USA > Iowa > Washington County > History of Washington County, Iowa from the first white settlements to 1908. Also biographical sketches of some prominent citizens of the county, Vol. II > Part 24
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
Illinois, September 26, 1852. He is of Scotch lineage, his grandfather being John McCleery, a native of the land of hills and heather. Coming to America lie became one of the early settlers of Wayne county, Ohio, where for many years he devoted his life to general farming and then passed away when more than eighty years of age. His wife was upwards of sixty years of age at the time of her demise.
They had a family of nine children including Edward McCleery, who was born in Ohio and also made general farming his life work. He became an early settler of De Kalb county, Illinois, and was associated with its agricultural development for a long period, or until 1882, when he came to Iowa. He wedded Miss Jane Bell, also a native of Ohio as were her parents, both of whom died when well advanced in years. The death of Edward McCleery occurred in 1896 when he was seventy-seven years of age, and his wife passed away four months later at the age of sixty-five years. He was a member of the Seceder church, while his wife held membership in the United Brethren church. Their family numbered seven children, of whom four are now living: Ella, the widow of Charles Wickes, of San Francisco, California ; Mary, the wife of James Walker, also of that city ; Samuel M. : and Robert, of Cherokee, lowa.
Samuel MI. McCleery was reared on the home farm in De Kalb county, working in the fields through the summer months, while throughout the school years he mastered the branches of learning taught in the district schools. Later he attended McCorkle College of Wayne county, Ohio, and thus by a liberal education was well qualified for life's practical and responsible duties. He remained at home until he attained his majority and then started out in business life on his own account, working by the month as a farm hand. Anxious to engage in farming for his own benefit, he then rented land and continued to operate property belonging to others until his financial resources, resulting from careful expenditure and untiring industry, enabled him to purchase land. He came to lowa in the winter of 1864-5 and has lived in this county continuously since, making his home in the city of Washington during the past twelve years. Here he largely gives his attention to dealing in live stock and the sound judgment and keen dis- crimination which he displays have made him very successful in this under- taking. He owns land both in this county and in Rooks county, Kansas.
On the 13th of December, 1878, Mr. McClecry was joined in wedlock to Miss Mary E. Lincoln, a native of De Kalb county, Illinois, and a daughter of Charles and Mary Lincoln. They have one son, Howard L., who mar- ried Blanche Nicola, and is a farmer of this county. Mr. McCleery is a valued representative of Masonry, belonging to Washington Lodge, No. 26. F. & A. M .: and Cyrus Chapter, R. A. M. His wife is a member of the United Presbyterian church. In his political views Mr. McCleery is a stalwart republican, unfaltering in his advocacy of the party for he believes that the salient elements in its platform are best calculated to conserve the interests of good government. He was a member of the board of super- visors for four years, was chairman of the board, and his capable services in that connection led to his selection for higher honors and in 1898 he was
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chosen by popular suffrage as the representative of his district in the general assembly. Such is the life history of one who is widely and favorably known in Washington county and throughout this part of the state. He certainly deserves much credit for what he has achieved in that he started out in life empty-handed and has been dependent entirely upon his own resources. His ability and energy, however, have carried him into important business relations, making him one of the prosperous residents of the county. while his substantial qualities of manhood class him with its representative citizens.
CHARLES ALFRED BROOK.
Charles Alfred Brook is the owner of a fine farm embracing three hun- dred and thirteen acres of land in Washington township, this county, upon which through his industry many improvements have been made. He has placed the entire tract under cultivation, producing general crops and also engaging in stock-raising, particularly in beef cattle, many head of which he ships annually to markets. He is a native of Henderson county, Illinois, born May 8, 1875. There his grandfather came from Muskingum county, Ohio, settled in 1833, and pursued a life of husbandry on an immense farm containing thirty-three hundred acres. His father, J. W. Brook, was born in Henderson county, Illinois, August 29, 1843. and was graduated at Mon- mouth College. During the Civil war, he served as a member of the One Hundred and Thirty-eighth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and at the close of that struggle took up farming, which he has made his life work. On the 21st of February, 1867. he was married in Berwick. Warren county, Illinois. where he still lives. to Miss Mary C. Pierce, who was born at Ottumwa, Iowa. June 21, 1845, and died July 16, 1881, her remains being interred near Olena, Illinois. Unto them were born five children, namely: Ella, who was born December 16, 1867, and is now the wife of John N. Brush, of Lawrence, Kansas ; William M., born February 11, 1870, a gold miner at Seattle, Wash- ington ; Andrew R., who was born October 2, 1872, and died April 15, 1905 ; Charles Alfred ; and Iva M., who was born June 21, 1877, and died July 14, 1896.
To the district schools Charles Alfred Brook is indebted for his pre- liminary education, and after completing a four years' course of study in the Western Normal College he began the pursuit of agriculture on a farm in Warren county, Illinois, following the occupation there for ten years. In 1906 he came to this county, where he purchased three hundred and thir- teen acres of land, and here he has since devoted his attention to general farming, making a specialty of feeding beef cattle and breeding fancy hogs. HIe does an extensive stock business, buying and feeding many head which he ships to the markets of this and other states.
MR AND MRS C. A. BROOK
T
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENOX TILDEN FOUNDATION
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
On February 6, 1896, Mr. Brook wedded Miss Grace Dunbar, who was born near Bushnell, Illinois, August 27, 1873, and they have the following children : Zelpha G., whose birth occurred July 4, 1897 ; William C., who was born December 4, 1898 : May, born February 28, 1902 ; Paul D., born Febru- ary 28, 1904: and Helen Grace, whose birth occurred October 24, 1908.
Mr. Brook has not seen his way clear to affiliate himself with any political party, but prefers to take an independent stand, since he deems the man run- ning for office of more consequence than the party to which he belongs, and he reserves the right to vote for those candidates whom in his judgment are best qualified to serve the commonwealth as public officers. Local affairs command his attention, and while a resident of Franklin township he served efficiently as trustee. Being a public-spirited man he is always ready and willing to further projects for the betterment of the community. He be- longs to the Modern Woodmen of America, meeting in Washington, also to the United Presbyterian church, of which he has been a member since eleven years of age. His conduct being in harmony with the teachings of the Chris- tian faith he has always been honest and straightforward in his business transactions and is worthy of honorable mention as a representative man of the district.
JOHN ECKHARDT.
John Eckhardt, one of the prosperous young farmers of Washington county, Iowa, was born in lowa county, this state, February 25, 1874, the son of Henry and Catherine ( Zimler ) Eckhardt. Both parents were natives of Germany and came to the United States as young people, making their way west to Ohio, where they were married. In the early '50s they came to Iowa, settling first in lowa county, at Muscatine, and later coming to Washington county. They were among the early settlers, and had need of all of the assistance which their hardy German characters could lend in meeting the trials and hardships of that formative period of the county. Endurance, industry and frugality won the battle of life for them, and they were able to transmit to the succeeding generation sterling qualities of char- acter born of difficult work well done.
John Eckhardt acquired the fundamental principles of moral growth and character development under the wise guidance of his parents; and from the common schools of the county he gleaned the kernels of his education. When he was about twenty years old he left home to work on the farm owned by Mrs. Adams. Here he met the daughter, Miss Ono Adams, whom daily intercourse seemed to make dearer and more necessary to him. He courted her assiduously for the greater part of two years, and on the 24th of Feb- ruary. 1896, the two young people were united in wedlock. No children have been born of this marriage. Following his assumption of the care of a wife. Mr. Eckhardt purchased the eighty acre farm upon which he has since
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resided. This piece of land he has devoted almost entirely to the stock busi- ness. for fine cattle has ever been one of his greatest interests, and now has established a name for himself as a breeder of fine Herford stock. The farm belonging to his mother-in-law, which is associated with some of the pleasantest memories of his past life, he also works, though as a renter. Here again he displays his industry and his cunning as an agriculturist ; his fields always present a most well cared for appearance ; he is ever among the first to put his crops in, and sudden unfavorable climatic changes seldom find him unprepared.
Mr. Eckhardt is well known in this locality as one of the progressive farmers of the younger generation. He spares no expense in bettering his equipment, either as a stockman or a farmer, or in introducing any new methods which will more than repay the original outlay in the value and quality of the returns. He is a man, too, who does not let his social nature stagnate either by secluding himself from intercourse with his fellows or by over-zealous devotion to the cares of life. for his fraternal brothers of the local lodge of the Modern Woodmen of America find in him a cheery com- panion, who takes a healthy interest in all that concerns his fellows and especially those bound together by a mutual tie of helpfulness. When called upon to exercise his right of franchise, the republican candidate can count upon his vote, for he loyally supports the platform of this party.
JAMES C. F. WEAD.
James C. F. Wead, who has resided in Washington county continuously since 1875, during which period he has always been connected with agricul- tural pursuits, was born December 31, 1846. near Xenia, Greene county, Ohio. His father, James S. Wead, was also a native of the same locality. born on the 24th of July, 1819. He married Abigail Gowdy, who was born near Xenia on the 31st of July 1822, and on the 17th of August. 1842, gave her hand in marriage to James S. Wead, a farmer by occupation, who devoted his entire life to the tilling of the soil. The ancestors of J. C. F. Wead were Scotch-Irish. His grandfather on the maternal line served as a soldier of the war of 1812. It was about the year 1818 that his grandparents settled in Greene county. Ohio, becoming pioneer residents of that portion of the state, where they followed the occupation of farming. at the same time taking an active and helpful part in the substantial development and material pro- gress of the community.
James C. F. Wead, reared in the county of his nativity, acquired his education there in the public schools, dividing his time between his studies and the work of the home farm. Throughout the periods of vacation he was busily employed in the fields and his well developed property shows how thorough was his training in his youth. He continued a resident of Ohio until the spring of 1874. when he came to Iowa, spending the summer
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of that year in Clarke and Warren counties. In the spring of 1875 he set- tled in Washington county, where he has since made his home, and through- out the entire period has been identified with general agricultural interests, owning a farm of one hundred acres on section 5, Washington township. He has brought his fields under a high state of cultivation and his well developed property is the visible evidence of his life of carefully directed energy, enterprise and thrift.
In May, 1875, Mr. Wead was united in marriage in Washington, Iowa, to Miss Alice J. Smyth and they have one child, Arthur E .. who was born July 8, 1876, and is now a representative, respected and honored resident of the community. He has served as clerk of Washington township from January 1, 1900, until the present time, his long continuance in office plainly indicating the confidence and trust reposed in him. On the 3ist of March, 1904, he married Miss Bessie L. Ritchey.
James C. F. Wead has also been quite active and prominent in local affairs. He served as township trustee of Washington township from March, 1890, until January 1, 1902, and has been secretary of the school board in this township from February, 1901. to the present time. lle is entitled to wear the Grand Army button from the fact that he was a soldier of the Civil war, enlisting in Company F, One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Ohio Infantry, with which he served from the 2d of May, 1864, until the Ist of September following. He is now a member of the I. G. White Post, No. 108, G. A. R., of the Department of Iowa, which he joined in 1895. His church associations are with the Presbyterian denomination and his life is characterized by high and honorable principles, making him worthy the regard, confidence and good will of his fellowmen.
J. E. DELONG.
J. E. Delong, who is now living retired in West Chester after a long and busy career devoted to agricultural pursuits, is one of the most highly respected and esteemed citizens of the community. Born in Perry county. Ohio, December 31, 1833, he is a son of David and Jane (Law ) Delong. His father, presumably a native of Kentucky, brought his parents to Iowa in the fall of 1841, locating in Cedar township, Washington county, where he actively engaged in the pursuit of farming until death called him to his eternal rest February 4, 1859. While living in Ohio he married Jane Law, who was probably a native of that state and who passed away in Washington county, Iowa, in 1869. They were the parents of eleven children, namely : James, David, John, Celia and Elizabeth, all of whom are deceased : Louisa, the wife of William Waddle of Audubon county, Iowa ; Severnis A., de- ceased ; C. A., deceased : J. E. ; Edmund ; and Lewis.
The district schools of Washington county afforded J. E. Delong his educational advantages and he remained under the parental roof assisting in the duties of the farm until he was twenty-six years of age, at which
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period of his life he entered the business on his own account, locating on one hundred and ninety-nine acres of land in Seventy-Six township. He actively engaged in the various departments of farming and stock raising until three years ago, when he retired and went to West Chester, where he now resides, enjoying the fruits of his long years of labor. He still owns his farm, which is highly improved and one of the finest in the township, at the same time possessing considerable valuable real estate at the place of his present residence.
On March 16, 1859, Mr. Delong was united in marriage to Miss Isabell S. King. a native of Hampshire county, West Virginia, who came to this state when she was twelve years of age, and on the 16th of March, 1909. they celebrated their golden wedding. To them have been born six children : Mary Jane, who passed away in her eighteenth year : Delphi May, the wife of Lee McAvoy, an agriculturist operating a farm in Seventy-Six township : Clara, the wife of George Henderson, a practicing physician at Muscatine ; Severnis A., who died in his sixth year : Samuel, who is employed in McFar- lane & Company's general merchandise store; and Harry Sidney, who died when two years old.
Politically Mr. Delong is a democrat, always stanch in his convictions, and since casting his first vote has never found cause to waive his loyalty to his party. Mrs. Delong says she, too, is a democrat, pure and staunch. Although her grandfather was too young to enter the army as a soldier he aided in the Revolutionary war by carrying water to those who did active fighting and was thus engaged when the Declaration of Independence was signed. Both Mr. and Mrs. Delong belong to the Methodist Episcopal church and are held in the highest respect by all who know them. He is a man whose many years of active labor and useful services is now being justly rewarded by comfort and leisure in his declining years.
WILLIAM J. MAYER.
Farming interests of Washington county find a worthy representative in William J. Mayer, who owns and cultivates a valuable tract of land of four hundred acres in Seventy-six township. His birth occurred in Dutch Creek township, August 4. 1858, and as the name indicates he comes of German ancestry. His parents, Adam and Dorothy ( Remge ) Mayer, were both natives of the fatherland and crossed the Atlantic to the new world in pioneer times. Adam Mayer made the voyage with his parents, who settled in Pennsylvania, afterward removing to Ohio, where the Remge family had previously located. It was in the Buckeye state that Adam Mayer and Dorothy Remge became acquainted and were married. They settled upon a farm in Hardin county, Ohio, where they lived until 1840. and then removed to Iowa, taking up their abode in Dutch Creek township, Washington county. Here Adam Mayer in connection with his two brothers, Henry and John. who had come with him to lowa. secured a large tract of government land
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and when Henry Mayer returned to Ohio, Adam Mayer purchased his in- terest in the property. At the time of his demise he was the owner of a valuable farm of three hundred and forty-eight acres and as the years passed his careful conduct of his farming interests brought to him a substantial return. A stalwart advocate of democratic principles. his fellow towns- men, recognizing his worth and ability, called him to serve in several local offices which he did from a sense of duty although he had little ambition along political lines. Both he and his wife were members of the Evangelical Lutheran church. Her death occurred in 1884 when she was sixty-six years of age, while Mr. Mayer passed away in 1892 when he was seventy-six year- of age.
The common schools afforded William J. Mayer his educational priv- ileges, his time being divided between the work of the school room, the pleasures of. the play ground and the duties assigned him in connection with the development of the home farm. He remained with his father until about thirty years of age, but prior to this time had acquired the ownership of a farm in Seventy-Six township, which he bought in his father's name. The purchase was made some time in the 'zos and secured one hundred and sixty acres of land. William J Mayer cultivated that farm from the time of the purchase and in 1885 was married and took up his abode thereon. As his financial resources increased he made other investments and in 1889 acquired his present farm of four hundred acres in Seventy-Six township, to which he removed, making it his home until this date-1909. He is very successful in his business affairs and is numbered among the substantial citizens of Seventy-Six township. He displays careful management in all of his business interests and his discernment is keen and his judgment re- liable.
Mr. Mayer wedded Miss Ella E. Skinner, of Dutch Creek township, and unto them were born four children. Margaret, Edith, John and George, all at home. Mrs. Mayer, who was a consistent member of the United Presby- terian church, died on the 18th of February, 1902, and was buried in Keota cemetery. Mr. Mayer belongs to the Evangelical church. He is widely known in his locality and enjoys the warm regard of an extensive circle of friends. His political views accord with the principles of the democracy. As the years have passed he has made continuous progress on the high road to success and is now numbered among the men of affluence in Seventy-Six township, while his life record is another proof of the fact that success and an honored name may be won simultaneously.
HON. AMOS NORRIS ALBERSON.
The life record of Hon. Amos Norris Alberson is an illustration of the fact that circumstances of birth, education or early environment have little to do with shaping the career of an individual in this country where labor and opportunity are unhampered by caste or class. While coming of a fam- ily of the highest respectability, financial conditions gave him but few oppor -
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tunities in youth and yet he has long occupied a prominent position in the business and public life of Washington and the state. His fellow townsmen, recognizing his worth and ability, have frequently called him to positions of trust and responsibility and at all times his course has reflected honor upon the community that has honored him. In business relations he is well known as a successful grocer of Washington. He was born September 4, 1849, in Orange, Ohio, and in the paternal line comes of Holland-Dutch and Scotch-Irish ancestry. He was the younger of two children born unto James and Rachael ( Andrews) Alberson, natives of Pennsylvania and Ohio, respectively. The grandfather, Thomas Alberson, who was of Holland- Dutch lineage, removed from Pennsylvania to Ohio at an early date, locating in Ashland county, where he long followed the occupation of farming. He died at an advanced age, but for many years before had suffered from shak- ing palsy. He married Fannie Campbell, who was of Scotch-Irish lineage and who lived to be over eighty years of age. Their family numbered seven children : James, William, Robert, Thomas, Ann, Mary and Elizabeth.
Of this family James Alberson, father of our subject, was a young lad at the time of the removal of the family to Ohio. Preparing for the bar, he continued in the practice of law for a long period and for six years served as probate judge of Ashiland county. He also invested in farm property, to which he gave his attention as opportunity offered. He married Rachael Andrews, a daughter of William Andrews, and her death occurred in 1853. Subsequently he wedded Susan C. Bowlby, who still survives him. There were two children of that marriage, Alice Carey, the wife of U. S. Shelly, of Ashland, Ohio: and John Kelsey, who died in 1899. There were also two children of the first marriage, the elder being William T .. publisher of the Coshocton Daily Times. at Coshocton, Ohio. The father's death oc- curred in 1892 when he was seventy years old.
Amos N. Alberson spent his boyhood days in the vicinity of Orange, Ohio, much of his time being passed on farms. Following his mother's death he made his home on a farm with his Uncle William and in his youth- ful days attended the district schools. He engaged in teaching one winter, but in the earlier part of his life his energies were largely given to farming and stock raising. In 1865 he came west to Iowa with a drove of sheep, making his way to Henry county. The following year he herded his sheep but was unfortunate in the venture, for disease broke out among them and nearly all died. In 1867 he arrived in Crawfordsville, Washington county, where he entered upon an apprenticeship to the plasterer's trade. Early in 1868 he returned to Ohio and established his home in Cleveland, where he followed plastering in connection with Milton N. Campbell, his father's cousin, until February, 1872. In that year he returned to Washington, Iowa, and again worked at his trade until 1881 when he became identified with commercial interests as a grocer of this city, continuing in that line of activity to the present time. He has gradually built up an extensive trade and has one of the attractively arranged and well appointed stores of the city while many of his patrons have given him their support since he started in this line of business.
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On the 7th of January, 1874, Mr. Alberson was married to Miss Sarah Hebener, a daughter of Edward T. and Sarah ( Haines) Hebener. Mrs. Alberson was born in Muscatine, lowa. Her father, a native of Pennsyl- vania, removed to Cadiz, Ohio, where he was married and immediately after- ward came to Iowa, settling in Washington about 1860. Here he conducted business as a marble cutter. He displayed considerable ability as a fifer and acted as escort to every body of soldiers that left Washington county from 1861 until 1898, including Company D that went to the front for service in the Philippines in the latter year. He died in August, 1905, at the age of eighty-seven years and four months while his wife passed away in 1886, when more than fifty-eight years of age. They were the parents of four children: Hiram, Charles, Nora and Sarah, the last named becoming Mrs. Alberson. Unto our subject and his wife have been born a son and two daughters. Raymond B., the eldest, pursued a two-years' course in the lowa State University and also spent two years in the University of Michigan in completing his literary education while for three years he was a student in the law department of that institution. He is now successfully practicing law in Des Moines as a member of the firm of Bowen, Bremner & Alberson. He married Louise Kellogg of Washington and they have three children : Richard Norris, John and Sarah. The daughters of the family are Nina and Vera, the former a graduate of the Washington high school and Mt. St. Joseph Academy, while the latter was graduated with class honors at Colum- bian College in Washington, D. C.
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