USA > Iowa > Wapello County > History of Wapello County, Iowa, Volume II > Part 16
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FRANK B. CRESSWELL.
Frank B. Cresswell is a well known figure in insurance circles in his part of the state, having since March, 1886, occupied the position of general agent for the Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company in southeastern Iowa. He makes his home in Ottumwa and is numbered among the native sons of the state, his birth having occurred in Bentonsport, Van Buren county, on the 20th of October, 1858. His father, Robert Cresswell, was a native of Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, born May 30, 1827. For
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many years he followed merchandising in Bentonsport and ulti- mately removed to Ottumwa, taking up his abode here in 1884. He acted as money order clerk in the postoffice while Captain Evans was postmaster and became widely and favorably known in the county seat during the twenty-three years of his residence here. He married Elizabeth M. Peters, a native of Virginia, and both passed away in 1907, the former dying on the 17th of March, while Mrs. Cresswell departed this life in the month of December. They became the parents of eight children, all of whom were in Ottumwa to celebrate the golden wedding of their parents. These are: Anna M. ; Mary E., the wife of Dr. W. E. Lawhead of Burlington; Frank B .; Carrie, the wife of Arthur Stone of Birmingham, Alabama; Lorena, the wife of George & Burke of Salt Lake City; Agnes J., the wife of Joseph Briggs of Birmingham, Alabama; and Charles P. and Robert J., both of whom are residents of Ottumwa.
When a lad of six summers Frank B. Cresswell became a pupil in the public schools of his native town and there continued his education through successive grades. Eventually he became a salesman in a general store and on the ist of May, 1877, he came to Ottumwa, where he has since made his home. He is now widely and favorably known in this city, where he has lived for thirty-seven years. He was first employed as a salesman in the store of Robinson Brothers and later was employed by A. D. Moss and afterward by Israel Brothers, spending six years in these various clerkships. On the Ist of May, 1883, he engaged in the fire insurance business and in March, 1886, was appointed general agent for the Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company for southeastern Iowa, since which time he has occupied that re- sponsible position. He is also engaged in the fire insurance business with F. W. Grube, and there is no resident of this section of the state more thoroughly informed concerning every- thing that bears upon insurance than Mr. Cresswell.
On the 21st of June, 1883, occurred the marriage of Mr. Cresswell and Miss Emma F. Scott, who was born in Philadel- phia, Pennsylvania, a daughter of Mrs. Mary W. Scott, a widow, now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Cresswell have become parents of a son, Howell S., who is a graduate of Cornell University of Ithaca, New York, and who for the past seven years has been in Europe. Mr. Cresswell is a republican, stalwart in support of the party, yet not an office seeker. He has attained high rank in Masonry, belonging to Empire Lodge, No. 269, A. F. & A. M .;
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Clinton Chapter, No. 9, R. A. M .; and Malta Commandery, No. 31, K. T. He has also crossed the sands of the desert with Kaaba Temple of the Mystic Shrine of Davenport. In his life he exemplifies the beneficent spirit of the craft. He is an ener- getic business man, alert and wide-awake to his opportunities, and gradually he has worked his way upward by reason of his energy, determination and capability.
JOHN S. RENO.
In the conduct of farming and stock-raising interests, John S. Reno has acquired a most comfortable competence. He is now pleasantly located in Agency, where he has an attractive home. His birth occurred in Brown county, Indiana, June 15, 1850, his parents being John and Elizabeth ( Barriss) Reno, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania. Removing westward, they settled in Indiana when it was largely a frontier region, and in 1855 they arrived in Wapello county, Fowa, locating upon a farm in Pleasant township, where they remained until called to the home beyond. The father, who was born in 1813, died December 21, 1883, and the mother, who was born in 1825, passed away May 1, 1908. In their family were twelve children, of whom seven are now living.
John S. Reno left home at the age of eighteen years. He then went west and for seven years engaged in herding cattle and in kindred work. In 1877 he returned to Wapello county, where he married and began farming on his own account, purchasing a tract of land in Pleasant township, whereon he resided for sev- eral years. Later he bought more land from time to time and now owns over seventeen hundred acres in Wapello county, being one of its most extensive landowners. He has always engaged in raising stock of all kinds and his carefully managed business affairs and his judicious investments have in the course of time won him a handsome fortune.
Mr. Reno was married on the ist of March, 1877, to Miss Kate McGuire, who was born in St. Clair county, Missouri, a daughter of R. C. and Sarah (Parrett) McGuire, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Ohio. In an early day they removed westward to Missouri and just prior to the Civil war came to Iowa. Some time afterward they went to Oregon, and
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both passed away there. Mrs. Reno is one of a family of six children, all of whom are yet living, and by her marriage she became the mother of five children: Cloya, who died in in- fancy; Roy and Clara, both deceased; Orpha, the wife of Frank Avery of Agency ; and Myrtle, who has also passed away. There are also six grandchildren: Myrtle, Ray J., Ralph N., Roy P., Jessie S. and Howard R. Avery.
Mr. and Mrs. Reno are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and in his political views he is a republican. Frater- nally he is connected with the Masonic lodge at Agency and the Odd Fellows lodge, and in the latter has filled all of the offices. He has ever been faithful and loyal to the teachings of those organizations and to the faith which he professes, and his many sterling traits of character have gained him the high regard of those with whom he has been brought in contact.
HERMAN W. MERRILL.
Business enterprise and progressiveness in Ottumwa find a worthy exponent in Herman W. Merrill, who has been and is prominently identified with commercial and financial interests. A man of resolute purpose, he carries forward to successful com- pletion whatever he undertakes, and the years have placed him in a position among the successful business men of his city. He was born in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, January 15, 1858. His father, Joseph Henry Merrill, was a native of Plymouth, New Hamp- shire, born December 27, 1827.
Herman W. Merrill was the second child and is the only sur- viving member of a family of five children. He was educated in the common schools of Ottumwa and in the University of Iowa, which he attended for one year. Soon after leaving school he entered the Merrill wholesale grocery house, in which he continued from 1875 until 1901. He did not depend upon parental influence for advancement, but steadily worked his way upward, mastering every feature of the business and thus qualify- ing for more and more responsible positions. He is widely recognized as a man of resourceful ability, ready to meet any emergency and readily understanding the best methods of handling business situations. His energy never falters and his efforts, intelligently directed, have placed him among the prom-
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inent and prosperous business men of the city. He is now inter- ested in the Ottumwa Pickle Company as a partner of P. H. Crowley, and he is a director in the Iowa National Bank and in the Phoenix Trust Company, while in connection with Charles Greenleaf Merrill he owns the controlling interest in the City Savings Bank. He is likewise a director of the Iowa Savings Bank and is interested in banking institutions at Albia, Chilli- cothe, Agency and Chicago. His investments have been judiciously made and many institutions and business enterprises have felt the stimulus of his cooperation and sound judgment.
On the 4th of October, 1881, Mr. Merrill was united in mar- riage to Miss Emily C. Temple, who was born in Ohio, a daughter of Henry C. and Elizabeth (Stager) Temple. The former, now deceased, was a telegraph operator, while the latter is a sister of Anson Stager, one of the founders of the Western Union Telegraph system. Mr. and Mrs. Merrill have one daughter, Sarah Pope. Politically Mr. Merrill is a Republican and fraternally is connected with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. His social nature finds expression in his member- ship in the Country and the Wapello Clubs. His long residence in Ottumwa, his prominence in business, his public-spirited activity in community affairs and his lively interest in the social side of life have all combined to make him one of the popular and leading citizens of his section of the state. In all of his business activities he has seemed to readily sec from the center to the very utmost circumference of possibilities and through all the passing years has wisely and advantageously used his oppor- tunities, at the same time conforming his efforts to the highest standard of commercial ethics.
SAMUEL HOUSTON HARPER.
Samuel Houston Harper was born April 23, 1843, on a farm near Zanesville, Ohio, and died in Ottumwa, Iowa, December 17, 1911. In 1853 he came with his parents to Wapello county, where the family located on a farm one and one half miles south of Ottumwa. There were no railroads west of the Mississippi river in 1853, and Mr. Harper rode on horseback with his father from Keokuk while the rest of the family came up the Des Moines river on a steamboat.
SAMUEL H. HARPER
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Samuel Harper attended the country schools and worked on the farm until 1862, when he enlisted as a corporal in Com- pany B, Thirty-sixth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. In June, 1863, he was commissioned second lieutenant in the Forty-sixth United States Colored Infantry, later being promoted to first lieutenant and captain in the same regiment. Captain Harper was mustered out in February, 1866, after serving three years and seven months in the army. The last few months of his service were spent in Mexico, where United States troops were engaged in driving out the French invaders of that republic.
On his return from the army Captain Harper began work for the hardware firm of Henry & Haw and continued with them until 1869 when with Timothy Egan he engaged in the hardware business under the firm name of Egan & Harper. In 1873 this firm suffered loss of its stock by fire and in the same year reen- gaged in business and purchased the stock of their competitors, Daggett & Edgerly, Mr. Edgerly remaining with the new firm, known as Egan, Harper & Company. In 1875 Mr. Edgerly sold his interest to E. A. Chambers, and the firm became Harper, Chambers & Company, and in 1876 started in the wholesale busi- ness. In 1881 the business was enlarged and Frank McIntire and R. C. Wilson entered the firm. In the same year the company suffered another loss by fire. In 1892, Mr. Chambers retired from the business, and the firm became Harper & McIntire Company.
During his entire life Captain Harper was an enterprising and public-spirited citizen. He gave liberally of both his time and money to further all public enterprises. He was a loyal believer in Ottumwa's future as an industrial and manufacturing center and lost no opportunity to promote the interests of his city or state. He stood forth as a type of high-principled and progressive modern business man and commanded the respect of all his fellow citizens. At the time of his death he was, in addi- tion to his place at the head of his hardware jobbing firm, vice president of the South Ottumwa Savings Bank, president of the Agency Savings Bank, vice president of the Phoenix Trust Com- pany, a director of the Iowa National Bank, Iowa Savings Bank and Chillicothe Savings Bank, also a stockholder in numerous other local institutions.
Captain Harper was instrumental in organizing the Ottumwa Commercial Association and became its first president. He was also very active in the organization of the Wapello County Old
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Settlers' Association and served as president of the association during the first years of its existence, taking great pride in the success of the organization.
At the time of his death Captain Harper was serving as a member of the board of directors of the Young Men's Chrisitan Association, the Open Door Mission, the Ottumwa Cemetery Association and Parsons College of Fairfield, Iowa, and was an elder in the First Presbyterian church of Ottumwa. He had previously served on the Ottumwa board of education and the board of the Ottumwa Public Library, and was formerly presi- dent of the Mississippi & Missouri Valley Hardware Associa- tion.
After serving as commander of Cloutman Post, No. 69, G. A. R. Captain Harper was elected department commander of the Iowa Grand Army of the Republic for 1905-06, and in 1906-07 was named as commander of the Iowa commandery, Military Order of the Loyal Legion, and at the time of his death was president of the Thirty-sixth Iowa Veterans' Association.
Socially Captain Harper was numbered among the members of the Wapello Club and the Ottumwa Country Club, as well as being affiliated with the Knight Templar division of the Masonic order.
Captain Harper exercised a keen interest in the political affairs of the community and the state. He served Wapello county as state senator during three sessions of the legislature from 1902 to 1907. In 1897 and 1898 he was a delegate to the National Monetary Convention at Indianapolis and in 1900 was named as sixth district presidential elector. In 1911 the need of a reform business administration for the city of Ottumwa, having become extremely urgent, Captain Harper reluctantly consented to become the republican candidate for mayor to which office he was elected by a large majority. His sudden death nine months after his election interrupted the many plans he had inaugurated for the improvement of the city's finances and the general civic welfare, but the good influence of his reform policies persisted after his death and proved his short admin- istration to be of lasting benefit to the community.
On November 9, 1879, Captain Harper was married to Cor- nelia Russell, daughter of John Wallace Russell. Clarence Sam- uel Harper is the oldest son of Samuel Houston Harper. He was born in Ottumwa, March 11, 1876, and was educated in the public schools of this city. He graduated from the Ottumwa
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high school in 1893 and from Harvard College with the class of 1899. On returning from college Mr. Harper worked on the editorial staff of the Ottumwa Courier until 1901 when he entered the employ of Harper & McIntire Company, of which firm he is now vice president. He is secretary of the Arnold Jewelry and Music Company, a director of the Iowa National Bank, the South Ottumwa Savings Bank, the Chillicothe Savings Bank and the Phoenix Trust Company. He is also a director of the Ottumwa Commercial Association. In 1905 Mr. Harper was married to Elisabeth Deuel Chamberlin of Chicago. Their chil- dren are Samuel Houston Harper II, James Rayner Harper and Wallace Russell Harper.
Russell William Harper is the younger son of Samuel Hous- ton Harper, and was born in Ottumwa, November 4, 1877. He was educated in the public schools of Ottumwa, entering the employ of Harper & McIntire Company at the age of sixteen years, remaining with them continuously, and when the partner- ship was incorporated in February, 1913, was elected treasurer and a director. He is also a director of the lowa Savings Bank and the Agency Savings Bank and a stockholder in several local manufacturing institutions, and has been connected with the Iowa National Guard since 1899, serving at this time as principal musician of the Fifty-fourth lowa Infantry Band. Mr. Harper was married in 1908 to Alice Edna Burroughs of Marshalltown, Iowa.
CLAUDE MILBURN MYERS.
Claude Milburn Myers has been long and actively identified with business interests of Ottumwa as the proprietor of a whole- sale confectionery and ice cream establishment on Second street and is also a prominent factor in the public life of his com- munity. His birth occurred in Agency, Wapello county, Iowa, on the 22d of April. 1865, his parents being Christopher and Martha Ellen ( Brantner) Myers, the former born in Indiana on the 5th of July, 1835, and the latter in Pennsylvania on the 3d of July, 1839. Christopher Myers, who took up his abode among the early settlers of this county in 1843, was identified with mercantile interests during most of his active business career and was also a harness and shoe maker. He is now living re-
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tired in Ottumwa and enjoys an extensive and favorable acquaint- ance throughout the county where he has now resided for over seven decades. Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Myers have three children, namely: Florence E., who is an invalid; Josephine, the wife of Charles H. Sage of Omaha, Nebraska; and Claude MI., of this review.
The last named acquired his early education in the common schools of Wapello county and pursued a high-school course at Agency. After putting aside his text-books he worked as a clerk in his father's confectionery store until 1882, when he came to Ottumwa, here spending seven years in the service of John J. Bowles, whose establishment he purchased on the expiration of that period. He continued the business along retail lines and also began the manufacture of ice cream on a wholesale scale. Since that time he has built up an extensive business in this connection and also manufactures candy, occupying the premises at Nos. 108, 110 and 112 East Second street. He likewise deals in tobacco and cigars and furnishes employment to fifteen people. Mr. Myers is a charter member and director in the Association of Ice Cream Manufacturers and served as treasurer for one year after its inception. Subsequently he became an organizer and director of the Ice Cream Manufacturers of Iowa, of which association he served as president for two terms and in which he is still a member of the board of directors.
On the 5th of June, 1912, Mr. Myers was united in marriage to Miss Kitt Jordon, who is a daughter of W. A. and Maria Jordon, both deceased, and who has spent most of her life in this county.
Mr. Myers is a democrat in politics and an active worker in the local ranks of the party. He served as alderman for Ottumwa during a period of five years and was a member of the library board when the library was erected, continuing as such for a few years. He likewise acted as chairman of the board of police and fire commissioners until Ottumwa adopted the com- mission form of government. Mr. Myers was a delegate to the national convention at Denver which nominated Bryan in 1908, acting as secretary of the state delegation.
He has always been active in conducting special trains to both political and fraternal conventions, and it was through his efforts that a special train went from Ottumwa to Los Angeles at the time of the Elks' convention, most of the funds being raised here. In August, 1913, he conducted a train to Denver
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for the Knights Templar and secured a band of forty pieces. He is a prominent representative of the Masonic fraternity, in which he has attained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite, and also belongs to the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the Royal Arcanum, the Yeomen, the Maccabees and the Moose. The Country and Boat Clubs likewise number him among their popular members. His life has in large measure been an exemplification of his belief in the brotherhood of man- kind. He has never allowed questionable methods to form a part of his business career, while over the record of his official life there falls no shadow of wrong nor suspicion of evil. Kindli- ness and appreciation for the good traits of others have consti- tuted salient features in his career, and his life illustrates the fact of the Emersonian philosophy that to have friends you must be one. He has always resided within the borders of Wapello county and enjoys a very extensive acquaintance here.
HENRY CLAY MILLER.
Although over fifty years have passed since Henry Clay Miller passed away he is yet remembered by the older genera- tion as a successful young farmer who came to this neighbor- hood full of hope and who set himself to his work with a will that excited the admiration of all those who had the pleasure of his acquaintance. His widow now lives in Eddyville and enjoys the respect and esteem of all. Mr. Miller was born in Ohio in 1830 and was a son of Daniel and Jane Miller, natives of the Buckeye state, who came to Iowa in the early '40s, both dying in this state. To their union were born seven children, all of whom are now deceased.
Henry C. Miller removed with his parents to this state and was reared and educated in Iowa. He early took up farming and continued along that line of work until his death, which took place September 9, 1863. He was an energetic young man of great promise and all who knew him esteemed him for his determination, his industry, his thriftiness and his kindly con- sideration of his fellow men. Setting himself to work at an early age, he was on the high road to prosperity when the all- conqueror, Death, overtook him.
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Mr. Miller was united in marriage to Miss Angeline Har- per, who was born in Indiana and is a daughter of John and Mary A. (Kelso) Harper, natives of Ohio, who removed to Indiana, where they lived for some time. In 1850 they settled in Mahaska county, Iowa, locating on a farm there. Subse- quently the father entered a homestead in this county, but later the parents removed to Kansas, where both died. Mr. and Mrs. Miller had three children : Mary J. is the wife of Charles Elli- son, of Page county, Iowa, and they have eleven children living. Daniel was born February 3, 1857, and died July 24, 1887. Frederick was born October 8, 1860, and died December 6, 1910, leaving a widow to mourn his loss. Mrs. Miller has now sold all of her farms, having made other profitable investments. She owns the handsome residence in which she lives in Eddy- ville and, although she is advanced in years, still actively looks after her business interests. She is a member of the Methodist church and takes a deep interest in charity work, being ever ready to give of her means in order to help the needy and to give support to church work of all kinds. She is venerated by all who know her, for she is a lovable old lady of motherly instincts who is kindness itself to all the world.
CHESTER YOUNG SMITH.
Chester Young Smith is well known in business circles of Ottumwa as secretary and manager of the M. B. Hutchinson Lumber Company and enjoys an unassailable reputation for enterprise and integrity. He is a native son of Wapello county, his birth having occurred in Kirkville on the 24th of January, 1868. His father, Rev. D. C. Smith, was born in Pennsylvania, November 17, 1837, and came to lowa in 1851, when a youth of fourteen years. He dedicated his life to the service of his Master as a preacher of the Methodist Episcopal church and is now living retired in Ottumwa, being widely known and much beloved. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Georgianna Young and was born near Peoria, Illinois, has passed away. Their children were four in number, as follows: Harlan C., who is connected with the M. B. Hutchinson Lumber Company ; Chester Y., of this review; and Vida Fay and Charles V., both of whom are residents of Albia, Iowa, engaged in the dry goods
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business .. Reverend Smith was married a second time, Miss Jennie Beck of Hedrick, Iowa, becoming his wife in April, 1895.
Chester Y. Smith acquired his education in this state, pur- suing a high-school course and a normal-school course in Bloomfield, while later he entered Parsons College of Fair- field. In 1899 he came to Wapello county and entered the service of the Duffy Lumber Company of Ottumwa with the intention of learning the business. The enterprise has under- gone changes in ownership during the past fifteen years, but he is still connected therewith, being now secretary and manager of the M. B. Hutchinson Lumber Company, which is the pres- ent style of the firm. They have five yards and do a very exten- sive and profitable trade.
On the 8th of January, 1890, Mr. Smith was united in mar- riage to Miss Etta R. Rock, a native of Jefferson county and a daughter of Henry C. and Margaret (Vance) Rock. The father, an old soldier who held county and city offices during most of his life after the war, is deceased. Our subject and his wife have two sons, namely : Leighton Rock, who wedded Miss Amy Potter, of Los Angeles, on the 28th of May, 1913, and Byrne Young, a high-school student. Mr. Smith gives his political allegiance to the republican party and fraternally is identified with the Masons, and is a member of the Wapello Club. His religious faith is that of the Methodist church, the teachings of which he exemplifies in his daily life. His sterling integrity is a quality known and appreciated, while his genial manner has won for him a host of friends.
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