History of Wapello County, Iowa, and representative citizens, Part 20

Author: Evans, Samuel B., 1837-1903, comp. and ed
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Chicago, Ill., Biographical publishing company
Number of Pages: 696


USA > Iowa > Wapello County > History of Wapello County, Iowa, and representative citizens > Part 20


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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Thirtieth Infantry.


Asst. Surg. J. C. Stoddard. com. Feb. 17, 1863. com. declined and canceled.


Bryant, Benj., c. Aug. 9, 1862, trans. to Inv. Corps. Berry, John P., e. Aug. 9. 1862. m. o. June 5. 1865.


Corp. Thos. B. Fleanor, e. Aug. 22, 1862. m. o. June 5, 1865.


Carr, Arthur, e. Aug. 14. 1862, died April 17, 1863. Jackson, Geo. W., e. Aug. 17, 1862, died May 20, 1863.


Thirty-third Infantry.


Smith, Marion, e. March 22, 1864, m. o. July 17, 1865. Trent, Josiah. e. Feb. 2, 1864. m. o. July 17. 1865. Brooks. Peter, e. Feb. 4. 1864. m. o. July 17, 1865.


Mitchell, Win. W .. e. Feb. 2. 1864. m. o. July 17. 1865. Trent, John, e. Feb. 2, 1864, m. o. July 17, 1865.


Forty-fourth Infantry.


Middleton, Loomis, e. May 7. 1864. m. o. Sept. 15. 1864.


Forty-fifth Infantry.


Wallace, A. A., e. April 30, 1864. m. o. Sept. 16. 186.4.


Forty-cighth Infantry.


Parsons, Jas., e. June 3. 1864, m. o. Oct. 21. 1864.


Second Cavalry.


Larimore. M. K., e. March 10, 1862, died at Hamburg, Tenn.


Cartner, D. M., c. March 10, 1862. m. o. Sept. 10, 1865.


Fuller, S. J .. e. March 19. 1862, died June 13. 1864.


Lewis, Rufus, e. Aug. 3. 1862. m. o. Sept. 19, 1865.


Margaretz. Herman, e. April 1. 1862, missing in battle of Boonesville, July 1, 1862.


Samuel G. Vannice, e. March 1. 1864. died March 22, 1865, at Eastport. Miss, as Ist sergt.


Fifth Cavalry.


Bell, Dora. m. o. Aug. 1. 1865.


Besco, Henry, disd. Feb. 7, 1862.


Leonard. Thos .. disd. April 27. 1862.


Coan, W. S. e. March 17, 1864. m. o. Ang. 11, 1865.


Perrin, F .. e. March 27. 1864. m. o. Aug. 11, 1865.


Quinn, Wm., c. March 30, 1864. m. o. Aug. 11, 1865.


Quinn. John C., e. March 30. 1864, m. o. Ang. II, 1865.


Lynch. Jacob. e. March 30. 1864. m. o. Aug. 11. 1865.


Lynch, Wm. M., e. March 30, 1864, m. o. Aug. 1I, 1865.


Staton. Wm. M., e. March 30. 1864. m. o. Aug. II, 1865 Thompson, J. S., e. March 30, 1864, m. o. Aug. II, 1865


First Battery Light Artillery.


Jr. Second Lieut. D. M. Parks, e. as sergt., 1861, prmtd. 2d lieut. March 19. 1864, resd. June 14, 1864. Jr. Second Lieut. Jas. Thomas, e. as private, 1861, printd. 2d lieut. June 13. 1865.


Sergt. W. M. Van Zant. died Feb. 12. 1864. at St. Louis.


Sergt. D. M. Sparks. m. o. July 5, 1865.


Corp. Chas. R. Parks, died at Millikin's Bend, La, March 7. 1862.


Artf. Benj. Corbin. wd. and disd. June 16, 1863, disab. Gardner. J. M .. m. o. July 5. 1865.


Halsted. Wm. D., wd., m. o. July 5. 1865.


King, Fletcher, died April 20. 1864. at Agency City.


Mills, Wm. 11 .. died Nov. 5, 1862, at Helena. Ark. Parkhurst. Reese, kld. at Pea Ridge.


Rush, Ross, wd. at Vicksburg.


Temple. Jas. . A., m. o. July 5. 1865


Tosh, Geo. T .; m. o. July 5. 1855.


Day. Henry, m. o. July 5. 1865.


Even. Thompson. c. Dec. 22, 1803. m. o. July 5. 1865.


Ferris, S. R .. c. Oct. 10, 1864. m. o. July 5. 1865.


Thomas, Even, e. Dec. 22. 1863. m. o. July 5. 1865. Gales, Washington, e. Oct. 10, 1804. did. June 6, 1865. disah.


Fourth Battery.


Hobbs. W. T., c. Aug. 27. 1803. m. o. July 14. 1865. Logan, Jacob, e. Aug. 21, 1863. m. o. July 14. 1865. Mounts, John S., e. Aug. 18, 1803. m. o. July 14. 18 )5.


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HISTORY OF WAPELLO COUNTY


First lowa Infantry (.1. D.)


Sergt. Wm. Phillips, c. Aug. 29. 1863. m. o. Oct. 15. 1865.


Bedinger, Jep. c. Aug. 25, 1863. died Nov. 3. 1864. at Helena, Ark.


Carroll, Jas. c. Aug. 20, 1803. 11. 0. Oct. 15. 1855.


Harrison, 11 .. c. Aug. 20, 1863. died July 29. 1864, at Helena, Ark .. of wds.


Lewis, Robert. e. Aug. 25. 1863. died Sept. 1. 1864. at Helena, Ark.


McBride, Hiram. o. Ang. 25. 1863. died Aug. 10. 1851. at Helena, Ark.


Basket. N .. e. Sept. 2. 1863. m. o. Oct. 15. 1865.


Buck, Moves, ( Sept. 2. 1863, 1 0. Oct. 15. 1865.


Brown, Benj., c. Sept. 24. 1863. 1. 0. Oct. 15. 1805.


Davis, W'm. c. Sept. 2. 1863, m. o. Oct. 15. 1865.


Ilolloway, J., c. Aug. 28, 1863. m. o. Oct. 15. 1805.


Lewis, Chas. e. Sept. 4. 1863. m. o. Oct. 15. 1865.


Second Cavalry, J. S. M.


Ilendricks. A. E .. e. Feb. 13. 1862.


Twenty-fifth Missouri Infantry.


First Lieut. W. II. P. Norris. c. July 26, 1861. printd. from 2d sergt. Co. K. 2d Inf., Aug. 6, 1861.


Tenth Ill. Cavalry.


Doonegan, W., c. Aug. 16, 1862.


Twenty-fifth Il, Infantry.


West. A. J.


Thirty-fifth Ill. Infantry.


Toll. Wm. M., c. July 3. 1861.


SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.


50TH IOWA INFANTRY.


Maj. 11 11. Coughlan.


Company G.


[ Note. This company was mustered into the I'ni-


ted States service at Des Moines, Iowa, May 17. 1898. It left the state May 21. 1898. and was stationed at Jacksonville, Florida. It was mustered out of service November 30. 1899.]


Capt. F. W. Eckers.


First Lient. Theodore .A. Stoessel.


Second Lieut. Charles S. Tindell.


Sergt. William R. Armstrong.


Sergt .. Q. M., Maurice G. Holt.


Sergt. Alexander T. Kasparson.


Sergt. William D. Sumner.


Sergt. Leroy Christie.


Sergt. Alvin J. Crail.


Corp. Roy J. Cook.


Corp. Albert V. Lindell.


Corp. Eugene B. Hill, Jr.


Corp. Charles Brown.


Corp. William F. Bickley.


Corp. Edward Steller.


Corp. Grant Irving Emery.


Corp. Samuel Manro.


Corp. George 11. Elliott.


Corp. Mernie S. Ballagh.


Corp. John H. Wright.


Musician Joseph Hayes, died at Jacksonville, Florida. September 8. 1808 (typhoid).


Musician Otto Armstrong.


Artificer William T. Smith.


Wagoner Ivory 11. Cook.


Barnum, Emerson E.


Boughner, Charles S.


Bowser, John W.


Curran, John.


Church, Dean K.


Cullen, Frank.


Davis, Harvey A.


DeValt, Albert.


Ellis, Foster R.


Ellis, Macy M.


Emery. Roscoc.


Frost, Robert.


Graves, Chauncey .1.


Grube, Oscar A., died at Des Moines. October 6. 1898 (typhoid ).


Higgins, Bert D.


Hobbs, William A. Hobbs, William P.


Hedrick, Eugene F.


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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.


Langford, J. Elliott. Lowe, Robert W. Mitchell, Mark M. H. Mungoven, Thomas. Moore, Charles F. Moore, Charles E. Parker, Alva A. Parker, Fred W. Pickett, Charles S. Rolison, Merit V. Riordan, John T.


Riordan, Allen B. Scott, Charles U. Simmons, Harry M. Smith, Edward O. Sunley, Nate I ..


Snyder, John J. Trcase, John C. Trowbridge, Edward A. Terrell, Otis T. Wheelock, Herbert K. Williams, William W.


LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF P. G. BALLINGALL


Colonel Ballingall died March 7, 1891. Will executed on the 22d day of Novem- ber, 1890.


Will appointed Mary J. Phillips, A. G. Harrow and Charles AA. Walsh executors. Mrs. Phillips refused to qualify, but Harrow and Walsh accepted said appointment and qualified as executors.


Suit of Mary J. Phillips, David Hodge. Charles and Harry Hodge, plaintiffs, vs. Har- row and Walsh, executors, and the Ottumwa Library Association, the City of Ottumwa and Mattie J. Thomas, defendants, begun on the 2Ist day of December, 1891, attacking the eighth and ninth paragraphs of the will.


The lower court, Judge E. L. Burton, sit- ting, decided in favor of the plaintiffs. The Supreme Court, on appeal taken by the execu- tors, reversed the decision of the lower court and sustained the will in every particular.


The City of Ottumwa, by its Council, adopted a resolution in March, 1895, accept- ing that part of out-lot No. 13, devised to the public for park purposes, and obligated itself to construct and maintain a public park on said premises as provided by the terms of the will, but refused to accept the trust further. The court afterward appointed Charles A. | judgment of the trustee.


Walsh as trustee in the place of the City of Ottumwa.


THE CHARITY BEQUESTS.


By the eighth paragraph of the will the Ottumwa Library Association was given an annuity of $200. also a strip of ground 34 feet wide, fronting on Main street and extending back to the right of way of the C. R. I. & P. Railway. The devise of real estate to the Li- brary Association is upon the express condi- tion that the said ground shall be used for the purpose of erecting thereon a building for the use and benefit of a public library.


By the ninth paragraph of the will, the Ballingall House property, the property then known as the Magnolia Restaurant (now known as the English Kitchen), the Pony Pork House (now used as a pickle factory), part of out-lot No. 13, part of lot No. 370 were given to the City of Ottumwa in trust for the following uses and purpses :


The Ballingall House to be kept up as a hotel ; part of out-lot No. 13 to become a pub- lic park : part of the same lot to be used for a fower conservatory; the remainder of the property to be leased or sold according to the


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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.


A sinking fund of $20,000 to be estab- lished first ; then the will directs from the rents and incomes the establishment of a second fund of $6,000. The first fund to be used for remodeling the hotel building, to suitably keep up with the times and the growth of the city; the second fund for the purpose of main- taining the public library now established. The will provides that upon the refusal of the Library Association to accept or use the ground willed to it for the purpose of erecting & library building thereon, that the same shall go to the City of Ottumwa and become a part of the public park.


After the founding of the perpetual sink- ing fund of $20,000 and the expenditure of


the second fund of $6,000 as directed, the will provides that all accumulations arising from the rents of the property and from the interest on the sinking fund shall go and be devoted to the following uses and purposes annually :


One-fourth to the Library Association.


One-fourth to poor and needy people of Ottumwa who are dependent upon their own labor for a livelihood.


One-fourth to the religious societies of the city without regard to sect.


One-fourth to build or aid in the building and maintenance of a foundling hospital, with the special view and purpose of relieving un- fortunate females and protecting and caring for their offspring.


THOMAS D FOSTER.


Representative Citizens


HOMAS D. FOSTER, who has been identified with the extensive pack- ing establishment of John Morrell & Company. Limited, since 1865. is one of the two American directors of the firm. the other being J. H. Morrell. It is by far the largest business plant of Wapello county, and an institution of which Ottumwa may well boast.


The business of the John Morrell Company was founded about 1830 at Bradford, York- shire, England, by John Morrell, who died about 1881. It was originally a bacon and ham curing plant, as well as a wholesale and retail grocery. It continued at Bradford un- til 1860, when it was moved to Liverpool and became a strictly wholesale provision business in meats, butter and cheese, being still Con- trolled by John Morrell. From 1856 to 1865 the packing business was conducted in County Kilkenny, Ireland, and a branch office was es- tablished in New York City in 1864, the main office, then, as now, being at Liverpool. The branch in America was established with the object of purchasing meats, butter, etc., for shipment to England. In 1874 the business


was closed in New York, packing having been in operation in Canada from 1868 to 1874, and at Chicago from 1871 to 1874. In 1874 all the American interests were transferred to Chicago, where an office is now maintained at No. 901 Royal Insurance Building. In 1878 the nucleus of the present mammoth plant was erected at Ottumwa, Iowa, where the company had begun business the previous year. The plant was enlarged and completed to its pres- ent capacity in 1896. The American feature of the business has been highly successful and satisfactory to the promoters, and has been a boon to the country in which it is located. The plant consists of many large buildings. their dimensions being as follows: Main building. 194 by 160 feet, seven stories : ware- house, known as buikling "D." 160 by 128 feet, six stories ; slaughtering building. 128 by 112 feet : engine room, 100 by 70 feet : boiler house, 120 by 50 feet ; lard refinery, 112 by 70 feet : box factory, 176 by 50 feet: fertilizer building, 72 by 80 feet ; smoke house, sausage room and canning buildings, 98 by 108 feet ; office, 66 by 50 feet ; and the stock yards cover five acres of floor space. The boiler room


198


IIISTORY OF WAPELLO COUNTY


contains eight boilers with an aggregate ca- pacity of 1,740 horse power, the engines are 700 horse power, and the electric generators 750 horse power. The three ice houses have a capacity of 25,000 tons of ice, and the output of the four ice machines aggregates 475 tons daily. The hanging capacity of the establish- ment is from 10,000 to 12,000 hogs. From 40 to 50 men are employed in the engineering department, including the machine and black- smith shops ; from 50 to 60 men in the offices ; and the number in the other departments com- bined varies from 800 to 1.300 men, according to the season. One day each summer is given as a holiday for a picnic for employes, all of whom receive their pay on that day as usual. They go to some neighboring town or pleas- ant site, several trains being needed to convey the throng of people. Those employes whom it is impossible to spare on this day are paid double wages. The concern of John Morrell & Company, Limited, belongs to no trust or combine, either to lower wages of control prices, and pays first-class wages to its work- men. It is conducted on fair business prin- ciples, and all work in perfect harmony. The packing house is an exceptionally well ap- pointed one, and is kept scrupulously clean in cvery department.


Thomas D. Foster was born at Bradford, Yorkshire, England, in 1847, and was reared and educated in England and Ireland. Ile has been identified with John Morrell & Company, Limited, since 1865, and has made the busi- ness his life work and study. He came to America in 1868, and took charge of the com- "our subject on the old homestead.


pany's business in this country in 1872. He has made his home in Ottumwa since 1878, having erected a fine residence on the corner of Fifth and Market streets. He is married and has a family of 10 children. Religiously, the family is Presbyterian. Mr. Foster makes regular trips to England in the interest of the firm. His portrait is shown on a page in proximity to this.


UY LORENZO BAILEY, a prominent . farmer of Agency township, Wapello county, lowa, has always lived upon his present farm, on which he was born in 1870, the youngest child born to J. Howard and Amanda P'. (Tull) Bailey. He has a one-half interest in 180 acres of land lo- cated in sections 26 and 27, and is successfully engaged in diversified farming.


J. Howard Bailey with his wife and three little children came to Lee county, Iowa, from Scott county, Indiana, in 1853, and in 1854 removed to a farm in Washington township, Wapello county, where he followed farming and merchandising until 1857. He then lo- cated at Agency and in February, 1861, lo- cated on a farm in sections 26 and 27, Agency township, which is now the home of our sub- ject. Mr. and Mrs. Bailey reared six children. as follows: Chapman; Cyrus D. ; Randolph ; Charles .A .; Clara V., wife of Hubert W. Whitney, of Pleasant township, Wapello conn- ty; and Guy Lorenzo. The father died July 18, 1887. and Mrs. Bailey now resides with


199


AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.


Guy L. Bailey was united in the holy bonds of matrimony with Jennie E. Burr, who was born in Washington, Washington county, Iowa, and is a daughter of A. M. and I. L. Burr, of Henry county, lowa. Fraternally. he is a member of the Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias. He was a member of the school board of his district for several years. and is now secretary of that body. A man of recognized ability, he commands the respect of his fellow-citizens as a man of worth to the community.


A great-grandfather of Mr. Bailey (Joseph Wallace) was in the battle of Fort Duquesne t Braddock's defeat ). July 9, 1755. \ great- unele ( Samuel Bailey ) was a major in the Revolutionary War. Another great-uncle (John Tull ) was in the battle of New Orleans January 8, 1815. An uncle ( Nelson Bailey ) and a cousin ( AAsbury Tull) were in the Civil War. A nephew ( H. Verner Bailey) was a lieutenant in a Montana cavalry company in the Spanish-American War. being with the Rough Riders in Cuba.


E. JIUNT, a gentleman of recog- nized skill as a mechanic, is posens- ed of considerable inventive genius and is superintendent of the Ot- tumma Box Car Loader Company, which is en- gaged in the manufacture of box car loader, a product of his genius. He was born near To- ledo, Ohio, October 5, 1861, and is a son of C. J. and Elizabeth ( Holbrook ) Hunt.


12


C. J. Hunt is deceased, and his widow lives in the state of South Dakota. They had four sons and two daughters, of whom Frank, as well as W. E., is located in Ottumwa and is employed as a machinist by the Hardsong Manufacturing Company.


W. E. Hunt began his successful career as a machinist when fourteen years of age, serving an apprenticeship in the railroad shops of the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Rail- way Company. At the age of twenty-one years he came west and followed his trade at different places in the West and Northwest, until he came to Ottumwa about the year 1885. He had charge of different machine shops here and spent about ten years with the Ottumwa Iron Works and five years. with the Hardseg Manufacturing Company. Meanwhile he had been working on the in- vention of the box car loader, which is pro- ing such a pronounced success. The first full- sized machine was turned out at the Hard- socg factory. It is an exceptionally ingenious machine and despite its weight of eight tens is easily handled In one lever, which controls the engine and machinery. The hopper, which i. provided with a carrier bottom, hasan ca- pacity of about one ton of cal. I . f in length, revolves on a heavy pivot, and travels in and out of the car. The machinery is operated by an So-horsepower steam en- g'ne, and is controlled by a single lever, the machine reversing automatically. It is placed directly under the chute and then convey- the coal to different parts of the box car. loading a car in seven minutes with the greatest casc.


200


HISTORY OF WAPELLO COUNTY


The sale to coal companies has been extensive and is rapidly increasing, a completed ma- chine retailing at about $2,000. Twelve skilled mechanics are employed, and other la- horers to the extent of 40 men. Mr. Hunt and Henry Phillips, a record of whose life appears elsewhere in this volume, are equal partners in the business, and both are excep- tionally shrewd business men. The former. being unexcelled as a machinist, is well quali- fied to superintend the work in the factory.


Mr. Hunt was united in marriage with Josephine Lewis, a daughter of John Lewis, deceased. She is a native of Ottumwa, where she was reared and has always resided. They have two children: Charles and Hazel. Po- litically Mr. Hunt is a strong supporter of Republican principles. He is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. In a religious connection, he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. lle has a very comfortable home which he built on the South Side of Ottumwa.


T. McCARROLL, owner of the Me- Carroll Manufacturing Company, one of the leading enterprises of Ottimm- wa, lowa, is a thorough business man, and has met with great success in the manufac- ture of various kinds of stoves, of some of manufacture of stoves, and uses a large num- which he is the patentee. He was born in llar- Uber of special machines, thus lessening the rison county, Ohio, in 1851, and is a son of W. F. and Mary E. (Timmerman ) McCarroll.


W. F. MeCarroll came of an okl Ohio fam-


ily, and was engaged in farming until he moved west, to Ottumwa, Iowa, in 1871. He mar- ried Mary E. Timmerman, who had previously been married to a Mr. Ross, by whom she had one child. Mary E. ( Hennegan), who now re- sides with Mrs. J. W. Jordan, of Ottumwa. Mrs. McCarroll died when C. T. was but two years of age. Mr. MeCarroll formed a second union, wedding Mary Millsack, and four chil- dren were born to them, namely: J. B. and W. F., who form the firm of MeCarroll Broth- ers, conducting a hardware business on Main street, Ottumwa: Mrs. Phoebe ( Biddison ); whose husband died in 1900; and Mrs. Laura ( Kilby ), of Ottumwa, Mr. Kilby being a book- keeper in the First National Bank.


C. T. MeCarroll came to Ottumwa in 1871. and formed a partnership with his father, buy- ing out the hardware business of William Kraemer on Main street. His father died in 1801, but the business continued to be con- ducted under the firm name of W. F. MeCar- roll & Son until February, 1898. C. T. Mc- Carroll then sold out to the Harper & Melntire Company, and entered upon his present busi- ness of manufacturing stoves. He purchased land at the end of the car line on West Sec- ond street, filled up the ground and erected his present building, 30 by 118 feet, in dimensions. with an ell 20 by 30 feet in size, used as a store- room. Hle employs a number of people in the


amount of labor required. A number of the machines were patented by him. He has shown considerable skill as an inventor, one


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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.


of his inventions being a soft coal blast-heater, with top draft, which readily burns slack and soft coal, and was patented in August, 1900. He also patented, in 1898, a sheet-iron wood- burner with no up draft, the heat being forced to the bottom of the stove before ascending; it is called a wood base-burner. He has a large sale of these and they are giving universal satis- faction wherever used. He also makes heavy air-tight heaters and farmers' feed cookers. He has a sheet-iron wood carrier, and other conveniences. The plant covers one and a half acres of ground and is complete in all its de- tails, the power being furnished by a gasoline engine. £ He is also connected with the Ot- tumwa Brick & Construction Company, of which D. F. Morey is manager.


Mr. McCarroll was joined in marriage with Emma L. Foster, a daughter of Thomas Foster. Mrs. McCarroll was reared in Wapello county, Iowa. They have three children, as follows: Mary, Helen and Laura. Politically, Mr. Mc- Carroll is a Republican, and served as alder- man of the sixth ward, in which he has a good residence property. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum. He is liberal in religious views.


H. WILLIAMS is president of the Fair-Williams Bridge & Manufactur- ing Company, at Ottumwa, the only concern of the kind in Wapello county. Hle has been engaged in this line of business since 1880, and has displayed great business ability. This is one of the leading industries of


Ottumwa, and the largest plant of its kind in the state of Jowa. He was born in 1840 in Crawford county, Pennsylvania, and is a son of James Williams.


James Williams was a mechanic by trade and lived in Pennsylvania until his death in 1859. His wife died later at the age of eighty years. He had two children : J. H. ; and Mrs. Mary ( Daniels ), of Crawford county. Penn- sylvania.


J. 11. Williams was reared and educated in Crawford county. Pennsylvania, and worked in the machine shops at Conneautville, in that | county, when a boy. He enlisted. in 1863. in Company C, 112th Reg., Pa. Vol. Inf. (then converted into the 2d l'a. Artillery ) and served until the close of the war. He first came to lowa in 1856, and one year later located near Keusau- qua, lowa, having completed an apprenticeship as a carpenter and joiner before coming to this state. In 1885, he became identified with the bridge and manufacturing business at Keosau- qua, and owned and operated a plant there. In 1887. he moved to Ottumwa, lowa, and with Mr. Fair established the present business, hav- ing purchased the plant of the Ottumwa P'low Company. They have since added largely to the buildings, and, in addition to the ware- house, there is now a space of 10 by 160 feet under roof. In 1900, the large fire-proof brick structure was erected, and they have a foundry complete in all its appointments. The firm was incorporated as the Fair-Williams Bridge & Manufacturing Company in 1894, with Mr. Williams as president and E. D. Fair as secre- tary and treasurer. They manufacture bridge


202


HISTORY OF WAPELLO COUNTY


material and architectural iron work, and em- ploy about 40 men, who are mainly first class mechanics and iron workers. They have a wide field for the sale of their products, em- bracing lowa, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska. Dakota and Colorado, and their business is rapidly increasing. The owners attend to the interests of the firm on the road, and are en- terprising and energetic business men.


E. D. Fair was born in Maryland near the Pennsylvania line, and is a son of John Fair, who with his family came to Wapello county, lowa, in 1856, and located a little north of Agency, where he followed farming. At the time of the removal to this state. E. D. Fair was but ten years of age. He learned the car- penter's trade and did some contracting, and later crossed the plains and contracted on the gradework of the Union Pacific Railroad. Ile returned to Wapello county, lowa. in 1869. contracted for bridge building in the county, and in 1887 began steel bridge making, which he has since continued. His parents are de- ceased. He married Miss Giltner, a daugh- tur of William Giltner, deceased, who was a pioneer of this county. They have six chil- dren, one of whom is Dr. A. B. Fair, of Iowa City. The others reside at or near Agency. where he has his home and owns extensive farming interests.




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