USA > Iowa > Taylor County > History of Taylor County, Iowa; from the earliest historic times to 1910, biographical sketches of some prominent citizens > Part 47
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The continuous, earnest and well-directed effort of Mr. Stickelman has transformed his wild prairie land into a fine farm and he is now the owner of one hundred and seventy acres of rich land on section 16, Polk township, within a mile of Siam. The place is supplied with all modern equipments and accessories and from the fields he annually gathers good crops, while in the pastures are found high grades of live stock, for he is well known as a stock raiser and feeder. He has erected a substantial residence on his place, together with a large barn and has also set out an orchard of apple, peach and other fruit trees. He makes a specialty of feeding hogs and handles a large number each year, his financial resources being thereby materially increased. What he un- dertakes he carries forward to successful completion and his business ability places him in the front rank of those who are active in promoting the agricultural progress of this part of the state.
Mr. Stickelman has long been recognized as a stanch and unfaltering sup- porter of the republican party, casting his first ballot for its candidates. He has served for years as assessor and for nine years as trustee. He has been identified with the schools, being director thereof and also treasurer for fifteen years and also president of the school board for several years. The cause of education finds in him a stalwart champion, his labors being an effective force in promoting the efficiency of the schools through the adoption of progressive measures and the employment of competent teachers. He has also served on both the petit and grand juries. Both Mr. and Mrs. Stickelman are members of the Siam Christian church, in which he is serving as a deacon.
His fraternal relations are with the Masons and he has served as master of Plumb Lodge, No. 285, A. F. & A. M., for nineteen years. Both he and his wife are members of the Eastern Star and Mr. Stickelman does all in his power to advance the interests of the fraternity, his own life being thorough exemplifica- tion of the beneficent spirit of the craft. He has filled all the chairs in the lodge and in the Eastern Star chapter and through his political connections has been
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a delegate to both the county and state conventions. He is well known among the old settlers of this part of the state and his memory goes back to a time when the work of improvement had been scarcely begun here. In the passing years he has borne his full share in the task of general development and has taken great pride in whatever has been accomplished, as the wild prairie has been transformed into fine farms, while villages have become progressive and en- terprising cities. He relates many interesting incidents of the early days and has witnessed many of the important events which have left their impress upon the history of the county.
FRANCIS EDWARD CROUCH.
Many who start out in life as Francis Edward Crouch did-a poor young man-fail because they lack the mental mastery of affairs or because they do not have the power of physical endurance. Mr. Crouch, however, possesses a character that makes him strong, forceful, determined and aggressive, and it has been these qualities that have enabled him to push his way on to success until today he stands foremost among the landowners of Taylor county, his possessions now aggregating five hundred and forty acres in one body, located in Gay township.
Mr. Crouch was born in Adams county, Illinois, September 4, 1847. a son of A. D. and Elizabeth (Hughes) Crouch, the former a native of New York state, while the latter was born in Illinois. A. D. Crouch was but a young lad when he left the Empire state and took up his abode in the west, his location be- ing Hancock county, Illinois, where he opened up a farm and spent his remaining days, his death occurring there in 1885.
Francis E. Crouch was reared on the home farm in Hancock county, Ill- inois, remaining with his father until he was twenty-three years old, during which time he assisted largely in the operation of the home place, and it is through the knowledge he then acquired that has come his success in later life. While still a resident of Hancock county Mr. Crouch was married, February 28, 1871, and the lady of his choice being Miss Mary Etta Boren, who was born in Adams county, Illinois, and reared in Hancock county, that state.
Following his marriage, Mr. Crouch engaged in farming in Hancock county but in 1874 came to Taylor county, Iowa, and for three years operated a tract of rented land. In the meantime he had bought land in Page county, Iowa, and, disposing of that tract, he then invested his money in one hundred and sixty acres of raw land in Gay township, Taylor county. He at once under- took the task of breaking the land and preparing it for cultivation, and later he added another tract of one hundred and sixty acres, also wild land. As time passed he added improvements and made his farm a valuable property. He kept adding to his holdings as his finances permitted until his place now embraces five hundred and sixty acres, all in one body. He also bought and improved forty acres for a niece, which he farmed in connection with his own land. On his place stands a good country residence, supplied with all modern conveni-
F. E. CROUCH
MRS. F. E. CROUCH
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ences and accessories, two good barns and ample outbuildings for the shelter of grain and stock. He also set out an orchard, which is in bearing, and every- thing about his place is kept in neat and attractive condition. In addition to gen- eral farming Mr. Crouch also raised from one to two carloads of hogs and from one to three carloads of cattle annually, and his farm is still well stocked with high grade animals.
In 1900, wishing to take life more easy, Mr. Crouch purchased five acres of land in Blockton, on which he erected a fine house and here he has since made his home. He has abandoned the actual work of the farm but still gives per- sonal supervision to his landed interests, preferring that his time should at least be partially occupied as idleness is utterly foreign to his nature. In December, 1906, Mr. Crouch was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, her remains being interred in the Blockton cemetery.
In politics, a democrat, he has always supported that party when national issues are involved but at local elections he casts an independent ballot. While living in Gay township he served as township trustee but otherwise held no public office. He is a member of the Methodist church, to which his wife also belonged, and she was an active worker and a teacher in the Sunday school. Coming to Taylor county when much of the land was still undeveloped and un- cultivated, Mr. Crouch took advantage of the opportunities which here pre- sented and bought much of his land at a low figure. Owing to the settled con- dition. of the country at the present time and to the valuable improvements he has made on his property it has greatly increased in value. He has seen the county grow into one of the prosperous districts of southwestern Iowa, and has borne his full share in this work. He worked hard in his earlier years and now in the evening of life can enjoy his many comforts and feel that his labors have not been in vain. His interests are thoroughly identified with those of Taylor county and at all times he is ready to lend his aid in cooperation to any movement calculated to benefit this section or advance its wonderful de- velopment.
WALTER BROWN.
Walter Brown, numbered among the honored veterans of the Civil war and now one of the retired farmers of Taylor county who for fifteen years owned a farm in Platte township, is now living in Lenox. He has lived in the county since March, 1888, and his life of well-directed activity brought him the success which makes possible his present retirement. He was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, on the 17th of January, 1843, and is a son of Hugh Brown, a native of New Jersey, who in his childhood days became a resident of the Buckeye State, where he was reared and married, the lady of his choice being Miss Lydia A. Waite, a native of New York. Mr. Brown followed general farming in Ohio and all of their children were born there. In the year 1853 he removed to Mercer . county, Illinois, and purchased a farm upon which he reared his family. As the years passed he carefully carried on the work of the fields and was thus busily employed until his life's labors were ended in death in 1881 when he was sixty-
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five years of age. His widow survives him, making her home with a daughter, and is a remarkably well-preserved woman of eighty-eight years.
Walter Brown was reared to manhood in Mercer county, Illinois, and became familiar with the labors of the fields as time passed on. In August, 1862, how- ever, he abandoned the plow and, responding to the country's call for aid, en- listed in Company G, One Hundred and Second Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Going south he joined the army of the Tennessee and participated in the battle of Resaca, Georgia. He was wounded by a gunshot in the right shoulder and being thus disabled was in the hospital for several months. After he was sufficiently recovered he rejoined his regiment at Atlanta and went with Sherman on the celebrated march to the sea. He afterward participated in the battles of Averysboro and Bentonville, marched on to Richmond and afterward to Wash- ington, D. C. He was then on detached duty with the commissary department and was mustered out in the capital city, after which he returned to Illinois and was honorably discharged June 16, 1865.
When the country no longer needed his aid Mr. Brown made his way to his Illinois home and remained on his father's farm for about two years. In Pax- ton, Illinois, on the 10th of December, 1866, he wedded Miss Emily Lehman, who was born in Kendall county, Illinois, but was reared in Knox county and was educated in Lombard University at Galesburg. Later she became a teacher, which profession she followed for four years. Her father, Josiah Lehman, was a na- tive of the state of New York and one of the early settlers of Kendall county, Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Brown began their domestic life in Mercer county, Illi- nois, where he owned and cultivated a good farm, making his home thereon until 1888. On the 3d of February of that year he was called upon to mourn the death of his wife, who left one daughter, Clara, now the wife of G. A. Bryant of Lenox, by whom she has three children, Glen, Clarence and Ruth.
Following the death of his wife Mr. Brown sold his Mercer county property and came to Taylor county, Iowa, purchasing a farm of eighty acres in Platte township, near Lenox. Upon that place he lived for fifteen years and developed it into a good property, carefully cultivating his fields and at the same time raising and breeding stock. Both branches of his business proved profitable and at length, possessing a handsome competence, he sold his property and removed to Lenox where he has since lived retired, purchasing the residence which he now occupies. He also bought one hundred and seventy acres of farm land in North Dakota.
On the 24th of December, 1889, Mr. Brown was again married, his second union being with Mrs. Ellen Stone Blandford, who was born and reared in Eng- land and there became the wife of William Blandford, who was a sailor of the British navy and died in the service. Later Mrs. Blandford and her daughter, Elizabeth, came to the new world, settling in Taylor county, Iowa. The daughter is now the wife of Leonard Ross, of this county.
In his political views Mr. Brown is a stalwart republican but the honors and emoluments of office have had no attraction for him. He belongs to the Grand Army post at Lenox, in which he has served as commander, and his wife is a member of the Christian church. Mrs. Brown made a trip to England in the summer of 1909, visiting her friends and the old home at Portsmouth, having a
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delightful three months' trip. She landed at Liverpool and on starting home sailed from Southampton. Mr. Brown has also paid an enjoyable visit to his old home in Mercer county and attended the reunion of his regiment at Alpha, Henry county, Illinois, in September, 1909, five of his company being present on that occasion. He also attended the Mercer county fair, where he met many old friends. It must be a source of satisfaction to him that he could now have leisure and means to take these trips, for in former years he was busily occupied with the work of the fields. His close application and energy brought him the success which is now his and which classes him with the retired substantial farmers of this part of the state.
JOHN M. HAMILTON.
Nature has generally been lavish in her gifts to all sections of the country. Some regions are rich in their mineral deposits, others in their forest preserves, while the nature of the topography at different times furnishes excellent oppor- tunity for the building of cities, where the waterways may be used for trans- portation. Still other sections of the country are blessed with the soil that fur- nishes excellent opportunity to the agriculturist, the rich deposits of the surface soil being such as to make the production of crops a comparatively easy matter. Iowa, today considered one of the foremost agricultural states of the Union, has taken leadership in the production of corn and is scarcely second to any other in the production of other cereals. Among those who are enjoying the advantages here offered is John M. Hamilton, who lives on section 7, Jackson township, and is numbered among the active and prosperous farmers of the lo- cality, owning and cultivating one hundred and ninety acres of fine land. He has lived in the county since 1874 and is numbered among the worthy citizens that Scotland has furnished to the new world. His birth occurred in the parish of Avondale in Lanarkshire, July 24, 1860.
His father, James Hamilton, also a native of the land of hills and heather, was there reared and educated and, after reaching man's estate, he married Janette Bryson, also a native of Scotland. Nine children were born unto them in that country. The favorable reports which they heard concerning the oppor- tunities of the new world led them to seek a home beyond the Atlantic in 1874 and, bidding adieu to friends and native country, they sailed to the United States and then made their way to a region west of the Mississippi, settling in Taylor county, Iowa. Mr. Hamilton secured a farm in Ross township, pur- chasing a tract of land which he cultivated for several years. Later he sold that property and removed to Jackson township, where he remained until called to his final rest. His wife still survives him and resides on the old home farm. In their family were seven sons and two daughters, all of whom are now mar- ried with the exception of one son.
John M. Hamilton was a youth of fourteen years when he. accompanied his parents to the United States and the remainder of his minority was passed in Taylor county. He acquired a country-school education and received liberal
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training in the work of the farm, assisting his father in the cultivation and im- provement of new land. He remained on the old homestead until he had at- tained his majority and then started out in life on his own account, working by the month as a farm hand for several years. He was ambitious and diligent, however, and, carefully saving his earnings, he at length was enabled to engage in farming for himself.
Mr. Hamilton made preparations for having a home of his own by his mar- riage in Bedford, Iowa, on the 24th of January, 1886, to Miss Alice Townsend, who was born and rcared in Taylor county. After their marriage he rented land which he cultivated for two years and at the end of that time his economy had enabled him to save a sum sufficient to enable him to purchase eighty acres, where he now resides. He afterward bought more land and as the years have gone by he has persistently and energetically carried on the work of the farm which is now one of the excellent properties of Jackson township. He has added to and remodeled the house, has built a barn and other outbuildings, has planted an orchard, has fenced his place, and also has a good feed mill and various kinds of modern machinery upon the farm. In the pastures are fine high- grade horses, hogs and cattle and he fattens the last two for the market, shipping about three carloads of fat stock yearly. He is a successful farmer, stock raiser and feeder and while he commenced life empty-handed he is today one of the substantial farmers of the community, and his possessions have been acquired entirely by his own well directed and honorable efforts.
The home of Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton has been blessed with six children : James Clifford, who is married and follows farming on a tract of land adjoining his father's place ; Claud E., Clyde Vern, Leo S., Lotus C. and J. M., all of whom are yet under the parental roof. The parents are members of the Bedford Pres- byterian church, in the work of which they are much interested. Mr. Hamilton also belongs to Grove Camp of the Modern Woodmen, in which he is now serv- ing as venerable counsel. When age conferred upon him the right of franchise he began supporting the democratic party and has never wavered in his allegiance thereto. Upon this ticket he was elected and served as township trustee for three years. He may justly be called one of the county's self-made men, for he has been both the architect and builder of his own fortunes. Widely recognized for his business ability and sterling character he has the confidence and esteem of the community and his example may well serve as a source of inspiration and encouragement to others, showing what may be accomplished when one has the will to dare and to do.
JOSEPH W. PAUL.
Joseph W. Paul, now living retired in Bedford, has passed the seventy-sixth milestone on life's journey. He was for a considerable period closely associ- ated with agricultural interests and is still the owner of a good farm which returns to him a gratifying annual revenue. However, since 1894 he has made his home in Bedford. He was born in Jefferson county, New York, July 15,
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1833, his parents being Jeremiah and Polly (Parker) Paul, who were natives of Vermont. The father was a school teacher and farmer and removed from the Green Mountain State to Jefferson county, New York, where he carried on the work of tilling the soil. He died in June, 1853, at the age of fifty-seven years, having for ten years survived his wife, who passed away when about forty-five years of age. Their Christian faith was indicated in their membership in the Methodist church and in their close conformity to its teachings. They were the parents of eleven children, eight sons and three daughters, but Joseph W., of this review is now the only one living and his brothers lie buried in six different states. The members of the household were: Melzor C .; William A .; Allen R .; Eli R .; Sallie C., who was the wife of Timothy Martin; Samuel N .; Emily S., who gave her hand in marriage to Jacob Springer ; James E .; Joseph W .; Mary M .; and Merritt Wilbur. Judge Alton B. Parker, who was candidate for presi- dent on the democratic ticket in 1904, is a second cousin of Mr. Paul, while John Jacob Astor's wife, who bore the maiden name of Jane Paul, was a sister of Jeremiah Paul, the father of our subject.
Joseph W. Paul was reared to manhood on the old home farm in New York, dividing his time between the work of the fields and the acquirement of an edu- cation in the district schools. His mother died when he was but ten years of age and he went to live with a family of strangers. He worked at farm labor, driv- ing oxen, breaking prairie and performing all the tasks incident to the cultivation and development of a farm. In the year 1854 he came west to Illinois but in the spring of 1855 returned to New York. In the fall of that year, however, he lo- cated in Henderson county, Illinois, where he lived until 1862, when he enlisted as a member of Company B, Ninety-first Illinois Volunteer Infantry, with which he served for three years lacking ten days. He was on guard duty in Texas much of the time and in 1862 he was captured with his regiment by the guerrilla band under Morgan. He was then paroled for five months and afterward ex- changed, joining his regiment again in the parole camp at St. Louis. He participated in a number of minor battles and was engaged in building a fort on the Tombigbee River above Mobile when the war closed.
After the cessation of hostilities Mr. Paul returned to his home in Henderson county, Illinois, and began farming, which pursuit he followed until 1869. He then came to Taylor county, Iowa, with his family and purchased a farm of two hundred and thirty-seven acres lying principally in Washington township. With characteristic energy he began its development, bringing the fields under a high state of cultivation, so that in course of time he gathered rich crops which found a ready and profitable sale upon the market. He continued to make his home upon his first farm until 1894, after which he bought another farm of one hun- dred and forty-six acres adjoining in Benton township. This second farm he still owns but has disposed of his original property.
On the 6th of March, 1861, Mr. Paul was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Jane Chandler, a daughter of Jesse and Rachel (Wright) Chandler. She was born near Newtown, Pennsylvania, March 6, 1837, and her parents were also natives of the Keystone State. Her paternal grandfather was Whitfield Chand- ler a native of Virginia and of Scotch-Irish descent. He devoted his life to the occupation of farming and died at the very venerable age of ninety-three years.
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His first wife passed away August 14, 1837, and he afterward married a Mrs. Hoskinson, who had three children by her former marriage but none by the second marriage. The maternal grandfather of Mrs. Paul was Justus Wright, a native of Indiana and a farmer by occupation. His wife, Mrs. Rachel Wright, died in early womanhood when Mrs. Paul's mother was nine days old. Mr. Wright, however, lived to be ninety years of age. Jesse and Rachel (Wright) Chandler, the parents of Mrs. Paul, removed to Illinois in 1844 and after resid- ing for two years in McDonough county took up their abode in Hancock county, where they remained for a similar period. Subsequently they went to Henderson county, Illinois, where Mrs. Chandler passed away in 1859, at the age of forty- five years and eight months. Fourteen years afterward Mr. Chandler was again married, his second union being with Lucinda Evans, whose demise occurred at their home in Abingdon eleven years later. Mr. Chandler then made his home with his children, passing away on the farm of his daughter, Mrs. Paul, in 1893, when he had attained the age of seventy-nine years and eight months. He had done active duty in the Mormon war.
The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph W. Paul has been blessed with four children. Willis A., who is engaged in the timber business at Felsenthal, Ar- kansas, wedded Miss Hannah Igo, by whom he has a daughter, Helen. Rachel Olive, residing near Gravity in Washington township, is the wife of Jesse Lovett and has three sons, Glenn, Paul and Jay. Osa Edna, who gave her hand in mar- riage to C. F. Martin, lives in Wellington, Kansas. Clark E. is still under the parental roof.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Paul are members of the Methodist church, are loyal to its teachings and liberal in its support. Mr. Paul belongs to Sedgwick Post, No. IO, G. A. R., while his wife is a member of the Women's Relief Corps. Politi- cally he is a republican and has served as township trustee for eight or ten years, also acting at different times as school director and road commissioner. He has a fine home in Bedford, where he is now living retired, enjoying the fruits of his former toil. As the years have passed by he has made steady progress in his business and his unfaltering diligence, perseverance and capable management have brought to him the success which now numbers him among the men of affluence in the county. He has always been straightforward and reliable in every relation of life and his good qualities have won him a host of warm friends.
ANDREW J. LITTEER.
From pioneer times Andrew J. Litteer has made his home in Taylor county and has not only been an interested witness of its growth and development but has taken an active and helpful part in promoting the progress and upbuilding of this section of the state. He was closely associated with the farming interests of Taylor county for a long period. He arrived in 1855 when this section of Iowa was largely an unimproved wilderness, much of the land being still in possession of the government, while only here and there had a settlement been made to show that the seeds of civilization had been planted on the western frontier. He has
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