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 51
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The last named, brought to Warren county in his infaney, was reared upon the home farm in Belmont township and attended the country schools until he entered the agricultural college at Ames. He afterward spent a year as a student in Simpson College and two years in Ames, and in the intervals between "his collegiate courses he taught school for about three years. In 1882, when his brother, Nathan Schee, established the Bank of Milo, John F. Schee entered the institution as its cashier, taking up the duties on the 6th of March, 1882. At that time there were only three banks in the county. Mr. Schee remained in active connection with the bank of Milo until 1894, when he went to Des Moines and entered the Drake Law School, being admitted to the bar in 1896. The same fall he came to Indianola and became vice president of the Indianola Banking Company. He has been one of its organizers in 1893 and in 1900 he became its president. since which time he has remained as its chief executive officer. He is also the vice president of the Bank of Milo and in addition has large landed interests. Prominent among the business men of the country, he has been closely identified with its interests as a representative of one of its most important business undertakings. He is a man of keen discrimination
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and sound judgment and his executive ability and excellent management have brought to the concerns with which he is connected a large degree of success. The safe, conservative policy which he inaugurated commends itself to the judgment of all and has seeured to the company an extensive patronage.
On the 28th of August, 1884, Mr. Schee was married to Miss Martha E. Farlow, who was born in Clarinda, lowa, March 2, 1865, her parents being Samuel and Arbelia (Ribble) Farlow. Her father, a minister of the Methodist church, was connected with the Des Moines conference for more than sixty years and his influence was of no restricted order in the moral development of the state. He died in Indianola in November, 1906, and his upright life made him honored by all who knew him.
Unto Mr. and Schee have been born two daughters, Jessie and Florence, who are now students in Simpson College. Mrs. Schee is a member of the Methodist church and presides with gracious hospitality over her present home. Mr. Schee is a stalwart republican and during his residence in Milo served for two terms as mayor and is now president of the Indianola school board. He has marked literary taste, has always been a student, and his home is a favorite resort of the people of the community whose interests are in har- mony with his along lines of thought and research. The circle of his friends is select rather than large and yet his business affairs have brought to him a wide acquaintance and his probity has made him honored and respected wherever known.
IRWIN T. ANDERSON.
Irwin T. Anderson, deceased, was born in Madison county, Iowa, on the 19th of April, 1866, a son of William and Nancy (Irwin) Anderson. The former, a native of Ohio, was an early settler of Madison county and was prominently connected with agricultural pursuits, but is now deceased. His wife was a daughter of William Irwin, who in a early day located in Vir- ginia township, Warren county.
Irwin T. Anderson acquired a common-school education and subsequently engaged in teaching for several years. He afterward became a farmer, and was successfully connected with agricultural interests until the time of his demise on the 27th of January, 1895.
Mr. Anderson was united in marriage to Miss Minnie E. Sayre, a daugh- ter of Enoch Sayre, deceased, and unto them were born two children, Enoch and Aural, both of whom reside with their mother. The latter was born on the Sayre homestead, where she now makes her home, this being her share of her father's estate. She here owns one hundred and twenty acres on sec- tion 31, Virginia township, and likewise has one hundred and sixty acres in Madison county. Since her husband's death she has managed the prop- erty and in recent years has rented the land, being a lady of excellent business qualifications and good judgment.
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In his political views Mr. Anderson was a strong republican and was serving as township assessor at the time of his death. His religious faith was indicated by his membership in the Baptist church, while his widow is identified with the Methodist Episcopal church at New Virginia. Mrs. An- derson is a well known and highly esteemed resident of the community, her many good traits of heart and mind having gained for her an extensive circle of friends.
JOHN A. SHULER.
John A. Shuler has for sixteen years been a resident of Indianola, giving his attention to the farm and to the raising, feeding and shipping of stock. He has been one of the most extensive landowners of the county and still has large holdings of about six hundred aeres, while to his children he has given four hundred and sixty aeres.
Mr. Shuler began life's journey in Owen county, Indiana in 1846. His father, Peter Shuler, born in Virginia, was of German descent and in an active business life devoted his attention to farming. On leaving the south he became a resident of Gosport, Indiana, and there engaged in farming until 1850, when he removed to Wayne county, Iowa. In his new location he took up his abode upon a farm but was not long permitted to enjoy his Iowa home, for his death occurred two years later. He was identified with pioneer interests and development in Indiana and in Iowa and on coming to this state entered a tract of land from the government in Wayne county, after which he bent his energies to the task of converting the wild prairie into pro- ductive fields. He was but forty-six years of age when his life's labors were ended in death and the community mourned his loss, for they recognized in hin a worthy citizen and an earnest Christian man. He belonged to the Bap- tist church and gave his political support to the whig party. His wife was also an equally faithful member of the Baptist church. She bore the maiden name of Jane S. Hancock, was born in Owen county. Indiana, and was of Scotch-German deseent. She belonged to the same family as General Winfield Seott Hancock. Long surviving her husband. she died in 1905 at the ad- vanced age of eighty-three years. In their family were six children.
John A. Shuler. the fourth in order of birth, spent his youth as do most farm boys, working in the fields from the time he was old enough to handle the plow and gaining practical experience concerning the best methods of planting and harvesting the crops as the years went by. He mastered the common branches of English learning as a country school student and later attended Pella University. He afterward engaged in teaching for eight years but through much of his life has been closely associated with farming interests. For a period of ten years, however, he was the president of the First National Bank of Indianola. He came to Warren county in 1872, set- tling in Richland township, where he resided until 1875. when he removed
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to Union township. There he lived for sixteen years, carefully conducting his business affairs and his farm indicated in its neat and thrifty appearance his careful supervision and practical methods. He left the farm in 1891 to accept the presidency of the bank and continued as its exeentive head for ten years. For the past sixteen years he has lived in Indianola and now gives his supervision to his farm and to the raising. feeding and shipping of stock. In all of his varied interests he has been successful and from time to time he has added to his original property holdings in this eounty until at one time he was the owner of ten hundred and sixty acres of valuable land. He has sinee, however, given four hundred and sixty acres of this to his two children but retains about six hundred acres and from the property derives a gratifying annual income.
John A. Shuler was but seventeen years of age when in the latter part of 1863 he enlisted for service in the Civil war as a member of Company B. First Indiana Heavy Artillery. With this command he served for two years. participating in the battles of Spanish Fort. Fort Gaines, Fort Morgan and Fort Blakeley He had thus had important and varied military service when mustered out, although he was still a young man in his teens when the war was over. He is now a member of James Randolph Post. G. A. R., and with his comrades delights in recalling the scenes and events which occurred upon the tented fields.
In 1876 Mr. Shuler was married to Miss Sarah A. Sandy, who was born in Union township, this county, in 1851, being a representative of one of the old pioneer families. Her parents were Jeremiah G., and Lodena (Stitts) Sandy, the former a prominent and prosperous business man, who followed farming, merchandising and banking, being for sometime president of the First National Bank of Indianola. Mr. and Mrs. Shuler have a daughter and son, Grace and Jerry A., the latter a farmer of Lincoln township. The parents are members of the Christian church and are highly esteemed for their good traits of character and many social qualities. Mr. Shuler is a republican and has served as assessor. He has, however. never been an office seeker but has preferred to concentrate his time and energies upon business affairs, wherein he has displayed keen discernment and correet judgment. Realizing that "there is no excellence without labor." he has been an ener- getie, progressive man and now well merits the prosperity which has come to him.
JOHN W. SLOCUM.
John W. Sloeum is a well known and worthy representative of the mer- cantile interests of Indianola. where he is now conducting a drug store. Iowa numbers him among her native sous. his birth having occurred in Adair county, August 23. 1874.
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IIis father, George P. Slocum, was a native of the state of New York, his birth having occurred near Geneseo. The family comes from German ancestry and in his boyhood days he accompanied his parents on their re- moval from the Empire state to Illinois. He enlisted from Henry county, Illinois, in the fall of 1861 and was assigned to duty with the boys in blue of Company D, One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Illinois Infantry, serving with that regiment until the close of the war. He participated in the battles of Shiloh, Vicksburg, Mobile Bay and others of importance and was injured while in the line of duty. He made farming his life work and gained a gratifying measure of success by his well directed diligence and unfaltering determination. He came to Iowa in 1869, settling in Adair county, where he spent his remaining days, his death occurring in 1904 when he was in his sixty-third year. He voted with the republican party and held a number of township offices. Socially he was connected with. the Grand Army of the Republic. He married Addie A. Ackley, a native of Connecticut and of English descent. She is now living at Bridgewater, Iowa, at the age of sixty- seven years, and is a faithful and consistent member of the Methodist Epis- eopal church. The family of this worthy couple numbered three sons and two daughters, namely: George E., who is engaged in draying in Bridge- water, Iowa; Edna, the wife of Dr. E. L. Kaufman, a physician of Iowa; John W., of this review; Fred A., editor of a newspaper at Massena. Iowa; and Nellie, who is a teacher of music.
John W. Slocum was reared to farm life, working in field and meadow through his boyhood when not occupied with the task of acquiring an edu- cation. He attended successively the country schools, the high school at Fontanelle, Iowa. and Simpson College at Indianola, which he entered in the winter of 1894, being graduated therefrom in the class of 1898. He then pur- sued a five years' normal course and for one year pursued a business course. He was thus well qualified by liberal educational advantages for the practical and responsible duties of a business career. He entered the drug store of J. S. Forrester & Company as a clerk and in four months purchased the store, which he has since conducted. He was registered as a pharmacist in January, 1901. He now manufactures certain preparations of his own, including Slo- cum's corn eure, Slocum's headache tablets and Sloenm's laxative pills and has found good sale for these products as well as for the general line of drugs which he handles. In his business life he has been very successful. In addition to the drug store he owns an ice cream factory and mannfactures ice cream for ten towns, at the same time enjoying a large local trade. He is likewise business manager for the Chautauqua which is held here each year and is a man of alert, energetic spirit and strong determination, who forms his plans readily and carries them forward to successful completion.
Mr. Slocum was married in 1898 to Miss Grace Shuler, who was born in Union township in 1877, a daughter of John A., and Anna Shuler, who were pioneer farming people of this county. Later they became residents of Indianola and Mr. Shuler was president of the First National Bank. He afterward retired from active business life to enjoy the fruits of his former
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toil. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Sloeum have been born two children: John W., in February, 1900; and Glenn, in February, 1906. The parents are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church and Mr. Slocum belongs to the Knights of Pythias fraternity. He votes with the republican party and has served as alderman from the fourth ward. He is interested in all that pertains to the material, intellectual, social and moral progress of his community and is a representative citizen, wide-awake, alert and enterprising, giving his allegiance to movements and measures for the public good. He and his family occupy an attractive and comfortable residence and are noted for their . warm-hearted hospitality.
ROBERT F. REEVES.
Robert F. Reeves is numbered among the representative citizens of Warren county. He now makes his home in Milo, where he is living retired, but for many years he was actively identified with farming interests. His birth occurred in Hancock county, Indiana, August 30, 1836. His great-great- grandfather in the paternal line was the founder of the Reeves family in America, coming here with two brothers from England before the Revolution- ary war. The grandfather. James Reeves enlisted as a soldier of the war for Independence. Both he and his wife, Elizabeth, were natives of North Carolina. where they spent their lives, their home being near Raleigh, until 1815, when they removed to Preble county, Ohio, and the following year located in Hancock county, Indiana, where they died.
Their son, Eli Reeves, was born in the Old North state and in early man- hood wedded Amelia Curry, a native of Virginia. They went to Indiana at. an early day and in 1844 came to Iowa, casting in their lot among the pioneer residents of this state. They first settled near Oskaloosa, where they secured a claim from the government of one hundred and sixty acres of land. There Mr. Reeves developed a wild tract into rich and productive fields, upon which he spent his remaining days. He reached the age of ahnost ninety years, and his wife, surviving him for about eleven months, passed away at the age of eighty-three. Their sons and daughters were as follows: Elizabeth, who died in infancy ; Robert F .; James, a resident of Osceola. Iowa ; Azariah, who resided in MeCook county, Nebraska; Maria, the wife of A. J. Fansher, who is living near Oskaloosa ; Sarah Ann. the wife of John MeCormick. whose home is near Oskaloosa. Iowa; William J., who is located near Montezuma, Iowa; Anna. who married Nathan Cox and resides near Oskaloosa.
Robert F. Reeves was educated in the subscription schools and assisted in the work of the home farm until twenty-one years of age, when he started out in life for himself. He first rented a farm near the old home place. The country was very new and one could ride across the prairies for miles without seeing a habitation. The nearest railway was at Ottumwa. There was much wild
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MR. AND MRS. R. F. REEVES
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game including turkeys, prairie chickens and also an occasional deer, while from time to time one might see a strolling band of Indians.
Th first home of the family in Iowa was a little log cabin, and though it was in great contrast to the modern farm residences, it was still the dwelling place of free and happy hearts, and the experiences of those early days will never be forgotten by the old pioneers. Mr. Reeves completed his arrange- ments for having a home of his own by his marriage, on the 14th of January, 1858, to Sarah Jane Chick, a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Herdzog) Chick, natives of Pennsylvania and Maryland respectively. In 1856 they removed to Mahaska county, Iowa, where they resided until 1875, and then became residents of Clarke county, Iowa, where their remaining days were passed, both reaching an advanced age. In their family were nine children : Henry B., a resident of Little Rock, Arkansas; William F., of the same city; Harriet; Sarah Jane, now Mrs. Reeves; Amy, deceased; Eliza, who was killed by the Indians in New Mexico; John Fred, who accidentally shot himself when hunt- ing; Margaret, the wife of George Clapp, of Osceola ; and Ella, the wife of John Reed, who resides in Delta county, Colorado.
Mr. and Mrs. Reeves are parents of eight children : William and Elsia, who died in infancy ; Elva, a resident of Milo, who became the wife of Archie Trotter whose death occurred in North Dakota in 1899; Osear, who died in infancy ; Hattie, the wife of F. H. Starr, a farmer and stockman and the cashier of the Citizens Bank of Milo; Elizabeth, the wife of Henry Trotter, a resident of White Cak township; Eva R., who married Colonel T. T. Sandy, living near Valley Junction, Iowa; and Aggie, the wife of Henry Sandy, whose home is near Sandyville, this county.
For the past three years Mr. Reeves has lived quietly in Milo but is still the owner of a fine farm of one hundred and ninety acres on section 5 and also owns a farm of one hundred and ninety-eight acres near Cool in Squaw town- ship. In the work of tilling the soil he has gained a creditable measure of prosperity because he has labored diligently and his efforts have been guided by intelligence and sound judgment. He has always been a strong advocate of temperance in all things and has never tasted liquor in his life. He votes with the democracy, and both he and his wife are members of the Baptist church, while in the community where they live they are held in the highest esteem.
FRANK C, STIFFLER.
With banking interests of Warren county, Frank C. Stiffler has been closely identified for several years and is today cashier of the Citizens Savings Bank of New Virginia. He is a native of this county, born on the 8th of July, 1868, in Norwalk, and is a son of Adam Stiffler, a worthy pioneer of this section of the state, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume.
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Our subject acquired his elementary education in the common schools and later attended Simpson College. On laying aside his text-books he took up the study of telegraphy and was employed as an operator for ten years. At the end of that time he accepted the position of cashier of the Cumming Bank and after serving such for seven years he came to New Virginia in October. 1907, to become cashier of the Citizens Savings Bank at this place. He has become thoroughly familiar with banking in both principle and prac- tice.
In 1892 Mr. Stiffler married Miss Byrd Smith, a native of Iowa, and to them have been born two children: Wader. who died in 1901, when but six years of age, and was interred at Norwalk; and Herbert. They were mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church and socially are held in high esteem. Fraternally, Mr. Stiffler is a Mason and is also connected with the Modern Woodmen of America, while politically he is identified with the republican party.
WILLIAM P. NUTTING.
William P. Nutting, a prosperous and successful farmer and stock-raiser of Otter township, was born at Leverett, Worcester county, Massachusetts, not far from Northampton. Greenfield and Orange, on the 4th of August, 1847. His father, David H. Nutting, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume, brought his family to Iowa in the year 1855, when our sub- ject was but eight years of age, and here he has resided ever since. On first entering school, he and his brother attended a subscription school in Iowa, of which his mother was the teacher, and the educational advantages which they thus enjoyed were fully as good as they could have had in the place of his birth, as Mrs. Nutting was a woman of exceptional culture, education and refinement. Mr. Nntting remained at home and assisted his father in his extensive farming operations until the year 1873. when he was married to Miss Catherine McLennan, at which time the young couple took up their abode on the home farm where they have since resided.
While William P. Natting was particularly fortunate in being possessed of a gifted mother who early instilled into his youthful mind the principles of a sound and sensible education. he was no less fortunate in the practical training which his father bestowed upon him in the line of his chosen voca- tion. His success in condneting farming operations is attested by the fact that he now owns some nine hundred acres of land, eight hundred and twenty aeres of which are in Otter township and the remaining eighty in Belmont township. Mnch of this he has acquired through his own efforts, though a part of it is the result of a division of his father's estate. In addition to the enltivation of grains and cereals, Mr. Nutting is also an extensive stock-raiser and breeder of shorthorn Durham cattle, double stand- ard, or Durham and hornless. He has a herd of registered stock, also many
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graded cattle. He feeds a great many cattle and hogs, often having as many as two hundred of the latter on hand.
Mrs. Nutting was born in 1850 in Inverness, Scotland, the daughter of William and Ellen (Johnson) McLennan. Her parents came to Iowa during the first years of the Civil war. Here Mr. McLennan bought three eighty- acre tracts of land, located in White Breast, Belmont and Otter townships, and here they lived throughout the remainder of their lives, both of them passing away at the old home place in White Breast township. They were the parents of six children, five of whom are still living, namely: Catherine, the wife of Mr. Nutting, of this review; Ann, the wife of John Mckenzie, of Winterset, Iowa; Jennie, the wife of William Hastings, a farmer re- siding near Madora, Squaw township; John, a hardware merchant, located at Earlham. Dallas county, and Jessie, a former teacher of Warren county, who resides at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Nutting.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Nutting have been born seven children, all of whom are yet living. Herbert W., resides on the J. F. Goode farm, now owned by his father. He married Miss Lizzie Dennis and they have one daugh- ter, Eveline. Nellie is the wife of Cassius MeNear, a farmer of Otter town- ship, and they have one daughter, Vivian. Ansel is just entering the ministry of the Presbyterian church. As a preparation for this work he has had exceptional educational advantages. He was a student in the Milo high school, also took a course of study at Fairfield and at Omaha. He was licensed to preach at Des Moines, and has followed this profession for sev- eral years. He will soon be ordained a minister of the Presbyterian church and will accept a charge at Derby, this state. Ray, Myrtle, John and Mary reside at home with their parents. Myrtle has followed the occupation of teaching.
Mr. Nutting is a prominent and active member of the Presbyterian church at Milo, of which he has been an elder since its organization. The republican party finds in him a stanch supporter of its principles. His father was an old line whig. He has been in public life at various times, having served as township clerk, as township trustee and in other minor offices. He is a man of exemplary habits and sterling worth, and no one in the community is held in higher regard.
DON L. BERRY.
Don L. Berry, one of the practical and progressive farmers of Lincoln township, lives on section 18 and farms property of one hundred and ninety aeres. He is also meeting with success as a dealer in pure-blooded shorthorn cattle and Percheron and French draft horses. He was born in Indianola, October 8, 1880, and is a son of Senator Berry. one of the prominent and honored residents of this county, who is mentioned on another page of this work.
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