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 46
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On the 15th of August, 1862, A. H. Young responded to the country's call for aid, joining Company C of the Nineteenth Iowa Infantry, with which he served until the close of hostilities. He participated in a number of hard fought battles, loyally defending the Union cause until the war was over.
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R. H. YOUNG
A. H. YOUNG
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R. H. Young was also a soldier, joining the boys in blue in February, 1864, and he too served until the close of the war, both being honorably discharged at New Orleans. Although facing the enemies' bullets in the thickest of the fight they were never wounded and after the war returned to Washington county, where they gave their attention to general agricultural pursuits. As the years passed they made a specialty of raising and feeding stock, handling shorthorn cattle, and in all of their business affairs they met with success, brooking no obstacles that could be overcome by persistent and earnest effort. They are now the owners of two hundred and eighty acres of rich and valuable land on sections 34 and 35, Cedar township, but leave the active work of the farm to others while they are living retired in the enjoyment of well earned rest. Their fields are now tilled by their nephew. W. P. Ross, who is managing the farm and caring for their interests. His wife was the daughter of the youngest sister of the two gentlemen whose names introduce this review.
R. H. Young cast his first presidential ballot for General Scott and both have always voted the republican ticket, having firm faith in the principles of the party. A. H. Young served at one time as township clerk and was also school director. He is a member of Grand Army Post, No. 108. The brothers have long been well known in the county and their success in busi- ness has resulted from their close application and capable management of their affairs.
HARRY O. ENGLAND.
Harry O. England, who devotes his time and energies to general agri- cultural and stock-raising pursuits, makes his home in Lime Creek town- ship, Washington county, on a farm of three hundred and twenty acres situated on sections 29 and 32. A native of Illinois, he was born in Put- nam county, September 17, 1875, a son of Joel and Catherine (Meyers) England, who were both born in Washington county, Pennsylvania. Upon arriving in the middle west they took up their abode in Putnam county, Illinois, where they remained until 1879, when they removed to Washington county, Iowa. Here our subject's grandfather, Samuel England, had pur- chased a section of land, which he divided between his sons, Joel and George W. On coming to this county the former located on his three hundred and twenty acre tract on sections 29 and 32, Lime Creek township, where he engaged in farming for a number of years. He resided in this county until his demise, which occurred January 23, 1908. The mother, who still survives, makes her home in Wellman, this state.
Harry O. England was reared to manhood on the homestead farm and pursued a common-school education. In his youth he assisted his father and aided, as his age and strength permitted, in the care and development of the fields. After he had attained his majority he rented the old home- stead and has since continued to make it his place of residence. He has
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brought the fields under a high state of cultivation, has placed many im- provements upon the place which, owing to his systematic labors and pro- gressive methods, has become a valuable property. Aside from tilling the soil he makes a specialty of raising and breeding shorthorn cattle, and in this branch of his business is meeting with substantial success.
On December 12, 1905, Mr. England was united in marriage to Miss Mary B. Coffman, who was born in Woodford county, Illinois, June 26, 1884. She was one of a family of four children born to James W. and Margaret A. (Bear) Coffman, natives of West Virginia and Washington county, Iowa, respectively. The former came to Washington county in 1854 and engaged in preaching until his demise, which occurred March 10, 1909. He is still survived by his wife, who makes her home in Keota, Iowa. Unto Mr. and Mrs. England were born two children: Margaret L., born December 10, 1906; and Joel O., born May 28, 1908. Mrs. England is a member of the Baptist church, and her many sterling traits of character have made her prominent in a wide circle of friends.
In politics Mr. England gives stalwart support to the principles of the republican party, while he served as township trustee for three years. He is not, however, a politician in the sense of office seeking, preferring to con- centrate his energies upon his private business affairs, which are capably and carefully managed. He is a well known figure in fraternal circles, being a member of Dayton Lodge, No. 149. A. F. & A. M. ; of Cyrus Chap- ter, No. 13. R. A. M., of Washington ; and of Bethlehem Commandery, No. 45, K. T., of Washington; while he and his wife are both mem- bers of Eastern Star Lodge. No. 211. at Wellman. They are greatly es- teemed in the community where they make their home, and although never demanding public attention. their own genuine worth has gained for them the favorable regard of those with whom they have come in contact and made them representative citizens of the county.
HUGH E. DAVIES.
The work of farming, to which Hugh E. Davies has always bent his en- ergies, has brought him success, which is evidenced in his well improved farm of one hundred and sixty acres, located in Crawford township, and which is the old Davies homestead. Mr. Davies is a native of Wales, born March 20, 1868, a son of Abednego and Ann (Thomas) Davies. The father, also a native of Wales, emigrated with his family to the United States in 1870, first establishing his home within three miles of Racine, Wis- consin, where he lived six years. He then, in 1876, took up his abode in Crawford township, Washington county, Iowa, purchasing the farm upon which our subject now makes his home. Here he carried on farming but he was not long permitted to enjoy his new home, for his death occurred about three years later, in March, 1879, his remains being interred in the Welsh cemetery in Louisa county. The mother survived for many years,
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passing away in Louisa county in 1903. Their children, five in number, are as follows : David, a policeman of San Pedro, California ; Mary, the wife of Harry E. Davis, a resident farmer of Louisa county, Iowa; Isaac, who follows carpentering in Los Angeles, California; Martha J., who died in 1876; and Hugh E., of this review.
Hugh E. Davies, the youngest member of the father's family, was but two years of age at the time the family emigrated from Wales to this country, and he was a little lad of eight years when a permanent home was estab- lished in Washington county, so that he has practically been reared here. His education was acquired in the district schools of Crawford township and therein he mastered the branches of learning that equipped him to meet the responsibilities of life. He was but eleven years of age at the time of the father's death, yet he aided his brothers in carrying on the work of the home farm and through the experience he gained at that time he has met success in later life. He eventually purchased the interest of the other heirs in the home farm and today owns the property, consisting of one hun- dred and sixty acres in Crawford township, and many of the improvements which are here seen have been made by Mr. Davies, the present owner. In addition to carrying on general farming he also feeds stock.
The lady whom Mr. Davies chose to preside over his home bore the maiden name of Miss Maggie E. Davis, the wedding being celebrated in 1896. Mrs. Davies is of Welsh extraction and at the time of her marriage resided in Louisa county, Iowa. They have become the parents of one daughter. Anna Marie.
Politically Mr. Davies is a republican, while his religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Calvinistic Methodist church. He belongs to the Modern Woodman camp at Crawfordsville. Alert and enterprising, Mr. Davies has made wise use of his opportunities and today is numbered among the substantial, highly respected and prosperous farmers of this section of Washington county.
THEODORE RATH.
A well improved and valuable farm of one hundred and twenty acres in Iowa township pays tribute to the care and skill of Theodore Rath who, moreover, devotes a portion of his time to the raising of good stock. One of Iowa's native sons, he was born in Davenport, this state, on the 21st of January, 1877, a son of John and Lena (Clint) Rath. The father, who was born in Germany in 1848, came to America when seventeen years of age, locating in Davenport, Iowa, where he acquainted himself with the butcher- ing business. Later he went to Denver, Colorado, and was there engaged at that trade for a short time. Returning to Davenport, he was again iden- tified with the butchering business, following that pursuit until 1885, when he purchased five hundred acres of land in Iowa township and removed to his farm, where he passed away April 14 1893. He had been most suc-
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cessful in his farming enterprise and at the time of his death he was the owner of five hundred and ninety-six acres of valuable land. He was a stalwart democrat but never an office seeker, preferring to devote his ener- gies to the cultivation of his fields. He had married Lena Clint who was born in Davenport, Iowa, of German lineage, her parents being Ernest and Margaret (Kremback) Clint.
Passing the days of his boyhood and youth upon his father's farm, Theo- dore Rath attended the country schools in the acquirement of his educa- tion, while the time not spent upon his text-books was devoted to the work of the fields. He remained at home, assisting his father in the cultiva- tion of the farm, until 1902, when he began working on his own account, being employed as a farm hand for two years. He then was married, on the 21st of January, 1904, to Miss Anna Devork, of Louisa county, Iowa, after which he removed to his present farm in Iowa township, which he had purchased a year prior to his marriage. This farm is a finely improved and valuable tract of land, and in return for the care and attention bestowed upon it by its owner is annually yielding rich harvests. Mr. Rath is a pro- gressive farmer, up-to-date and modern in his methods and manifests an excellent managing ability and keen business sagacity that are rapidly ad- vancing him to a high rank among the substantial and prosperous agricul- turists of Washington county. Aside from general farming pursuits he devotes considerable time to the raising of stock, making a specialty of high bred cattle and Poland China hogs, and this branch of his business interests is proving an additional source of financial profit to him.
The home of Mr. and Mrs. Rath has been blessed with two children, Omer and Pearl, who are still at home with their parents. Mr. Rath gives his political support to the democracy but neither desires nor seeks public office as a reward for party fealty, his entire time and attention being occu- pied with the management of his personal affairs. He has become well known in this section of the county since taking up his abode here, and his salient characteristics are such as command the respect and esteem of all with whom he comes in contact.
I. N. ARNOLD.
I. N. Arnold is widely known as an agriculturist and apiarist in Wash- ington county. His business interests have been capably conducted and his able management and enterprise are the source of substantial and gratifying success. He was born in English River township, January 29, 1857, and is a son of William and Rebecca Arnold, who came to Iowa in the fall of 1849 and were married in this county. The father was born in 1830, while the mother's birth occurred in 1835, and they are now residents of Richmond, Iowa. In his political views Mr. Arnold is a republican and has always taken an active interest in politics, believing firmly in the princi-
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ples of the party and doing all in his power to promote its success. Their family numbered eleven children, of whom nine are yet living.
I. N. Arnold, spending his boyhood days under the parental roof, pur- sued his early education in the public schools and afterward attended the academy at Washington, for two years. Subsequently he learned teleg- raphy, at which he worked for two years, but because of his health was forced to abandon that pursuit. Believing that outdoor life and exercise would prove beneficial, he then rented his father-in-law's farm and began its cultivation, in connection with which work he also gave his time and at- tention to the bee industry, having at one time one hundred and thirty stands. For the past thirty years he has been well known as an apiarist and his business in the production of honey has been an important and suc- cessful one. He has made a close study of the habits of the bee, knows the best producers and, as the result of the care of his colonies, his harvest of honey has been large, the quality excellent and the sale price very satis- factory. Mr. Arnold enjoys much more than a local reputation as a natur- alist and has been crop reporter in this county for the government for the past ten years. He has also been a member of the biological survey for the past twenty-five years. In connection with his livestock interests he makes a specialty of breeding and raising Poland China hogs, for which he finds a demand throughout the entire country, his fine stock being sent to all parts of the United States.
On the 26th of November, 1878, Mr. Arnold was married to Miss Mar- garet Todd, who was born in Washington county, June 24, 1862, and is a daughter of J. O. and Sarah (Bailey) Todd, who were natives of Dela- ware and Ohio respectively. They came to Iowa in the fall of 1850, locat- ing in Richmond, Washington county, where the father died in 1904, after a residence here of more than half a century. Throughout the entire period he had been active in promoting the material welfare and the best interests of the county and was a man, respected and honored by all who knew him. His widow still survives and is now living with Mr. and Mrs. Arnold, at the age of seventy-five years. Their only child is Mrs. Arnold who by her marriage became the mother of one daughter, Ida, who was born November 13, 1879, and died October 28, 1900, being laid to rest in the Richmond cemetery. Her death is the greatest blow that has ever come to the house- hold and her loss was deeply felt throughout the entire community as well as by her parents.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Arnold are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church and active and earnest church workers, Mr. Arnold serv- ing as steward and trustee and also as superintendent of the Sunday schoool for several years, in which connection he has done important work in in- structing the young concerning the teachings of the gospel and in impress- ing upon their minds such principles and beliefs as will be potent forces for good in after life. In his political views Mr. Arnold is a stalwart re- publican and while he does not seek or desire office is always loyal to the party. An exemplary representative of the Masonic fraternity, he be- longs to Richmond Lodge, No. 96, A. F. & A. M .; to Washington Chap-
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ter, No. 13, R. A. M .; and also to the commandery in Washington. He has filled all of the chairs in the blue lodge. He and his wife are members of the Eastern Star at Kalona and for two terms Mrs. Arnold served as worthy matron. She is also a member and president of the Woman's Relief Corps at Kalona. Their sterling traits of character have won Mr. and Mrs. Arnold many warm friends and they enjoy the highest regard of all who know them because their lives are in consistent harmony with their professsions and their deeds accord with all that is expected of the pro- gressive and reliable citizen. Mr. Arnold has carried his researches and investigations far and wide into the realms of natural science and has made his work of practical value, not only to himself but to the entire community, for his opinions have come to be accepted as authority on many subjects relative to the cultivation and improvement of the farm and the conduct of its varied interests. He is the owner of the finest apiary in the county and has so managed his business interests as to win substantial return.
CHARLES BROWN.
Charles Brown is one of the representative citizens of Lime Creek town- ship who is worthy to be classed among the self-made men of the com- munity. Left an orphan at a very tender age, he has, by his indefatigable industry, untiring energy and unfaltering determination, risen from a com- paratively humble position to a place of prominence among his fellow citi- zens. He was born in Hartford county, Connecticut, June 30, 1835, a son of William and Lucy J. (Smith) Brown, natives of the same state, where their entire lives were spent. In their family were four children, of whom Charles. of this review, and Margaret of Connecticut, are the only surviving members.
At the usual age Charles Brown entered the common schools in the ac- quirement of an education, but when only seven years old he lost both par- ents and he was then bound out until seventeen years of age. At the ex- piration of this period he became an apprentice to the clock business, and was thus engaged for six or seven years. In 1860 he went to Chicago, Illinois, where he secured employment in the Illinois Central car shops. Subsequently he was employed by the board of public works to manage the city water works of Chicago, in which capacity he served for fourteen years, and while discharging his duties in this connection he manifested much administrative ability and executive control. In September, 1879, however, he withdrew from this institution and came to Washington county, Iowa, locating on the farm which is now his home, having pur- chased the property five or six years prior to his arrival in this county. It is an excellent farm of one hundred and four acres situated on section 20, Lime Creek township, and with characteristic energy and perseverance he set about improving and cultivating his fields with the result that today the property is a valuable one, returning to its owner rich annual harvests. He
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has devoted considerable attention to the dairy business, keeping Jersey cows for that purpose and for a time shipped his butter direct to Chicago but has not done any shipping for the past five years.
On the 7th of June, 1865, Mr. Brown was married, the lady of his choice being Miss Eunice E. Brown, a daughter of John P. and Annic ( Bacon) Brown, natives of England and Connecticut, respectively. This union was blessed with five children, namely: William J., residing in Lime Creek township: Harry, at home; Eunice J., of Chicago; and Emma H. and Charles J., both at home. Mrs. Brown holds membership in the Episcopal church, and takes an active interest in all the phases of the church work.
In politics Mr. Brown is a republican and stands loyally by the princi- ples of that party, while during the Civil war he was a member of the Union League. He has been called to office by his fellow citizens, having served as school director for six years and as supervisor for eight years. With no favoring advantages at the outset of his career, he has, throughout the in- tervening years, overcome all obstacles and difficulties that lay in his path to progress and he stands today as one of the representative citizens of the community in which he lives, his life having been one of continuous activity in which has been accorded due recognition of labor.
R. M. ASHBY.
R. M. Ashby, living on section 32, Lime Creek township, is one of the enterprising and progressive farmers who gives his time and attention to the cultivation of three hundred and twenty acres of valuable land. He was born in Washington county, this state, May 9, 1869, a son of E. W. H. and Elizabeth A. (Ihrig) Ashby, natives of West Virginia and Wayne county, Ohio, respectively. The father was but four years of age when he accompanied his parents on their removal to Iowa, and was here reared amid wild scenes and the privations and hardships of pioneer life. At the age of sixteen years he began business on his own account, becoming a dealer in stock. He subsequently purchased a tract of land of eighty acres near the city of Washington, but in 1861 he sold that property and invested in the farm upon which he now resides in Lime Creek township. As the years have come and gone he has accumulated much property, so that he now ranks among the extensive landowners of this county. He is now living retired, having reached the seventy-fifth year of his age. Unto him and his wife were born seven children, of whom five still survive: Viola M., the wife of Ezra Gardner, who is mentioned elsewhere in this volume ; Jessie J., the wife of Don Brimley, living in Cedar township; Ralph M., of this review ; Eleanor and Esther, who are still at home and are operating the home farm of two hundred and seventy acres.
R. M. Ashby was reared to manhood on the home farm and acquired his early education in the common schools of the neighborhood, later sup- plementing this training by a course of study at Washington Academy.
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When not devoting his time to the text-books he assisted his father in the work of the farm and early acquired practical knowledge of the best meth- ods of cultivating the fields. Upon attaining his majority he rented a farm, which he operated for one year. He then became proprietor of the Pilot- burg store and was thus connected for two years. Then deciding to make the occupation to which he was reared his life work, he returned to agri- cultural pursuits, locating upon the farm in Lime Creek township where he now makes his home. He is directing his energies to the cultivation of three hundred and twenty acres of his father's land which, in response to the care and labor expended upon it, is yielding abundant annual harvests. He also makes a specialty of raising and feeding stock and in this branch of his business is meeting with marked and gratifying success.
In 1892 Mr. Ashby laid the foundation for a pleasant home life in his marriage to Miss Lizzie Yeakel, a native of McLean county, Illinois. She is the daughter of James A. and Lethia ( Moore) Yeakel, who are yet liv- ing and make their home in Fort Scott, Kansas, their family numbering eight children. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Ashby were born the following : Percy E., Lethia E., Charles E., Ralph W., Marion R., James D. and E. W. H.
Mr. Ashby is a member of the Knights of Pythias lodge at Wellman, Iowa, while his wife holds membership in the Methodist Episcopal church. Since age conferred upon him the right of franchise he has been a stalwart supporter of the republican party, and although he is at all times loyal to its principles and does all in his power to further its influence, he is not a politician in the sense of office-seeking, the only public office which he has filled being that of school director. He is not remiss in the duties of citi- zenship, however, but takes an interest in all those things which are to the true citizen matters of civic virtue and civic pride, while his many good personal qualities have won for him the regard and good will of his fellowmen.
HORATIO HULL.
For sixty-four years Horatio Hull has made his home in Washington county. This covers the entire period of his life. His birth occurred No- vember 8, 1845, on the farm on which he now resides, although he has not continuously lived on this property to the present time. His holdings today comprise four hundred and seventy acres, making him one of the pros- perous farmers of Lime Creek township. His parents were Marcus and Margaret (McDowell) Hull. The father was born in Erie county, Penn- sylvania, in 1818, and the mother's birth occurred in Kentucky in 1820. They came to this county when Iowa was still under territorial rule, arriving in 1838. Mr. Hull secured a squatter's claim and when the land came on the market entered it in the usual manner. He built a little log cabin which he covered with a clapboard roof and in it laid a puncheon floor. A mud and stick chimney was built at one end by which the smoke from the fire-place
MR. AND MRS. HORATIO HULL
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made its egress. On the puncheon door was a wooden latch with the pro- verbial latchstring always hanging out. He later built a frame house, in which he made his home until his death, which occurred June 3. 1857. His widow survived him for about forty years, passing away on the 11th of Feb- ruary, 1897. In their family were eight children: Horatio, of this review ; one who died in infancy ; A. H., now in Arkansas; C. C., a landowner of Lime Creek township; Laura A., the wife of Frank Gardner, who is now (leceased ; Lucinda E., who has passed away ; and Rachel and Josephine, twins.
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