of about seventeen years in Illinois and pursued his education in the public schools there and in Hopkins, Missouri, having accompanied his parents on their removal westward. He remained with his father until he had attained his majority and then went to California as a young man, spending one year on the coast as an employe on an orange and lemon ranch. In 1886 he returned to Missouri and on the 4th of December of that year was united in marriage to Miss Nettie Allen, who was born and reared in Nodaway county and was a daughter of Austin Allen, one of the early settlers of the county, and a sister of Mrs. Horace Jones of Parnell, Missouri. Mrs. Dowell
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