USA > Iowa > Wapello County > History of Wapello County, Iowa, and representative citizens > Part 21
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Mr. Williams was married in Pennsylvania to Lovina Wright, who died and left seven children: Frank, who is in the employ of the Fair-Williams Bridge & Manufacturing Com- priny, at Ottumwa: Eva (Hlorner ), whose hus- band is a droggist in Eddyville, lowa: Mrs.
Tettershall, of Chicago; Flora (Gibson), of Los Angeles, California ; Mrs. William Gregg, of Burlington, Iowa : Mrs. Craighead, of Joliet, Illinois, and Bert, of Ottumwa, lowa. Polit- ically, Mr. Williams is a Republican, and cast his first vote for Lincoln. Fraternally, he is a Mason and Knight Templar, and belongs to the Elks. Religiously, he is a Methodist. Mrs. Williams died in September. 1900, at the age of sixty-one years.
D R. A. V. STEVENS, who was long a prominent member of the medi- cal profession in Wapello county. lowa, was engaged in active practice at Highland Center for a period of thirty-seven years, but is now living a retired life at (t- tumwa. lle is a man of pleasing personality and has many friends throughout this county.
Dr. Stevens was born in Harrison county, Indiana. in 1815, and at a very early date went to Ilinois, where he was located until 1853. In that year he came to Wapello coun- ty. lowa, and settled in Highland township. lie erected a log cabin, to which he took his bride, and improved the claim he had entered. Ile resided there until 1893, and then moved to Ottumwa. When he first came to this county a log-house was the only dwelling in Ottumwa, in which a general store was con- (luicted by Mr. Devin. He sold his land in 1893 and has since been retired from business. enjoying life at his home in Ottumwa. at the age of eighty-six years.
Dr. Stevens formed a matrimonial alliance
W. B. BONNIFIELD.
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with Catherine Miller, who was born in Ken- tucky, and they became the parents of the fol- lowing children: Charlotte; Nancy; Lydia : Rhoda: Ernest; Jacob: Owen; Douglas; and Orlando. His children are all well settled and he gathers much enjoyment from their com- pany. Mrs. Stevens, who was a woman of amiable disposition, attractive manners and high character, died in Ottumwa some time after their removal here. Politically, Dr. Ste- vens is a Democrat, and has served on the school board of his township for fifteen years. Ile is a faithful member of the Baptist church.
B. BONNIFIELD, a gentleman exceedingly prominent in the cir- cles of finance in this section of the state of lowa, whose portrait is shown herewith, is president of the First National Bank of Ottum- wa, lowa. He has been located in this city for more than forty years, and dur- ing this time has been closely identified with all public improvements, and all projects tend- ing to benefit the community.
Mr. Bonnifiekl was born in Randolph county. Virginia. February 23, 1827, and moved with his parents to Jefferson county. lowa, in the spring of 1837, where they set- tled on a farm nine miles east of Fairfield. There both of his parents died in the spring of 1841. leaving a large family of chiklren. He remained on the farm until 1847, attend- ing school in the winter months in the log
school-house ( which had greased paper in the windows in the place of glass), and working on the farm through the summer months. Mr. Bonnifield was very desirous of obtaining an education. In 1847, he and his two younger brothers went to the Iowa Wesleyan Univer- sity at Mount Pleasant, lowa, and remained there one and a half years. From there they went to Pennsylvania, in 1849, and attended Allegheny College. At that early day there was no means of public conveyance from lowa to Meadville, Pennsylvania, the seat of .Al- legheny College, except by boat on the Missis- : ippi and Ohio rivers to Pittsburg, and thence by canal to Meadville. As cholera prevailed on those rivers in that year, these three broth- ers chose to tramp across the prairies of Hli- ncis to Chicago, and carry their luggage. get- ting a ride occasionally in a farm-wagon for pay or through the sympathy of a farmer. There was at that time but one railroad. the Michigan Southern, by which transportation east from Chicago could be secured, and as the fare was more expensive than by water. these three sore-footed boys took a steamer on the lakes for Erie, 40 miles from Allegheny College; but by the time they got to Cleve- land, Ohio, they concluded they would not con- tribute anything more towards the filling of the lake and abandoned the steamer for a tramp of go miles to Meadville. After remaining in college for two and a half years, their purse was found depleted to such an extent that something had to be done. Therefore W. B. Bonnifield went to Kentucky and taught school for a term of five months, fully ex-
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pecting to return to college. He was in- pany, at Oskaloosa. for one year. and was duced to stay another term, with increased treasurer of the St. Louis & Cedar Rapids Railroad Company for six years, until it was sold to the Milwaukee system. He has always been prominently identified with public enter- prises, whose object was to increase the growth and prosperity of the community. He was one of the promoters of the Ottumwa Water Power Company, and served as its president for eight years. pay, and then, still another term, so that he remained nearly two years. At this time the California gold fever was prevalent all over the country. Mr. Bonnifield crossed the plains by means of ox teams, in 1853. in company with four brothers. He followed mining and stock-raising in northern California until 186c. when he returned east and located at Ottumwa, lowa. His California venture wa: W. B. Bonnifield was united in marriage October 28, 1862, with Alcinda Innskeep. a native of Hillsboro, Ohio, and they have reared three children, as follows: Mary B. ( Hormel), of Cedar Rapids, Iowa : Lizzie B. ( Simmons), of Ottumwa, lowa; and William B., Jr., assistant cashier of the First National Bank of Ottumwa, who married Lizette Near. of Racine, Wisconsin. In 1870, Mr. Bonni- field built a residence on the corner of Sec- ond and Jefferson streets, in which he has since resided. He has for many years been a men- ber of the Masonic fraternity. Religiously he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. reasonably successful, at least he returned with more than he took there with him. lle en- gaged in the private banking business in Ot- tumwa. in October, 1891, with his two broth- ers, under the firm name of Bonnifield Broth- ers, and continued thus until October, 1833. Then, on the passage of the national banking law he organized the First National Bank of Ottumwa, with a capital stock of $50,000. This bank was No. 107, and was the first na- tional bank organized west of the Mississippi river. He was its first cashier and George Gillaspy its first president. Within the first year Mr. Bonnifield was made pres- ident, and has since continued in that capacity with the exception of two years, James Hawley serving as its president during that period. This bank is considered one of the best managed and most successful in the state of lowa. It doubled its capital stock of $60,000 in 1891. and has paid $460,- 300 in dividends to its stockholders since its organization. Mr. Bonnifield was president and treasurer of the lowa Central Coal Com-
In 1898, the Union Trust & Savings Bank was organized with a capital of $50,000 by the same men who controlled the First National Bank, and as a result the capital of the latter was reduced to $100,000. The present di- rectors of the First National Bank are: W. B. Bonnifield; Martin Hutchison (cashier ) ; George Hlaw; J. B. Sax: and W. B. Bonni- field. Jr. The bank officials erected their own building in 1870, and occupied it until 1880,
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when it was destroyed by fire. They rebuilt in 1881. on the corner of Main and Market streets.
W. B. Bonnifield has been an important factor in the building up of Ottumwa; he has all the time been a banker, bringing to the business his native good sense as well as that financial education that comes to those who are accustomed to handling the money of oth- ers ; he has never aspired to office, but steadily kept in view the interests of those who con- fided in him as a financier, and has so managed the affairs of his bank that at no time has it lccn in peril, or even threatened with peril. In the exercise of these functions he has had the accustomed experience of bankers, and yet with all of his conservatism there has never been a day or an hour that he has not been ready to aid all legitimate enterprises that have been calculated to advance the interests of Ot- tramwa, materially as well as morally. Hle has, at the risk of loss, been a fearless ad; vocate of temperance, and in every way he has thrown his influence in favor of things that contribute to good rather than to evil. In all the public movements for charity the name of W. B. Bonnifield has been among the fore- most in contributing to relieve the woes of others, whether at home or abroad.
It will be seen by this sketch that Mr. Bonnifield attained his present position through his own efforts and without the aid of any extraordinary circumstances in his favor. In early life he worked on a farm: later on he taught school, and when California offered an opportunity for enterprising young . Ameri-
cans, he was adventurous enough to take his chances. Hle met with no great fortune there, but he returned to the state with more money than he took with him: he was all the time prudent, laboring earnestly, and all that he gained was through his untiring industry and excellent judgment in dealing with the prob- lems that entered into his experience as a miner and stock-raiser. He brought the same qualities to bear then that he has since dis- played in managing the affairs of a great cur- poration, which has been built up mainly through his efforts. If Mr. Bonnifield had been less careful in business matters, and in exercising the virtues of prudence and econ- omy, he would not have been able to do the works of charity and liberality which he takes pleasure in doing. when the proper objects have been presented to him.
RS. SUSAN E. DAGGETT, one of the most highly esteemed residents of Ottumwa, Wapello county, lowa, is the widow of William Daggett, who for many years was one of the leading business men of Ottumwa.
William Daggett was born in Jordan, On- ondaga county, New York, March 12. 1830, and was a son of Ebenezer Daggett. He had three brothers and a sister, namely: Edward. who is in the livery business at Ottumwa; Henry B., of Brookfield, Missouri; C. F., of Syracuse, New York; and Mrs. Rebecca Merse, of California. William Daggett came
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to Ottumwa from Onondaga county. New { starch works were sold to the starch trust, Mr. York, in 1856, one year later returning to Sen- Daggett nearly succeeded in bringing the im- mense mill to Ottumwa that was later located at Des Moines, making several trips to New York for that purpose. He was connected with all enterprises of note and was a conser- vative business man of good judgment. In late years he was known as Ottumwa's lead- ing financier, and was always appealed to when any new industry wished to locate here. He looked thoroughly into the merits of the Janney Manufacturing Company, and aided largely in securing its location. He later placed capital at the company's command and served as its treasurer. When the possibility of bringing the immense Dain works to Ot- tumwa was first learned. Mr. Daggett was one of the first to place his shoulder to the wheel and push the enterprise to a successful issue. At the time of his death Mr. Daggett was busily engaged in trying to bring a large cok- ing plant here, which would mean thousands of dollars of revenue annually to Ottumwa, and that success had crowned his efforts is shown by a letter which was received from L. Z. Leiter only a few hours before his death rela- tive to the matter. The promoters of the en- terprise tacitly announced their intention of placing the plant here. There is not a large in- dustry in Ottumwa which was not favored in some way by Mr. Daggett, either financially or by work in its interest. He was also vice- president of the Ottumwa Railway. Electric Light & Steam Company, president of the Equitable Loan Association, and a director of the Ottumwa Opera House Company. He eca Falls, New York, where he was married. his wife accompanying him back to Ottumwa. Ile was influenced in locating at Ottumwa by Seth Richards, deceased, who was then resid- ing at Bentonsport, located on what is now the Des Moines Valley Division of the C. R. I. & P. Railway. Following that gentleman's advice he located at Ottumwa, with the result that the city has seen all of his successful busi- ness career and been greatly benefited thereby. In 1857, he engaged in the hardware business and a few years later J. W. Edgerly, who had been in Mr. Daggett's employ, became a mem- ber of the firm. The firm of Daggett & Ed- perly continued until the latter retired. Mr. W. T. Harper then became a partner. The firm of Daggett & Harper continued in the hardware business until 1875, when they soll out, only to engage in the linseed oil business. Mr. Daggett became identified with 1. N. Mast in operating the Ottumwa Starch Works. In 1870. Mr. Blake bought the interests of stockholders in the lowa National Bank, and in 1872 Mr. Daggett became one of the direc- tors, after which time he was identified with the bank as director or vice-president until his death on February 26, 1900, having nearly rounded out the allotted term of three score years and ten. He was possessed of excellent business qualifications, and was very success- ful in whatever line of business he engaged. Ile was largely instrumental in securing the water power and later the water works, which now supply the city with water. After the old
WILLIAM ALEXANDER WORK.
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was prominently identified with the Trinity Episcopal church, of which he was a warden since 1863. being senior warden at his death, and was most liberal in its financial support. He was instrumental in getting the original church structure, and when the last edifice was erected he not only gave liberally of his wealth toward its successful completion, but actually superintended its construction.
Mr. Daggett was married at Seneca Falls, New York. October 13. 1857, to Susan E. Daniels. She was born in Seneca Falls, in 1835. and is a daughter of George B. and Mary S. (Giddings ) Daniels, her father at one time serving in Congress from Seneca county. Her mother recently celebrated her ninetieth birthday. She comes of old Revolu- tionary stock, and has a brother residing in Seneca Falls. Mr. and Mrs. Daggett became parents of eight children, seven of whom are living: Minnie A. ; Maude : Wallace R., cash- ier of the lowa National Bank of Ottumwa: Amy: Eva ( Higdon), of Ottumwa: Blanche : and Philip. The present fine brick home was erected in 1885 and is located on the corner of Fifth and Court streets. Politically. Mr. Dag- gett was a Republican.
ILLIAM ALEXANDER WORK. whose portrait is shown on the op- porite page, is the senior mem- ber of the firm of Work & Work. his son Emmett A. being as- sociated with him in the practice of
law. He is devoted to his profession, turning neither to the right nor to the left in search for honors or preferment outside of the profession which he has chosen for his life work and which he loves so well. He was born on December 25, 1844, on a farm in Jefferson county, lowa: his father, Joseph Work, was a native of Clark county. Indiana, and came to Jefferson county, lowa. in 1843. The same year, before leaving Indiana. the latter was married to Eleanor lluckleberry. They moved, in 1845. to Van Buren county, Iowa, near Birmingham, where the subject of this sketch was reared on a farm. and became inured to all the hardships, toil and privations incident to pioneer life. Joseph Work represented Van Buren county in the lowa legislature in 1872.
William Alexander Work received his rudi- mental education in the old school house of pio- neer days, where he attended a winter and sum- mer term until he was old enough to work in the field : then, he was limited to a winter term for several years. In such schools everything taught was not from books; the wide expanse of prairie, fringed with forests, gave the boy a breadth of character not attained in the en- vironments of a town or city. Such a young man was Mr. Work in the latter "fifties." when he entered the then well known academy at Birmingham. In 1862, he was admitted to the college course of lowa Wesleyan Univer- ity, at Mount Pleasant : he completed one year's study there, and in 1863 enlisted in the United States Navy, and was assigned to the United States gunboat "Benton," the flagship of .Ad- miral Porter's Lower Mississippi Squadron.
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Hle served during a part of 1863 and 1864. undertaken. His methods are to advise clients safely, without regard to prospective fees, and when he undertakes a case, it may be set down that he believes in the justice of his cause, and knows how to maintain the rights of his client. at the time when many of the great engagements on the Mississippi river oc- curred. Island No. 10, Memphis, Vicksburg and New Orleans had fallen during this period. When his term of service closed, he returned Mr. Work is a Republican, in politics, and a strong supporter of his party, but he is in no sense a politician : he devotes his attention to his profession, seeking no honors except those that strictly belong to it. Mr. Work married Hindå H. Marlow at Keosanqua, in 1869. They have had the following children: Craig M .; Benjamin M .: Emmett A .; Esther B .: Ruth E .; and Stella E. Mr. and Mrs. Work are members of the Methodist Episcopal church ; they have a very pleasant home at the corner of Fifth and Court streets. to lowa Wesleyan University, and completed his college course, in 1867. After graduating. he taught school in Keosanqua for a year; in the meantime he had taken up the study of law with Hon. Robert Sloan, of the Keosarqua bar, and when Mr. Sloan was elected circuit judge. Mr. Work succeeded to the Judge's practice. Eight years later, he associated him- self with Judge Alexander Brown under the firm name of Work & Brown, and in 1882, Judge Sloan, after leaving the bench, became a member of the firm of Sloan, Work & Brown. In 1883, Mr. Work removed to Ottumwa and opened an office, but retained his connection with the old firm until Judge Sloan was again advanced to the bench, when the firm became L EVI HILLS, deceased. This gentle- man was for many years a prominent citizen of Ottumwa, engaged in the merchandise brokerage business. He was born July 22. 1838, at Lisbon. Kendall county, Illinois, and was a son of Levi Hills, Sr., who was known as "Deacon Hills," and was for many years engaged in the grocery business in llinois. Deacon Hills' wife died in Manchester, Iowa. in 1876, at the home of her So1. Levi Hills had one brother, Miles, who lived in California until his death, and of sev- eral sisters but one is living. Work & Brown, which has continued until the present time, at Keosauqua. Mr. Work regt :- larly attends both the courts of Van Buren and Wapello counties. He has been successfully engaged in some of the most important litiga- tions in southern lowa. As a trial lawyer. either before the court or jury, he has few ¿quals at the bar in lowa. His mind is natur- ally analytical and logical, and whether dis- cussing a point of law or presenting an analysis of evidence, he is strong and convincing. He is also eloquent as a public speaker. It is a Levi Hills was reared in Illinois. He at- tended Beloit and Knoxville colleges, and in- matter of record in the county that he has been singularly successful in the cases that he has ' tended to prepare for the career of a lawyer,
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but on account of serious trouble with his eyes he was obliged to abandon that intention. . At the call for three months volunteers in 1861. he enlisted in Company F. 11th Reg. Il1. Vol. Inf .. as a private, He reenlisted at the expira- tion of that time, and served mainly in the quartermaster's department during the remain- der of the war. In 1865 he went south, where he bought a cotton plantation, in Louisiana. He then returned to Iowa, where he was married. In 1867, Mr. Hills accepted a position with W. C. Moss, Jr., & Company, as bookkeeper. which he held for some years. Later he trav- eled for the Ottumwa Starch Works, until that business was sold to the trust. Mr. Hills then opened a merchandise brokerage office in the Richards block in Ottumwa, where he con- tinued business until the time of his death. He died July 15, 1899, and his death was sin- cerely mourned by all. He was one of the most prominent business men in Ottumwa, and no public enterprise was complete without his as- sistance. AA man of honest, upright character, kind and charitable to all. his absence has been keenly felt in Ottumwa.
Mr. Hills was united in marriage. in 1870. with Sarah MeCollum. She was born in La Porte, Indiana, in 1846, and is a daughter of Frederick McCollum. Her father was of Scotch ancestry. He was a merchant, and his death occurred at the home of a daughter in Illinois, in 1885, at the age of seventy-three years. His wife, who was of English descent. died in 1876, at Manchester, lowa, aged sixty- one years. Mrs. Hills had one brother, who died, and she has three sisters living.
To Mr. Hills and his wife two children were born, namely : Hubert L., who was born in Ottumwa, in 1881, and has taken his fa- ther's place in the brokerage business; and Mary, who was born in 1871, and is the wife of James W. Mytton, of St. Joseph, Mis- souri, prosecuting attorney of Buchanan coun- ty, Missouri,-they have two children. Allen and John.
Politically, Mr. Hills was a Republican. Fraternally, he was a Master Mason and was an enthusiastic member of the G. A. R., hold- ing, successively, all the offices in the post, and that of senior vice commander of the De- partment of lowa. Mr. Hills was secretary of the Industrial Exchange at Ottumwa for many years. The family attend the Episcopal church, though Mr. Hills people were Con- gregationalists.
HOMAS E. GIBBONS, the leading grocer on the South Side of Ottum- wa. Wapello county, Iowa, and also alderman at large, is a native of To- ronto, Canada. He was born in 1856, and is a son of John and Margaret ( O'Donnell) Gib- bons, who were both natives of Ireland.
When John Gibbons was married, he de- cided to make his home in America, and in 1855 came to this country. Soon after reach- ing here he went to Canada. Six children re- sulted from his union with Margaret O'Don- nell, three of whom are deceased. Edward died in Ireland, and Catherine and James died in America. The oldest son, John F. is a
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Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad em- ployed, who lives on the North Side of Ot- tumwa. Mrs. Ann O'Malley also lives in Ot- tumwa.
Thomas E. Gibbons, the subject of this sketch, was reared and schooled in Ottumwa. He entered the employ of Mccullough & Lit- liburn, dealers in butter and eggs, in 1870. After remaining with that firm a short time, he went to Omaha, where he engaged in the same business. Hle returned to Ottumwa in 1870. and entered the grocery business with Mr. O'Malley, after which he formed a part- nership with W. J. Neil, which lasted until 1883. The store was on the North Side and was known as Neil & Gibbons. Then Mr. Gibbons conducted a store on the South Side under the name of Beaver & Gibbons. Since 1895 he has been engaged in the grocery busi- ness alene at Nos. 911-913. Church street. His store is known as the Gibbons Tea Store. 11c erected a building and employs three people to assist him in the store. By his courteous and fair treatment to his customers he has gained the patronage of about one-third the residents of the South Side. He has been a self-made man, and has just cause to be proud of the success which he has won.
Mr. Gibbons married Annie Monley, who died in June, 1891. They had five children. namely: Frank ; Mary: Kittie: Maggie: and Annie. Mr. Gibbons married, secondly. Vina Wallace, a daughter of Woodson Wallace, who was an carly resident of Ottumwa. In poli- ties, our subject is a Democrat. He was elect- ed alderman of the Fifth ward, being the first
one from the South Side to be elected. Mr. Gibbons has served two terms, and was elect- ed both times by a large majority. Fraternal- ly. he is a member of the Woodmen of the Workdl and National Union. In his religious views he is a Catholic.
OSEPH AINLEY, who has been closely identified with the growth of Ottumwa since 1862, is a member of the firm of Vinley & Weidenfeller, and is engaged in the milling business.
Mr. Ninley was born in Yorkshire, Eng- land, in 1833, and is a son of William Vinley. being the only member of the family who moved to this country. Hle is one of five chil- dren. Upon coming to this country, he lo- cated in St. Louis, in 1858, and six months later moved to Jefferson county, lowa. In 1862, he came to Ottumwa. Wapello county, Iowa, bringing his family with him, and was engaged in the livery business for eleven years. Ile then engaged in the stock-yards business. lle was associated with P. G. Ballingall in both the livery and stock-yards business, fol- lowing the latter until 1876. In that year. Mr. Ninley engaged in baling and shipping hay at Ottumwa,-making that city the distributing point. He continued thus until 1884. in which year he erected his present feed. flour and cus- tom mill. It occupies a three-story building. 42 by 50 feet. in dimensions, and has a capac- ity of 60 barrels of straight-grade flour. and a greater feed capacity. He has a large local
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