USA > Iowa > Warren County > History of Warren County, Iowa : from its earliest settlement to 1908; with biographical sketches of some prominent citizens of the county > Part 50
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W. H. Cain grew to manhood upon a farm and acquired his education in the local schools. Although only sixteen years of age he joined the boys in blue, enlisting on the 8th of August, 1861, as a private in Company B, Tenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and his first engagement was at Charleston, Missouri. He was in thirty-one important battles, including some of the most hard-fought engagements of the war, and was severely wounded at Corinth, being confined in a hospital for three weeks. He then rejoined his regiment and remained at the front until hostilities ceased, being honorably discharged at Little Rock, Arkansas, in August, 1865. After his return home he worked on a farm by the month for several years.
Mr. Cain married Lavena Myrick, who was born and reared in this county, being a daughter of Eli Myrick, whose sketch appears on another page of this volume. To them has been born one daughter, Edith, and by a former marriage Mrs. Cain has a son, James E. Sandy, who is now a farmer of Milestone, Canada.
Mr. and Mrs. Cain have a nice home in Hartford, where they also own four lots, and a good farm of sixty acres adjoining the village. Throughout his active business life he has engaged in agricultural pursuits and has met with well deserved success. He has been called upon to fill various local offices and
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is a stanch supporter of the republican party. He is a prominent member of O. P. Lewis Post, No. 169. G. A. R., of Hartford, of which he is the present commander, having served in that capacity for ten years, and both he and his wife are consistent and faithful members of the Presbyterian church.
WILLIAM S. HARROD.
William S. Harrod, a retired farmer of Norwalk, Iowa, was born in Scott county, Indiana, January 29, 1837, the son of Isaac and Sarah (McCreary) Harrod. Isaac Harrod was a native of Kentucky, but being opposed to slavery he removed to Indiana to get away from it. He was of Scotch-Irish descent and possessed all the force of character that is characteristic of this ancestry. He was a good marksman and a soldier in the war of 1812. He died in Indiana, September 20, 1855, aged sixty-six years. His wife, Sarah McCreary, was of Irish descent, and a native of Kentucky. She survived her husband by a number of years, passing away, as did her husband, at the age of sixty-six years. They were the parents of nine children.
When a young man nearly twenty-one years of age, William S. Harrod accompanied his mother on a visit from Indiana to Des Moines, where lived a brother and two brother-in-laws who were in business there. He liked the place and there began working at the carpenter's trade for one of his brother- in-laws. He followed that trade in Des Moines for seven years, during which time he managed to accumulate considerable means. When a youth he had invested in Kansas land and at one time owned over one hundred acres in what is now Lyon county. During the seven years spent at Des Moines he invested in two hundred and eighty aeres of land in Greenfield township. Warren county, where he lived for many years, and in addition to this pur- chased two hundred aeres elsewhere in Iowa. He was fortunate in securing this land at a time when its valuation was low compared to the merits of its soil, and its consequent growth in value added materially to his pros- perity. A favorable opportunity presenting itself for its sale. he disposed of it some years ago and bought with a part of the proceeds a farm adjoining the village of Norwalk, which is now well worth one hundred and twenty- five dollars an acre. For eight years Mr. Harrod has lived in the village re- tired from the active work of the farm and the leisure thus afforded him has enabled. him to look into the merits of various propositions which have been presented to him. many of which he has seen good reasons for rejecting, while in others he has seen a source of profitable investment. His most approved idea of an assured income is that of making loans on first mortgages, which he is enabled to do by reason of his early habits of thrift, industry and economy.
In February, 1872, occurred the marriage of William S. Harrod and Miss Barbara Beery, a native of Ohio, and daughter of David Beery. deceased. one of Warren county's early pioneers. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Harrod has been
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born one son, Irvin C. Harrod, who is married to Miss Emily Garow and is engaged in real-estate business in Des Moines.
Mrs. Harrod is a member of the Methodist church. Mr. Harrod was formerly a member of the Christian church. In politics he is a republican and while in no sense of the word is he a politician, yet he takes an active interests in the questions and issues of the day, and in making his decisions in this, as in all other matters, that he is actuated by the highest principles of justice and integrity is doubted by none.
JAMES A. MASON.
James A. Mason, residing on section 18, Richland township, where he owns and operates two hundred and twelve acres of highly improved land, was born on the farm where he now resides, on May 22, 1864, the son of William and Jane (Ncal) Mason. His father was a native of New Jersey, where he passed the days of his boyhood and youth, and followed the occu- pation of sailor until he came to Van Buren county, Iowa, in 1843. From there he went to Des Moines, in which city he resided for a short time, and he helped to build the United States army barracks at that place. He took up a squatter's claim and, it is said, broke the first soil in Warren county, using an ox-team for this purpose. He married Miss Jane Neal, a native of Tennessee, who came to lowa with her parents in 1844. Unto this union were born six children, five sons and one daughter, of whom James A., of this review, is the youngest. The father had accumulated here some eight hundred and sixty acres of land. He died October 5, 1895, at the age of eighty-one years, six months and six days.
James A. Mason completed his school work in the old Ackworth Academy and early entered upon the active duties connected with agricultural pur- suits. He aided his father in his extensive farming operations and on first branching out for himself bought sixty-seven acres of land in Palmyra town- ship. In the settlement of his father's estate he acquired one hundred and forty-five acres of the home property on which the old homestead was located, making two hundred and twelve acres which he now owns. Mr. Mason ap- preciates the fact that farming is a science calling for the greatest exercise of judgment and keen perception, and the respectful attention and study he has ever accorded his occupation is manifested in the high degree of perfec- tion which he has attained in the cultivation of cereals, particularly corn, and the superior grade of live stock which he owns. He carried off the grand sweepstake prize on corn for Iowa and the world, and took the world's honors on corn in 1907 through the Iowa State Fair and State Agricultural College at Ames. In live stock, he raises thoroughbred Jersey cattle, regis- tered Poland China hogs, and standard bred horses. His entry of stock and grain is always a conspicuous feature of the Iowa State Fair and he has taken several first premiums. The family prize as a valued souvenir some seed
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eorn which they possess that was found on the road between Tennessee and here by their grandfather in 1844 and from which the first corn in Warren county was grown. It is in keeping with the intelligent direction that he has ever given his affairs that he has erected good buildings, has fenced and cross fenced the place and has done everything that was necessary to further the interests of his business and to enable him to carry it on to the best pos- sible advantage.
On February 1, 1886, was celebrated the marriage of James A. Mason and Miss Cora Patterson, a daughter of Thompson Patterson and native of Dallas county, Iowa. Unto this union has been born one daughter, Ermile, who is a graduate of the Carlisle high school.
Since age conferred upon him the right of franchise Mr. Mason has been a staneh republican. Though not an aspirant for public office he has ever taken an active interest in party principles and has served as delegate to several state and county conventions. Fraternally, he is a member of the old Hartford Lodge, A. F. & A. M., of which his father was a charter member. He is also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Hartford. Mrs. Mason is a member of the Eastern Star, the ladies' auxiliary of the Masonic fraternity, in which order she has held various offices. The family attend the Friends church.
GEORGE M. BARTHOLOMEW.
George M. Bartholomew is one of the few remaining early settlers of Warren county and one of its prominent business men, having been actively engaged in merchandising in Palmyra for a third of a century. He was born at Spencer, Owen county, Indiana, on the 25th of July, 1825, and was but a child when his father, John Bartholomew, died in that state. In 1830 his mother removed with her family to Illinois and located in MeLean county, where he grew to manhood, being provided with fair educational advantages. He began his business career as clerk in a store and there received a good prac- tical business training.
On the 15th of September, 1848, Mr. Bartholomew was united in marriage to Miss Mary Flesher, who was born in Ohio but was reared in MeLean county. Illinois, and they became the parents of the following children: W. N., now a prominent business man of Indianola, who is represented elsewhere in this work; Ezra, who grew to manhood and married but is now deceased ; James, who is now living in South Dakota ; Joseph, who was a prominent business man and was also married at the time of his death; Mrs. Laura Morris, a widow residing in Des Moines; and Minnie May, at home. All were given good educations.
It was in 1852 that Mr. Bartholomew came to Iowa and took up his residence in Palmyra, which at that time formed a part of Polk county. Here he erected a large store building of hewn logs and opened up a stock of
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MR. AND MRS. G. M. BARTHOLOMEW
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general merchandise, this being the only store in the town at that time, though there had been a small store at a previous date. His goods were hauled all the way from Keokuk. A few years later he built a good frame business house, which was subsequently destroyed by fire, and a third store was erected on the same site. He enjoyed an excellent trade, people coming from miles around to trade at his store, and he continued actively in business for thirty-three years or until 1885, when he sold out.' In the meantime he had become interested in real estate, buying and selling considerable land, and he still owns two good farms.
While engaged in merchandising, Mr. Bartholomew was appointed post- master of Palmyra during President Pierce's administration and he served continuously in that office for twenty-eight years under both democratic and republican presidents. He has held various other positions of honor and trust, serving as school treasurer for forty years and also as township trustee, and he has been a delegate to the county and state conventions of his party. Originally he was an old line whig but has been a stanch republican since the organization of that party, voting for John C. Fremont in 1856. As a public- spirited and progressive citizen, he has done much toward the upbuilding of the town of Palmyra and to advance the interests of the community. He is a charter member of Palmyra lodge, 1. O. O. F., and has passed through all the chairs, being now past grand, and he has also represented his lodge in the Grand Lodge of the state. Both he and his wife hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal church and are people of prominence in the community . which has now been their home for fifty-six years. Mr. Bartholomew has led a very active and useful life and well merits the high regard in which he is held.
J. CLARK MORTON.
J. Clark Morton, living on section 33, Lincoln township, has for almost forty years been a witness of the changes which have occurred whereby War- ren county has been developed from a pioneer district into a center of civ- ilization, which makes it one of the leading counties of this great common- wealth. He arrived here December 1, 1869, to find a stretch of broad prairie largely untilled and unimproved. He was then a young man of about eigh- teen years, energetic and determined, and as the years passed by he bore a helpful part in the work of general development.
Mr. Morton was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, August 15, 1851. Ilis father, Richard Morton, was a native of that county and lived and died in that distriet. His entire life was devoted to general farming and thus he provided a good living for his family. He was married there to Miss Harriett Clark, a native of Washington county and they became the parents of two daughters and a son. One of the daughters. Sarah J., died at the age of thirteen years; Mary A., was the wife of George E. Brown and her death occurred in this county.
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J. Clark Morton, the only son, acquired a public school education while spending his boyhood days under the parental roof. His father died in 1868, when sixty-three years of age, and the following year the mother came with her family to Iowa. Her death occurred here in 1887 when she was seventy- two years of age. She purchased the farm upon which her son, Clark, now resides comprising three hundred and twenty acres of land, and with char- acteristic energy he began to develop and improve it. His labor changed raw prairie into rich and productive fields. Not a furrow had been turned nor an improvement made on the farm at the time of their arrival, but he worked energetically and diligently to cultivate the fields so that he might annually gather larger crops. In the course of time golden harvests rewarded his labor and for many years he has been numbered among the substantial agriculturists of the community. He has erected a good two-story residence, a commodious and substantial barn and other outbuildings which afford good shelter to grain and stock. His land holdings today embrace five hun- dred and twenty acres, for in addition to the home farm of three hundred and sixty acres on section 33, Lincoln township, he has one hundred and sixty acres in White Oak township. He has made a specialty of raising pure- blooded Poland China hogs and twenty-five times in thirty years he has made exhibits at the county fairs, where he has won many premiums on his hogs. He has also raised thoroughbred shorthorn cattle for twenty years and an- nually feeds from four to five carloads of cattle and from two to three car- loads of hogs. He has also raised Angora goats for nine years and markets the wool direct in Sanford, Maine. Another branch of his business is the raising of high-grade Norman Percheron horses, and in fact he is recognized as one of the prominent stock-dealers of this part of the state.
On the 1st of December, 1881, Mr. Morton was married to Miss Henrietta Davisson, a lady of Virginia, and a daughter of Jacob Davisson, who arrived in this county in 1864. Mrs. Morton died in 1884, and on the 17th of Febru- ary, 1887, Mr. Morton wedded Miss Florence I. Frew, a native of Lamont, Iowa. In 1908, Mr. Morton was called upon to mourn the loss of his second wife, who died on the 26th of March at the age of forty-eight years. She is not only greatly missed in her own household, but also in the church and Sunday school, where she was an active worker, and in her home locality where she was widely known as a helpful and faithful friend. She was a lady of many lovable traits of character and hers was a splendid example of Christian life.
Mr. Morton has a family of seven children: Ina, Lucy, Irene, James Cyrus, Hazel, May and Fern, all of whom are still under the parental roof. Throughout the community the family is held in high esteem and no mal. more thoroughly enjoys the respect and confidence of his fellow citizens than does Mr. Morton. He has been a lifelong republican where national ques- tions and issues are involved, but he casts an independent local ballot. He has served on the school board for many years, was it treasurer for twelve years and is still the incumbent in the office. The cause of education finds in him a firm friend and one who has done effective work in its behalf. He
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belongs to the Modern Woodmen camp at Indianola, is also connected with the Ancient Order of United Workmen, with the Modern Brotherhood and with the Yeoman. A devoted and faithful member of Center Chapel church, who joined that congregation on its organization. He has long served as one of its officers, is a most zealous worker in the Sunday school and for twelve years has been Sunday school superintendent. His aid ean always be counted upon to further the moral development of the community and in many other ways he assists in the work of publie progress and improvement. His life has been one of intense and well directed activity and he is most widely and favorably known in the community, where he has lived from early man- hood, covering a period of forty years. The rules which have governed his conduct have made his a most upright and honorable character. He is more- over a man of strong individuality, as well as stalwart purpose, and he justly merits the splendid suecess which has come to him in his business life.
WILL E. SAYRE.
Will E. Sayre, a prominent agriculturist and stock-raiser residing on section 31, Virginia township, was born in Barbour county, West Virginia, April 5, 1862, a son of Enoch Sayre, who is mentioned on another page of this work. He remained under the parental roof until the year 1887 and subse- quently, after a few months spent in Crawford county, Iowa, went to Cali- fornia, becoming overseer on a fruit raneh. While in the Golden state he also pursued a commercial course of study in Woodbury's International Busi- ness College at Los Angeles. In 1891 he returned to Warren county, Iowa, and has since been extensively and successfully connected with is agricultural interests. He received two hundred acres from his father's estate and has added to his holdings from time to time until he now owns seven hundred and seventy acres of finely improved and valuable land. The commodious house and barn, the numerous shade and evergreen trees and fruit of all kinds have all been placed on the property since 1892, and the "Sayre Farm," as it is known, is one of the best improved in Virginia township. In addition to the work of tilling the soil he carries on stock-raising on quite an exten- sive seale and is meeting with a large and well merited measure of prosperity in both branches of his business.
On the 5th of April, 1893, Mr. Sayre was united in marriage to Miss Mamie Clay, a native of Clarke county, Iowa, by whom he has two sons, Alonzo R., and Enoch F.
In his political views Mr. Sayre is a republican but has not cared for office, preferring to devote his energies to his private business interests. He is an active and helpful temperance worker. being himself a temperate man in all things. He is serving as trustee and recording steward of the Metho- dist Episcopal church at New Virginia, in which he holds membership, hav- ing been appointed to solicit funds for the erection of this edifice. He is
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widely recognized as a publie-spirited citizen and prosperous business man and as one whose aid and influence can ever be counted upon to further any movement or measure instituted for the upbuilding and improvement of the county.
JOHN FREMONT SCHEE.
John Fremont Sehee, president of the Indianola Banking Company and vice president of the Bank of Milo, also derives substantial income from large landed interests. He stands today as one of the most prominent business men of Warren county, honored and respected by all, not only by reason of the success he has achieved, but also owing to the straightforward business policy he has ever followed. His advancement has been made through consecutive stages, resulting from the recognition ad utilization of opportunity and he today enjoys the full trust of his colleagues and the admiration of his contemporaries.
Mr. Schee was born near Attica, Marion county, Iowa, on the 2d of August, 1860. His father, Alexander Schee, was a native of Delaware and his ancestors, coming from Scotland in the seventeenth century, settled in that state. Alexander Schee was born March 3, 1817, and when he was but six months old his parents removed to a farm in the vicinity of Cadiz, Ohio, where they remained until 1849. That year witnessed the arrival of Alexander Schee in the newly created state of Iowa and he took up his abode in Winchester, Van Buren county, where he resided until 1852. He then became a resident of Marion county and was closely associated with its agricultural interests until 1866, when he came to Warren county, settling on a farm in Belmont township. This property still remains in possession of his children.
The father, who was an enterprising farmer and progressive business man, and who made judicious investments, was seldom, if ever, at error in a matter of business judgment, and at the time of his death was probably the wealthiest man in his township. Moreover, he sustained an unassailable reputation for busi- ness probity and had the full confidence and esteem of his neighbors. His life was in harmony with the beneficent spirit of Masonry, of which he was a represen- tative, and at all times he would rather have suffered personal loss than to have injured another in any business or trade transaction. His political support was originally given the whig party and upon its dissolution he joined the ranks of the republican party. continuing to vote its ticket until his death. He was recognized as one of its leaders and always represented it in its public deliberations. He served as township trustee for many years, yet he had no official aspiration, accepting the office only because his fellow townsmen insisted that he should thus represent them. Citizenship was to him no mere idle word. He fulfilled its dnties and obligations and ever stood loyally in defense of what he believed to be right. He died May 28, 1893, honored by all who knew him.
His wife, who bore the maiden name of Alice Brindley, was born in Mary- land, September 1, 1821, and passed away September 6, 1902, at the age of
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ALEXANDER SCHEE
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eighty-one years. She was of English lineage and when she was about a year old was taken by her parents to Ohio, the family home being established upon a farm near Cadiz. There, on the 5th of March, 1840, she gave her hand in marriage to Alexander Schee and they became the parents of seven children: Oliver, who was born May 18, 1841, and now living in Kansas City, Missouri, was for many years a prominent educator, but now devotes his attention to agricultural pursuits near Kansas City. At one time he served as superintendent of the schools at Newton, Iowa, and was also principal of the high school at Muscatine, this state. During the period of the Civil war he advocated the Union cause and became a member of Company A, Thirty-third Iowa infantry, when twenty years of age. He served throughout the greater period of hostilities and attained the rank of sergeant major. Eleanor, born October 29, 1842, is the wife of John B. Johnson, a retired farmer of Bussey, Iowa. James, born February 3, 1845, is now in Lincoln, Nebraska, where he is well known as a banker, being president of the Bank of College View, a suburb of Lincoln, Neb. He is also the owner of large property interests in Iowa and is interested in the Citizens bank of Milo, the Bank of Milo and the Indianola Banking company and other finnacial institutions. He, too, has a creditable military record, having joined the army in 1863 as a member of Company I, Thirty-third Iowa Infantry, until the close of the war. Nathan Sehce, born October 29, 1847, is also prominently connected with banking affairs in this state, being interested in banks in Indianola, Milo and other places. He has been the president of the Bank of Milo since its organization and also has large interests in the Oskaloosa Manufacturing company and has made extensive investments in the lumber business and in landed interests in Texas. Lewis Schee, born April 15, 1853, is the vice president of the Indianola Banking company, and has other business and invested interests in Warren county and elsewhere. Phebe, born April, 26, 1855, is the wife of John Downing, a farmer of Liberty township. John F. is the next of the family.
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