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 65
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Albert Ross Guy, reared to farm life, attended the rural schools and afterward continued his studies in the high school at Milo. He left the home farm in the fall of 1878 and went to the Indian Territory, where he engaged in the stock business until the spring of 1879. He then removed to Texas. where he purchased cattle and drove them over the old Chisholm cattle trail to Caldwell, Kansas, where he sold out. He next went to Mexico, where he engaged in railroading for a year. Later he proceeded to Leadville. Colorado, where he worked in mining camps for a time and later went to Montana, where he engaged in prospecting. His interests have brought him varied experiences, as he has visited many sections of the country and his life if written in detail would constitute a story of pietnresque interest and
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events. In the fall of 1884 he returned to Warren county and entered the real-estate business, negotiating many important realty transfers during the intervening twenty years. He has gained a national reputation as an auc- tioneer to which business he has largely devoted his energies during the past ten years. He makes a specialty of making sales of horses and cattle and has recently closed out a splendid bunch of shorthorn cattle known as the Oak Lawn herd. These were registered stock and were considered to be one of the finest herds in the state. He sold horses on the Chicago, St. Louis, Omaha, Des Moines and other markets and throughout the state disposes of as high as five hundred in a day. His success in this way has gained for him a national reputation and has brought him merited prosperity. As he has gained success he has invested in property and is now the owner of six hun- dred acres of choice and well improved land in Warren township, constituting a valuable property, from which he derives a substantial annual income.
In 1886 Mr. Guy was married to Miss Eunice Wright, who was born in Highland county, Ohio. in 1863, a daughter of David and Martha Wright, who came to Iowa in 1865, settling in Palmyra township, Warren county. They were among the early residents here. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Guy have been born four children: Iva Missoula, who died at the age of two years; Lorain, who graduated from the Indianola high school; Florence Fay and Audry. The parents are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and Mr. Guy is a member of the Masonic order at Indianola, and he also belongs to the Odd Fellows society, the Woodmen camp and the Des Moines lodge of Elks. Since age conferred upon him the right of franchise he has stanchly advocated republican principles. In his travels he has gained a wide knowl- edge of the country and learned to correctly judge men and experiences. This knowledge has proven of immense value to him in his auctioneering business and other qualities which contribute to his success are his genial manner, his tact, his business discernment and executive force.
W. R. MeELROY.
W. R. MeElroy is one of the prosperous farmers of Richland township, his home being on section 29. where he owns a well improved and valuable farm of two hundred and ninety acres. He has spent his entire life in this state, being born in Marion county, Iowa, June 7, 1855, and is a son of Robert and Elizabeth (Smith) MeElroy, whose sketch appears on another page of this volume. From Marion county the family removed to Lucas county, where they spent eleven years, and then came to Warren county, where the parents are still living. In their family are three children.
W. R. MeElroy was principally educated in the Summerset schools and his knowledge of farm work was gained under the able guidance of his father upon the home place. He was married in this county on the 21st of January. 1880, to Miss Jennie Black, who was born in Ohio and was twelve years of age
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when she came to Iowa with her parents. Her father, James Black, followed railroading in the Buckeye state but here devoted his attention to agricultural pursuits, operating a farm in Lincoln township. He is now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. MeElroy have four children, namely: Roxie, now the wife of Daniel Matone, a farmer of Allen township; May, the wife of Rev. Richard Petnagel. a minister of the Presbyterian church, located at Decatur, Indiana; Belle. the wife of William Richards, a farmer of Marion county, Iowa; and Martha, at home.
After his marriage Mr. MeElroy located on a part of his present farm and as he has prospered in his work, he has added to his property from time to time until he now has a fine farm of two hundred and ninety acres, which he has improved by the erection of a good house and outbuildings, has set out an orchard and other fruit, and keeps the land under excellent cultivation. He devotes considerable attention to stock-raising. fattening a carload each of cattle and hogs for market yearly.
Since attaining his majority Mr. McElroy has always supported the republican party but has never taken an active part in politics aside from voting. He has served as school director and president of the board for several years and both he and his wife take an active interest in church work as members of the Presbyterian church of Hartford.
JAMES LAVERTY.
James Laverty is now numbered among Warren county's honored dead but no history of this district would be complete without mention of his life. for he was one of the honored pioneer settlers of Iowa and was closely associated with the work of development in material and political lines. He served for many years as county surveyor here and in his trade relations was known for his unfaltering integrity. He lived to the ripe old age of eighty-four years. passing away on the 26th of December, 1906. He was born in Parke county, Indiana, on the 17th of March, 1822, and was a son of John M. and Naney (McNutt) Laverty. His paternal grandparents were Isaac and Jane (Martin) Laverty and the latter was a native of Ireland. The maternal grandparents were both born on the Emerald Isle. whenee they erossed the Atlantic to the new world, settling in Virginia. The grandfather. James MeNutt, received a tract of land in Ohio from the state of Virginia in reward for his services as a soldier of the Revolutionary war.
The father's birth occurred in Pennsylvania in 1792. while the mother first opened her eyes to the light of day in Ohio in February. 1803. In 1848. they became residents of Warren county. Towa. where they lived until called to the home beyond, Mrs. Laverty passing away in 1859, while the father's death occurred February 1. 1872. They were the parents of several children but all died in infancy with the exception of James Laverty of this review. The father, John M. Laverty, did military service in defense of his country in the
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JAMES LAVERTY
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second war with England and made a creditable and brilliant military record. He, too, was granted a land warrant, which he located in the west. A man of liberal education and broad general culture, he became a leading and influential resident of Iowa and left the impress of his individuality upon the history of its upbuilding and progress. He took an active part in transforming it from a pioneer district into a region of advanced civilization and served as the first surveyor of Warren county, in which capacity he laid out the town of Indianola. In many other ways he contributed to the general improvement here, being untiring and unfaltering in his efforts to promote the public welfare. His life was actuated by Christian principles and he was at all times loyal to the faith which he professed. His sterling traits of character were so excellent that he gained the unqualified regard of all with whom he came in contact and won many warm friendships. In the year 1860 he lost his first wife and the following year was married again, his second union being with Miss Electa Miller, of Palmyra, Iowa.
James Laverty. a son of the father's first marriage. was reared to manhood in his native county and through the medium of its public schools acquired his preliminary education but later was afforded the advantage of collegiate training in Asbury (now De Panw) University of Greencastle, Indiana. He entered that institution at the age of seventeen years and at his graduation in 1844 won the degree of Bachelor of Arts. Three years later the degree of Master of Arts was conferred upon him by the same institution. He was ever a man of strong intellect. whose extensive reading and study continually broadened his mind and qualified him for the duties that devolved upon him in the varied relations of life. In early manhood he gave his attention to teach- ing. following that pursuit in his native state.
Mr. Laverty was married in 1845, when a young man of twenty-three years the lady of his choice being Miss Mary A. Peck, a native of Putnam county, Indiana. born in 1823. At the time of their marriage Mr. Laverty was a teacher in the schools of Terre Haute, Indiana, and in that eity they began their domestic life. Two years later. however, they became residents of Iowa and Mr. Laverty turned his attention to general farming in Polk county. A peculiar feature of the settlement of Towa is the fact that the boundaries of the county and township have been so changed that he lived in two counties and five townships, yet never changed his place of residence until he became a citizen of Indianola in 1893. There were few residents in this section of the state when James Laverty cast in his lot with its pioneers. With the work of improvement he was closely associated for many years and was instrumental in the upbuilding of the county by bringing many of his former neighbors to this locality after laying their land warrants for them. . He secured his own farm as a claim from the government and at onee began converting the raw prairie into productive fields, his labors being carried steadily forward until in the course of time the wild prairie grasses were replaced by crops of corn. wheat and other grain which found a ready sale on the market. Year by year he successfully cultivated his place and made his property a very valuable one.
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While living upon the farm Mr. and Mrs. Laverty reared their two children. Este Fidelia, who was born in Terre Haute, Indiana, is now the wife of I. L. Harvey, who resides upon land in this county, which her father entered in 1848. The son, John W., who is also engaged in the operation of the old homestead farm, was born in Polk, now Warren county, in 1848 and is probably one of the oldest native residents of the county. The wife and mother died in March, 1879, and on the 26th of December following Mr. Laverty wedded Mrs. Lydia Clough nee Rice, who is a native of Meigs county, Ohio.
In his political views Mr. Laverty was a whig in early life and in 1856 voted the American ticket. At the succeeding election he supported Abraham Lincoln and from that time forward gave stalwart support to the men and measures of the republican party until called to his final rest. In publie office he made a most creditable record. He served for two terms as a member of the board of supervisors of Warren county, was county surveyor of Polk county in 1849 and 1850 and later served as county surveyor of Warren county for several years. He was a member of the building committee which ereeted the county courthouse in Indianola and his endorsement could always be counted upon to further any movement or plan that had for its object the wel- fare and substantial upbuilding of this part of the state. In 1860 he became a member of the Masonic fraternity and was a faithful follower of the craft until his demise. He lived in the county for fifty-eight years, honored and respected by all who knew him by reason of an upright life and fidelity to every manly principle. He felt great pleasure in what was accomplished and took great pride in what was done in Warren county as it emerged from pioneer conditions and took on all of the evidences of an advanced and pro- gressive civilization. His publie-spirited citizenship was manifest in many tangible ways. his principles of integrity and honor were evidenced in his relations with his neighbors, his friends and his business associates, and his high ideals of domestic life were seen in his devoton to the welfare of his family. On the 26th of December. 1906. he passed away at the age of eighty- four years. His was indeed a long. useful. busy and honorable life and no history would be complete without extended mention of him. His memory is yet enshrined in the hearts of those who knew him and will be sacredly cherished for years to come. Mrs. Laverty still resides in Indianola and is a lady greatly admired for her many estimable qualities of heart and mind.
CAPTAIN JOHN A. BEST.
Captain John A. Best may truly be termed one of the representative inen of Indianola, representative of activity in business, progression in citizenship and devotion to rules of conduet that are manly and upright. He is well known over a large territory in eastern Illinois. Iowa, and Missouri as travel- ing salesman for a Chicago house, and wherever he is known Captain Best
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numbers his friends. That his youth was largely a period of earnest and un- remitting toil is indicated by the fact that when a lad of twelve years he was employed upon river boats and so continued for about twenty years, when he removed westward to Chariton, Iowa, taking up his abode there about 1866. He was nineteen years of age when he was married and removed from Pennsylvania to the Mississippi valley to engage in steamboating in this section of the country. He advanced rapidly because of his bravery and good judgment and made a record which was enviable among the heroes of the old war days.
In speaking of this epoch of his career one of the local papers said : "The last trip Captain Best made was the most memorable of his long career. He had a cargo of fourteen thousand bushels of wheat to deliver at the head of the Illinois river navigation. The thermometer registered 10 below zero, and all boats were frozen up in the river. To deliver the wheat meant the ruina- tion of the boat ; not to deliver it meant the financial ruin of the owner. It was elaimed by many old river captains that the trip was impossible, but some one had to make the effort. The task fell to the lot of Captain Best. He secured log chains, beaded the boat. and pushed it through the iee, throngh the river and Peoria lake to Lacon. arriving at two o'clock in the morning. The boat was torn and shattered. but the cargo was delivered-a fitting close to the captain's twenty years in the service. At the death of Captain Best's life long friend, Captain Tom O'Hara, the Chicago Tribune said: 'Captain O'Hara was one of the bravest men and one of the most trusty pilots of the day. He was pilot for Captain Best during the Civil war, and he and Captain Best took the wheel about the time when it needed good judgment, as no search lights were in use. They had to take the boat through the dangerous places in fog and darkness and narrow channels and were known as the safe men at the wheel, when all lives below depended on the pilot. Captain Best is somewhere in the west and is one of the few left of the old river captains and pilots.'"
As previously stated. Captain Best took up his abode in Chariton, Iowa. in 1866 and in that year. leaving the river, became a traveling salesman for a clothing house. He has sinee remained upon the road and during the last thirty-one years of this period has represented Rothschild & Company, of Chicago. He is now the oldest man with the firm and that he is one of the most trusted, able and faithful employes goes withont saying. He has out- lived two of the proprietors of the establishment and is now working for a son of one of the first proprietors, who was born and had his education and business training since Mr. Best began with the house. He covers a large ter- ritory, to which he makes his regular trips and is still a most active man. although he has passed the time of life when most men retire. The years. however. rest lightly upon him. He is splendidly preserved and most peo- ple would take him to be a man from ten to twenty years younger than he is. Among his patrons he is popular from the fact that he is not only reliable in his business dealings but also courteons and genial. His cordiality is un- feigned and his geniality is a part of a nature that has learned to look upon life from the bright side and take the best that the world and his fellowmen
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offer, never plaeing undue emphasis upon the little unpleasantnesses which may arise but putting them with those things which, happening yesterday, are forgotten.
In early manhood, when but nineteen years of age, Captain Best was married in Pennsylvania to Miss Harriet Johnston. More than a half cen- tury has since passed and they are yet spared to travel life's journey to- gether. As the years have been added to the eyele of the centuries their mutual love and confidence have increased and the ties of comradeship and companionship between them have ever been strengthened. There is a story told of a remarkable display of courage and quick thought on the part of Mrs. Best, who is the worthy wife of the brave river captain. During many of his trips Mrs. Best was by her husband's side on the river and especially during the war, and on the occasion alluded to she manifested the greatest presence of mind when she, with her two children, was hurled into the river under the stretched lines at Peoria bridge. She held on to both of her chil- dren, however, and saved their lives. The two sons are now well known busi- ness men. R. L. Best being a clothing merchant of Indianola, while Johnston Best is a general merchant of Rockwell City, Iowa. For more than thirty years residents of Indianola, Captain and Mrs. Best have a most extensive circle of friends here and enjoy the high regard of all who know them. Their home is a hospitable one and they delight in entertaining those to whom they are joined by ties of friendship and personal regard. Captain Best is a man of fine personal appearance and possesses the vigor and energy of a much younger man. In spirit and interests he is yet in his prime and at all times he keeps in touch with modern thought and progress.
J. R. LUNDY.
In the history of Warren county and the men who have been its promoters and upbuilders, it is imperative that mention should be made of J. R. Lundy. who is one of the prominent business men of the county, a member of the firm of MeGrannahan & Lundy, dealers in groceries and general merchandise at Indianola. He is. moreover, a native son of the county, for his birth occurred at Palmyra, March 16, 1861.
His father. Augustus Lundy, was a native of West Virginia, born July 7. 1814, and his father was Samuel Lundy. The family is of English descent and of Quaker faith. The original American ancestors came to the new world with William Penn, and since that time the members of the family through sneceeding generations, have always borne an excellent reputation for faithfulness in citizenship and straightforward conduct in all life's relations. Augustus Lundy was reared in West Virginia and in 1851 arrived in Iowa. settling in Palmyra. He was married there to Jane Warnock. a native of Ross county, Ohio, born in 1829. Mr. Lundy was a carpenter and joiner and
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eventually engaged in contracting. He assisted largely in the building of Palmyra and later took up his abode on a farm in Greenfield township, where he spent his last years. His death there occurred in March. 1878. His wife survived him and died in 1904. Their family numbered two sons and two daughters: James W., a business man of Indianola; J. R., of this review; Anna, who resides on the old home farm; and Minnie, the wife of Samuel Tomlinson of Maxwell, Iowa.
J. R. Lundy was reared in this county and was educated in the common schools. He is almost wholly a self-educated man, for his opportunities in youth were limited, but in the school of experience he has learned many valuable lessons and has also broadened his knowledge by reading and obser- vation. After arriving at mature years he engaged in cultivating the home farm and proved capable in his agricultural pursuits. He was married at Avon, Iowa, October 6, 1879, to Miss Hallie Walter of Altoona, Iowa. At the time of his marriage he was engaged in merchandising at Avon and carried on the business there for two years, when he sold out and removed to Spring Hill. Here he purchased a store which he conducted for seven years, on the expiration of which period he dipsosed of his stock and went to Bon Durant, Polk county. There he purchased a business and also started a new store at Altoona. He conducted both stores for a tine, but later disposed of those interests and went to Milo where he became a stockholder in the Citizens Bank and was made its cashier. He filled that position for one year when he dis- posed of his interests in the institution and removed to Indianola. While living in that city Mrs. Lundy died, August 20, 1902. There were four children by that marriage of whom three are living. Later Mr. Lundy returned to his old home on the farm and operated the fields for nearly three years. During that time, in 1904, he established his bank at Spring Hill and also opened a general mercantile store and until April 1, 1908, carried on business in these lines. He also erected a good residence in the town and a substantial brick business block and his labors have always been of a mature that promoted public progress as well as individual success. He also owns and operates a farm nearby.
On the 8th of March. 1905. Mr. Lundy was again married, his second union being with Miss Nellie Brand, who was born and reared in Warren county and is a daughter of Dewitt Clinton Brand, a native of Cattaraugus county, New York. He was one of the pioneers and farmers of Lincoln township. living for fifty-two years on one farm which he had entered from the government. It comprises three hundred and forty acres and he transformed the wild prairie into a richly productive field. He was married in New York, return- ing there for his bride, after which he lived in the Empire State for two years. He then took up his abode upon his Iowa farm, and for a long period was one of the best known and most respected agriculturists of the community. Mrs. Lundy completed her education in Simpson College at Indianola, and for over thirteen years or for thirty-three terms, was successfully engaged in teaching, being one of the best known instructors connected with the public schools of this part of the state. The children of Mr. Lundy's first marriage are
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Beatrice, Phillis and Dale, and he also lost a daughter, Gladys, when about a year old. There is one child of the second marriage, Marion.
Politically Mr. Lundy is a democrat and has held some school and town- ship offices. Ile and his wife and two daughters are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he has served as a trustee, while Mrs. Lundy is a member of the Ladies' Aid Society. Mr. Lundy belongs to the Champion Lodge, No. 233, A. F. & A. M., and his wife was connected with the Eastern Star, while in the Odd Fellows lodge he has filled all of the chairs and is past grand. He is a well known business man of Warren county, whose com- . mercial integrity is above question, while his enterprise has gained for him the position which he now occupies as a successful merchant of this part of the state. He has used the chances which have come to him, has neglected no opportunity for advancement, and at all times has placed his dependence upon perseverance, close application and unwearied industry.
WILLIAM McDOLE.
William MeDole is now living retired on his farm on section 20, Lincoln township, but for many years was actively connected with the work of tilling the soil. In fact it was his industry and energy in former years that brought him capital sufficient to enable him to now enjoy a period of rest from labor. Hle is widely known in Warren county where he has made his home for forty- one years, while for fifty-eight years he has been a resident of the state. He has now passed the eighty-third milestone on life's journey, for his birth occurred in Richland county, Ohio, April 16, 1825.
His father, John MeDole, removed from the Buckeye state to Indiana and settled in Madison county, casting in his lot with the early residents who were reclaiming that district for the purposes of civilization. With the aid of his sons he opened up and developed three different farms and there reared his family and spent his remaining days. He was a worthy pioneer settler of the community and aided in laying broad and deep the foundation upon which now rests the progress and prosperity of that county.
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