USA > Iowa > Wapello County > History of Wapello County, Iowa, and representative citizens > Part 58
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public road. He has always taken an active interest in keeping the public roads in good repair, as well as in all enterprises which tend to promote the general interest of the com- munity.
Mr. McElroy was joined in marriage, in 1882, in Fayette county, Ohio, with Mary Ellen Milner, who was born in Highland county. Ohio, and is a daughter of John and Priscilla ( Ballard ) Milner, who now resides near Wich- ita, Kansas. The subject of this sketch and his wife have seven children as follows: May- na Kate, who is attending school at Ottumwa: Robert O .: Nellie: Esther: Fred; Mary; and Ruth. Mr. MeElroy is a Republican, and takes an earnest interest in the affairs of the party. He and his family are members of the Preshy- terian church, of Ottumwa.
RANK WHITCOMB, a prosperous farmer of Center township. Wapello county, lowa, is located in section 1. township 72, range 14, where he owns 143 acres of land, which has been in the family possession since 1843. He was born on the oldl family homestead October 13, 1855, and is a son of Farnum and Nancy ( Fox ) Whitcomb.
Farnum Whitcomb was born at White River Junction, Vermont, in 1810, and moved to lowa in 1839, settling in Jefferson county. He remained there until 1843, and then moved with his family to Center township. Wapello county, where he acquired a tract of land from the government. Ile cleared the land and as time went on made great improvements. He
built a nice home and excellent barns and out- buildings, and developed the property into one of the most valuable farms in this section. Ile continued to live on this land until he met death by an accident, in 1895. Longevity is one of the most prominent characteristics of this fam- ily, one of his uncles having lived to reach the great age of 108 years. His father. David, who was born in New Hampshire, lived to be ninety- six years & ld. The family tree shows the fam- ily to have originally come from Wales, before the Revolutionary war. Four brothers estab- lished it in this country. One of them located in Massachusetts, two others in Vermont, and the fourth in New Hampshire. The great- great-grandfather of Frank Whitcomb was a major in the Revolutionary war, and he had three brothers who also participated in that war. Nancy ( Fox ) Whitcomb, the mother of Frank Whitcomb, was of English descent, al- though her ancestors for many generations have been located in the United States. Iler people also lived to okl age,-her mother hav- ing died at the age of ninety years. Nancy ( Fox) Whitcomb died in 1896, at the age of seventy-six years.
Frank Whitcomb spent his early life with his father in clearing the homestead property, crecting buildings and making other improve- ments, and brought the land up to its present high state of cultivation. The property was justly divided upon the death of the father, the farm falling to Mr. Whitcomb. He follows general farming and his affairs are in a ihriv- ing condition. He is a man of pleasing person- ality, and has many friends in the county.
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In 1881 Mr. Whitcomb was united in wed- lock with Elizabeth Bizer, and they have three children, as follows: Grace ., born July 7. 1887: C. Maxwell, born June 22, 1889; and Mildred, born February 19, 1890. In politics, Mr. Whitcomb stanchly supports Democratic principles, while in religious belief he is a Meth- edist and an active member of the church.
FREDERICK METZGER, a prosper- ous farmer residing in Wapello coun- ty, lowa, owns and cultivates a farm of 160 acres in Center township, in section 2, township 72, range 14.
Martin Metzger, his father, was born in 1805, and lived to reach the age of eighty years. His wife died in 1839. at the age of sixty-two years, having given birth to two sons and four daughters. One of the sons is lo- cated in Kansas.
Frederick Metzger was born in Germany and came to the United States in 1854. Ilc lived and farmed in Ohio for about twelve years, and in 1857 came west to Wapello con- ty: lowa. About 1881 he purchased his pre- ent farm from William Dickson, who had him- -elf purchased of his father, his father having bought the place from Mr. Thompson. ile has made many improvements on the land, and erected good, substantial farm buildings and a fine barn, the dimensions of which are & by 70 feet. He has been very successful in farm- ing, and has made many friends throughout the county.
Mr. Metzger was united in matrimony with Carrie Harsh. of Ohio, and they had mne children, as follows: Charles, who died at the age of twenty-one years ; William B, ulm was born in 1865, and is a fireman on the Ch cago, Burlington & Quey Railroad: Ehza- beth, wife of Oscar Fleming : Jennie, who lives in Denver, and is the wife of Charles file ; Filward, who holds a clerical position in U :- tomwa: Albert, who is a fireman on the I'll- cago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad; Clara. wife of Martin Lyon, of Salt Lake City, Utah : Harry, who works on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad: and Carrie, who died at the age of thirteen years. Mr. Metzger is a liberal Democrat. In religious attachments he is a member of the Lutheran church.
C. WYCOFE. a prominent and intlu ential farmer of Center township, Wa pollo county, Iowa, is located in section 1, township ;2. range 14, where he has a tract of 130 acres. He was born January 1. 1850. in Richland township, within a mile . i his present residence, and is a son . i W. B. Wyc ff.
W. B. Ayer ff. a record of whose life ap- pears chewhere in this work, purchased the land in which his son. J. C., is located, in 182, 1 B. Frazier, William Martin having first entered it. Mr. Wie ff made great improvements upon it, built the fine large he use, together with out buildings and barns necessary to house the stock and grain raised on the place. After
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placing it under a high state of cultivation, he disposed of it to his son, J. C. Wycoff.
J. C. Wycoff's education was limited to the public schools, but he received sufficient learn- ing to become an efficient clerk, which occupa- tion he followed in Ottumwa for three years. He then went to farming and met with much success during the fifteen years he pursued that work. He next engaged in the real-estate busi- ness in Ottumwa, at which he continued until the purchase of his father's farm, and since that time has industriously followed agricultural pursuits with good results. He has nearly all of the land under cultivation, and has made his main success in this business. He is possessed of many high traits of character, for which he has the admiration and esteem of all with whom he is acquainted.
Mr. Wycoff was united in marriage, in 1884. with Laura S. Spry, an estimable lady, by whom he had one son, born in July, 1885. He was joined in marriage with his present wife, Mrs. Maggie ( Logan) Harris, in April, 1899. They have one son. Howard L., who was born April 19, 1900. Mr. Wycoff is a Re- publican. He belongs to the Methodist Epis- copal church.
P RIER S. WILSON, a prominent repre- sentative of the agricultural class of Wapello county, Iowa, is a self made man in all that the term implies. He began for himself at the age of eleven years, and after a long period of industry and saving has accumulated a handsome property. He
has an excellent farm of 400 acres in Center township, in sections 10 and 15, township 72, range 14. and is engaged in general farming and stock raising. He was born July 22, 1838, in Monroe county, Indiana.
The Wilson family is of Irish descent, but has been located in this country for many gen- crations. The father and grandfather of Prier S. Wilson were born in Kentucky, and were farmers. Prier S. Wilson came to Wapello county, lowa. in 1849, and remained but a short time when he went to Van Buren county, Iowa, where he stayed until 1852, when he came to Wapello county again. He followed the occupation of a farmer in a successful man- ner, and in 1860 purchased 120 acres of land, where the old home now stands. To this property he has since added from time to time, until he now possesses 400 acres of fine farming land. In 1862 he built his first house, the large barn. the dimensions of which are 50 by 100 feet. and other outbuildings for the protection of cattle and housing of grain and corn. About eighteen years ago, he built another house. 35 by 40 feet, in size : and twelve years ago, a third house, measuring 28 by 30 feet. The last residence he now occupies. Ile rents the others when they are not occupied by his chil- dren. His farm is under a high state of cul- tivation, and produces from 3,000 to 4,000 bushels of grain, and he handles a large num- ber of cattle and hogs. He has made a grand success of farming, which goes to show that farming offers better opportunities today than many of the over crowded avocations. He has
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also engaged in the real estate business for some time past, buying and selling farms, and in this branch he has met with equal success. lle is a man of high honor and integrity, and his fair treatment of others has gained him a desirable reputation wherever he is known or has had dealings.
In 1858, Mr. Wilson was united in mar- riage with Mary Stephenson, and five chil- dren have blessed their union, namely : Nancy : Laura E .; Albert D .: E. M .; and T. H. : all except T. 11. Wilson, are now living. and the sons are following closely in the footsteps of their father, whose example they are striving to emulate. Both are in a prosperous condi- tion. In politics, Mr. Wilson is a Democrat, and for eighteen successive years he has been reelected a director on the school board,-hav- ing taken a great interest in the educational resources of his neighborhood. In religious views, he is liberal, but of high moral char- acter, and believes in deed rather than creed.
H. GREEN, who is efficiently serving in the capacity of engineer of No. 4 mine of the Phillips Fuel Company, lives in the village of Phillips, where he owns two acres of land. Ile was born in Ohio in 1860, and is a son of Henry Green.
Ilenry Green was born in Wales, where he was a mine worker. In 1830, he came to this country, where he followed that line of work at various places. He was superintendent of
a mine in Southern Ohio while the Cusil War was in progress, and when General Morgan made his celebrated raid through Ohio, Mr. Green started north with his wife and baby. 1: 11. He enlisted in the service and followel General Morgan, driving him out of Ohio. Twice did Mrs. Green and her son have to leave their home, to escape capture during the raid. She was also a native of Wales, and was married before coming to this country. They had eight children, all of whom are now living and doing well.
W. 11. Green was reared on a farm, and in 1871 moved to Kansas, where he received a meager common school education, the best the country afforded at that time. He worked on the farm most of the time, and then began to learn the trade of an engineer, with a gentle- man who learned the trade in Wales, and was one of the best machinists of his day. After serving time with him, he worked a while with John Peak, also a finished machinist and en- gineer, who came from Wales. Subsequently he worked for the Kansas & Texas Coal Com- pany, who were extensive coal producers, hav- ing mines in Kansas, Missouri and Texas, Mr. Green worked in different states for this com- pany, and in 1801 came to Wapelle county. where he has been in the employ of the Phillips Fuel Company. He is engineer of No. 4 mine, the best producer of the company, in which are employed from Go to So men throughout the year. He has charge of the hoisting, which is done by a to-horsepower engine, which brings about a ton of coal up from the mine at one time. He has never met with a serious
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accident in his work, and has been very success- ful, standing high in the esteem of his fellow workers and his employers.
On January 30, 1891. Mr. Green was united in marriage with Jemima Williams, a daughter of J. C. Williams, of Otumma, who came to this country about thirty-five years ago. Mr. Williams had a brother who served in the Civil War, and was killed in battle. Three children were born to bless this union, as follows: John, born October 25, 1894: Bertha, born October 7, 1896; and William, born September 21. 1899. Politically, Mr. Green is liberal, and was originally a Demo- crat. then a Populist, and is now a Democrat, trying always to vote for what he considers the best measures and the best men. He was reared a Latter Day Saint, and believes in Mormonism without polygamy. He belongs to a labor union, and is a member of the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows.
J ACOB REAM is a prosperous farmer living on 29 acres in Center township. Wapello county, lowa, in section 11. township 722, range t4. He purchased this land in 1875, and immediately after built a very fine farm house. He now has one of the most valuable farms of its size in the town- ship.
at home until he reached the age of twenty- one years, and was taken into partnership with his father, this association lasting until 1859. His father lived to reach the age of seventy- seven years. In 1859 Jacob Ream started west, for California, his main object being to see the great western country. He started in a party bound for the west with four yoke of cattle, and went first to Omaha, and from there across the plains, the trip consuming about three months' time. They were troubled lit- tle by the Indians, as the tribes were at war with each other. He was engaged in ranch- ing in the Sacramento Valley for nearly three years, and accumulated Ir yoke of oxen, with which he hauled lumber from the coast to the interior. On one of his trips they stopped for the night in one of the numerous valleys. and as it was dark they could not see the poisonotis shrubs which grew there. The cat- the ate of this and all died but two yoke. They were compelled to leave their loads behind. as they were about 100 miles from the market, and Mr. Ream started back to his home. He received assistance and returned for his lum- ber, but upon arriving there found that it had all been taken away, and thus he lost what amounted to his accumulations for years. Ile concluded to return to his Towa home, which he did, by water, being accompanied by his wife and two children. He came to Wapello county. lowa, in 1872, and in 1875 purchased his pres- ent farm. He commenced building the same year, and has since added to his house until he has one of the best farm houses in the town-
Mr. Ream was born in Harrison county, Ohio, June 20, 1835, and at the age of four years was brought to lowa by his parents, who settled in Van Buren county. He remained 'ship. In 1885 he built his barn and outbuild-
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ings, and has made wonderful improvements on the land. Ile has made a specialty of fruit- growing, and raises many berries, He set out an extensive orchard of a large variety of fruit, and it now bears abundantly. He also found coal on his place, and mined for several years, but it is now being mined by others.
Mr. Ream was married in California, and has the following children: Charles, born May 26, 1800; Carrie, born April 5, 1802: William, born August 30, 1865 : Malie, a rail- road conductor, born .August 26, 1867: Nellie. born December 12, 1871; Jolie and Jennie, twins, born December 16, 1875; and Goklic, born .August 7, 1888. Mr. Ream is a Dem- ocrat in politics, and served as supervisor ten years, and as school director many terms. Hc was reared a Presbyterian, but joined the Methodist church when it was organized in his neighborhood.
AMCEL MCCOLLOUGIL, a highl; respected farmer of Dahlonega town- ship, Wapello county, Iowa, has been a resident of Iowa since 1851. He was born in Pennsylvania, December 7. 1831, and is a som of David and Mary ( Rice) MeCollough David McCollough was born in Maryland. Hle married Mary Rice, who was a native of Ire- land, and they reared the following children : John, Sarah, Mary Jane, and Thomas, all of whom are deceased ; Samuel, the subject of this sketch : Margaret ( Mcclure), deceased; and Hannah ( Thompson ).
Samuel MeCollough was nineteen years old
when he left his native state. In 1851 In- par ents moved to Richland township, Wapello county, lowa, where the father bought a farm. Mr. Mecollough lived on this farm until 1895 In toot he bought a farm of gt acres in section 3. Dahlonega township, and there he carries on general farming. He is a man of much thrift and energy, and has always been very success ful.
Mr. MeCollough married Miss . i. T. Kirk patrick, who was born in Illinois, and died ir 1891, and they had eight children, namely : Mary Jane ( Hardesty ) : Ida May ( Hamilton). who died in 1800; Thomas IL. : Eunice N., who died at the age of sixteen months: Ina K. (Null) ; Maggie M. (Johnston ) : David 11. who died in 1805 : and Batey Z., who was born November 12. 1888. Mr. Mccullough is a Prohibitionist : he has served as trusted and clerk of Richland township. He is a member of the Presbyterian church. He is a man of up right, honest character, and his friends in Wa Hello county are many.
1.I HARSHMAN. one of the mosten tensive land owners and farmer- of Mapello county, le wa, is located in Columbia to worship. He was born m Proble o unty, Ohio. April 20, 1845, and is un of Peter and Susannah ( Shear) Harsh man, and a grandsen of Peter Harshman.
Peter Harshman, the grandfather, was In rt in Rockingham county, Virginia, and was an carly settler of Ohio. He was an agriculturest
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by vocation all his life, owned a great deal of property in Preble county, and was a very pros- perous man for those days. By his first wife he had the following children: Joseph, John, Sarah, Moses and Peter. After her death, he formed a second'union and had seven children : Letta, Christina, Mary, Hattie, John, Martin, and Samuel. Mr. Harshman died in 1871.
Peter Ilarshman, father of Eli, was born in Ohio, and there reared to the occupation of farming. In 1852 he moved to Pike county, Illinois, where he was engaged in farming the rest of his life,-being, like his father, a very prosperous man. At the time of his death he owned a large estate. Ilis nion with Susan- nah Shear resulted in the following offspring : Liston: Noah: Perry; Eli; Martin: Daniel ; Sarah; Anna: and two who died in infancy. Mr. Harshman died in 1890, at the age of sev- enty-seven years. He was a member of the Christian church.
Eli Harshman moved to Illinois with his parents and there attended the common schools. Ile remained on the home farm until the age of twenty-one years, and then engaged in farm- ing on his own account. Being very successful, he was soon in a position to buy land, and while in Illinois became the owner of several farms. In 1802 he decided to try his fortunes in Iowa, and located in Wapello county upon the farm which is his present home. It consists of 717 acres in Columbia township, which he pur- chased of F. R. Manning, of New York,-half of it being under cultivation. He also owns another farm of 340 acres in the same township. and at one time had a half section of land north
of Ottumwa, in Dahlonega township. His farms are well watered and provided with good, substantial farm buildings, all in good repair. He has been engaged in general farming and stock-raising with much success. He built his present seven-room house upon coming to the county, and has made many other valuable im- provements since taking possession of his prop- erty.
In 1869 Mr. Harshman was joined in mat- rimony with Frances Taylor, of Pike county, Illinois, and they took Emmett H. Hill, a nephew, to raise when he was nine months old. They have treated him as a son, and are giv- ing him excellent educational advantages. Re- ligiously, they are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, of Eddyville. Politically Mr. Harshman is a Democrat.
CAMPBELL JANNEY is president of the Janney Manufacturing Com- pany, an establishment well known throughout the United States for the manufacture of farming implements. He has spent his life since the early "eighties" in the manufacture of farming implements, and in April, 1898, came to Ottumwa from Muncie, Indiana, and established the extensive plant which is devoted mainly to the making of ma- chinery, especially adapted to the planting and handling of corn.
The officers of the Janney Manufacturing Company are : G. Campbell Janney, president ; M. H. Janney, vice-president ; Calvin Manning,
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treasurer ; W. R. Daggett, secretary ; and Will- iam .1. Work. counselor. A force of from 150 to 200 men is employed in the plant .- mostly first-class mechanics .- and all the work is su- perintended by the subject of this sketch. The plant was moved to Ottumwa because of its excellent location in the center of the great agricultural district of the United States, and most of the sales are made to jobbers in the corn belt. The establishment is a very exten- sive one, and consists of many large and sub- stantial buildings. The power house is ample in size and equipped with a 125-horse-power Corliss engine, with marine tubular boiler, and both power and light are generated and carried throughout the plant by the latest improved type of Sprague electrical machinery. The machine shop is 100 by 150 feet in dimensions. and is supplied with all machinery best adapted to turning out the product. The blacksmith shop is 100 by 50 feet in dimensions, and is supplied with punches, bulldozers, furnaces and a complete set of machines for the goods pro- chiccd. The foundry is 75 by 150 feet in di- mensions, and is equipped with two Whiting cupolas, the latest improved, with smelting ca- pacity of 20 tons per hour. The main build- ing, in which are the erecting shop. woodwork and painting department, wareroom and offices of the company, is 50 by 250 feet in dimen- sions, and two stories high. AAll the buildings are of the latest type and designed with a view to convenience, and comfort of the employes. The pattern house is equipped with a fire-proof proof vault. Pattern 25 by 60 feet in size, and also has four ovens and coke sheds. The fac-
tor: is located on the main lines of the Chi- age, Burlington & Quincy Rairload to the south, and the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway to the north, and has switch connec- tions to all points in the city on other railroads. Although the company manufacturers all kinds of farming machinery, a specialty is made of the Janney Common Sense Corn Husker and Shredder; the Janney Common Sense Triple Geared Grinding Mill ; and the Janney Com- mon Sense Corn Planting Machinery.
Mr. janney was born in Virginia, but for many years was in business in Indiana. Ilis present business has been his life work, and he has met with great success.
J. ERSKINE, who is located on a farm of 120 acres in section 12, township 72, range 14. Center town- ship, is general superintendent of the mines of the Phillips Fuel Company. Ile has been engaged in this line of work since carly manhood, and has a the rough under- standing of it in all its details.
Mr. Erskine was born in Dubuque county, Iowa. March 25. 1863, and when ten years old came to Princeton, lowa, with his parents. One year later he went to work on a farm. performing a man's work. At the age of fif- teen years he went to work at mining at Rapids City, Illinois, and worked thus two years. . At the age of seventeen years he accompanied his father to Washington Territory, where they went up into the mountains about 50 miles from
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Seattle and staked a claim, with the intention of mining gold. They had gone in to the mountains many miles further than any man ever had been before, carrying their tents and provisions on their backs, as the trail was too steep for pack-mules to make the ascent. They staked their claim near a creek, pitched their tent under a large pine tree, and then turned the creek from its course to the vicinity of their claim, so as to wash their gold when they had mined it. Strange as it may seem, the creek undermined the pine tree under which they had pitched their tent, and at night, while both were asleep, the tree fell and killed the father. The son was left in a terrible predicament. having gone 50 miles into the mountains, and being left alone with his dead father. The only course open to him was to bury his. fa- ther and make his way as best he could back to civilization. He gathered together some 50 pounds of provisions, bedding, etc.,-all they had in the world .- and began his 50-mile tramp through the wild mountains, without a trail to follow. For a boy of seventeen years he displayed wonderful courage and stamina. and accomplished the return journey in two lays, a feat which would have taxed the ability of a matured man to the utmost. Ar- riving at Seattle with his pack, Fut having no money with which to get home to his mother, he was in a sorry plight, but Providence inter- vened for him. The boy interested the captain of a boat in his story, and the latter did not doubt his veracity and gave him permission to work his passage home. Another man step-
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