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 49
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Mr. Marsh was married on the 3d of September, 1891, to Miss Emma Susie Athearn, an adopted daughter of S. W. A. Athearn of Washington, Iowa, and unto this union were born nine children: Paul A., a graduate of the Ainsworth high school of the class of 1909: Charles A .; Mary Etta ; Samuel A. : William A. : Terry A. ; and three who are now deceased.
Mr. Marsh is an active member of the Baptist church, having held sev- eral offices, while at present he is acting as the superintendent of the Sunday school. Fraternally he is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Ainsworth, with the Modern Woodmen of America, also of Ainsworth, and with the Royal Neighbors, of this city. In politics he is independent, casting his influence for men and measures rather than for party ties. He is a member of the town council and during his five years' term of service he has worked diligently and faithfully for the general up- building and improvement of the community, being especially strong in his advocacy for good walks in Ainsworth. He is also serving his second term on the school board and is stalwartly championing the cause of better school
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systems. His devotion to the public welfare is unquestioned and arises from a sincere desire for the material, political, intellectual and moral growth of the community. Ainsworth has benefitted greatly by his efforts in her behalf and recognizes him as one of her worthy and representative citizens.
JOHN MCKINLEY.
A prominent retired farmer of Wellman, whose family and connections have been intimately connected with the early life of Iowa is John McKinley. Of the grandparents on either side of the Mckinley family little is known save that the paternal grandfather bore the name Edmond. But the parents, Thomas and Barbara (Wagner) Mckinley, came from Ohio, their native state, to Washington county, Iowa, in 1857, and settled on a farm about four and a half miles north of Wellman. The nearest markets at that time were Washington and Iowa City, and good farm land sold for ten dollars an acre. The Mckinleys at first rented the place and subsequently bought it under a rather unique agreement. They paid down the sum of nine hun- dred dollars as part consideration for the tract of three hundred and twenty acres and contracted to keep the owner, then an old man, the remainder of his life. The old house, which was the first home of the family, is still stand- ing and is one of the landmarks of Johnson county that links the present with the past, which was so different in its manner of life and in the prob- lems it had to face. The conditions of life began to change even during the lifetime of Mr. and Mrs. Mckinley, for they lived until 1878, the husband surviving his wife but six weeks, and his seventy-three years being only three more than she had passed through.
John McKinley was born in Licking county, Ohio, October 16, 1842, and was the eldest of a family of four children. His brother next younger, James, married Miss Melissa Maple and now lives in Idaho. The second brother, Peter, married Miss Ep Elrod and resides in St. Louis. The only daughter, Mary Jane, was the wife of W. R. Robinson and made her home near Well- man until her death in 1900.
At the age of twenty-one John McKinley left home to make his own way in the world and after a year's experience decided that a wife would make the battle easier. Consequently on the 14th of January, 1864, he married Miss Sarah E. Britton, whose parents, William Scott and Margaret (Robin- son) Britton, like the McKinleys, were among the early settlers of the county, though they antedated the coming of the latter by some fifteen or sixteen years, for though Mr. and Mrs. Britton were born in Ohio and for one year after their marriage lived in Indiana, they came to Washington county in the spring of 1841. Here they took up a government homestead claim of one hundred and sixty acres, about two and a half miles west of Kalona. On this farm they passed the remainder of their days, though they were able, as the result of careful management to add considerably to the original tract. Like the Mckinleys, the Brittons also experienced the vicis-
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situdes of pioneer life and witnessed the change in the temper of the times, for Mrs. Britton lived until 1880, her sixty-second year, when the conditions were far easier than when she came to the county a young wife, and seven- teen years later when Mr. Britton obeyed the call of death, October 11, 1897, and rested after his eighty-two years, the progress was even more marked. Mr. and Mrs. Britton were the parents of five children: Mary Jane, who married Sam Manatt and died in February, 1908; Thaddeus, a resident of Kansas City, Missouri; Sarah E., the wife of our subject; Douglas, who resides on the old home farm; and William C., who died at the age of six years. Mr. and Mrs. McKinley have the following children: William Lee, a resident of Wellman, who married Ada Allen and has two children, Wil- liam and John Thomas; Thomas H., who married Lottie Cornelius, and lives, with his wife and four children-Oscar, Catherine, George E., and Lucile-in San Antonio, Texas; Nellie B., the wife of E. B. Carney, of Kirksville, Missouri, and the mother of two children, Jerrold Mckinley and Lyle Edward : Zoe Alta, who, married to Claude Creswell, lives in Nebraska and is the mother of one child, Clifford. Mrs. Mckinley is now sixty-four years of age and has spent her entire life in this county.
Mr. Mckinley has been engaged in farming and house-moving ever since his coming to this county, and has ever been active in promoting the interests of town and county. In 1890 he came to Wellman, where he pur- chased a good home in which he and his wife live surrounded with every comfort and enjoying in comparative rest the fruits of their former labors. Though he has retired from active life, he still retains the possession of the old farm of two hundred and forty acres. In politics Mr. Mckinley is a democrat.
C. B. MORGAN.
C. B. Morgan is one of the extensive landowners of Washington county, his property interests comprising five hundred and sixty acres in the home place, also one hundred and thirty acres elsewhere in Clay township with one hundred and sixty-six acres in Van Buren county, Iowa, and twenty-two acres adjoining the city of Des Moines. His investments have been judi- ciously made and he is therefore classed among the prosperous residents of this locality. He gives his time and attention largely to general farming and stock raising and his home place is well equipped with all of the neces- sary accessories and conveniences for carrying on his work in accordance with modern methods. He was born in Scotland about ten miles from the city of Glasgow, March 22, 1851, and is a son of John and Margaret (Rus- sell) Morgan, who were likewise natives of the land of hills and heather. In the year 1854 the father came with his family to the United States, taking passage on a sailing vessel which was six weeks in making the voyage to New York. He first settled in the midst of the Allegheny mountains and later took up his abode in Mercer county, Pennsylvania, and later became
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a resident of Paradise, Kentucky, where he lived until his removal to Knox county, Illinois. He afterward went to Buffalo county, Wisconsin, and then again established his home in Illinois. Later he crossed the Mississippi into Iowa, settling in Jasper county and from that place went to Webster county, Iowa, where he died in 1907. His entire life was devoted to mining and he acted as superintendent of mines in Knox county, Illinois, and in Jasper county, Iowa. His life was one of industry and honor and whatever success he enjoyed was attributable entirely to his own labors. He had for ten years survived his wife who passed away in 1897 and was laid to rest at Gowrie, Iowa. In the family of this worthy and respected couple were ten children who are yet living and one who has passed away, the second child having died in infancy. C. B. Morgan is the eldest, while the other members of the family are as follows: Bertha, the wife of Valentine Coats, a blacksmith residing in Des Moines, Iowa; Thomas, who follows farming in Webster county, this state ; John, who is living in Murdo, South Dakota ; William, of Des Moines, who is with the Percena Hub & Willow Company : Barbara, who is the wife of James Somerville, a ranchman and mine superintendent living at Rock Springs, Wyoming; Robert, a farmer of Keokuk county ; George, who follows farming near Fort Dodge, Iowa; James, a railroad engineer living at St. Paul, Minnesota ; and Jeannette, the wife of Edward Starry, a traveling salesman.
C. B. Morgan was only four years of age when he accompanied his parents on their embarkation to the new world. He spent his boyhood and youth under the parental roof, remaining at home until twenty-one years of age, after which he engaged in farming for a year. He then removed to Polk county, Iowa, where he had charge of the operation of a mine for six years. On the expiration of that period he turned his attention to general agricultural pursuits in Clay township, making investment in land to which he has added from time to time as his financial resources have increased until his holding's are now extensive and bring to him a gratifying annual revenue. The home property of five hundred and sixty acres is a valuable tract, well improved and presenting a most attractive appearance. He has in addition one hundred and thirty acres in Clay township and one hundred and sixty- six acres in Van Buren county together with twenty-two acres near Des Moines. He was likewise one of the organizers and is one of the directors of the Rubio Savings Bank and he also owns real estate in the town of Rubio.
In 1877 Mr. Morgan was united in marriage to Miss Amanda Waters, whose father was one of the first school teachers in Washington county. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Morgan have been born five children: Margaret, the wife of P. B. Johnson, a farmer of Clay township; Annie, the wife of Otto Schmitter, also a farmer: C. E., who is associated with his father in busi- ness : Pearl, a miller of Seattle, Washington ; and Orville, at home.
In his political views Mr. Morgan is a republican, giving stalwart sup- port to the party. He belongs to the Mutual Benevolent Association, is a member of the Friends church and is a stanch advocate of the cause of tem- perance. Indeed his influence is always given on the side of morality, justice,
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righteousness and truth and his influence has been a potent element for good. He has led a very busy and useful life and his record proves that success and an honored name may be won simultaneously.
HON. ABRAM PEARSON.
Making the best possible use of his talents and opportunities, Hon. Abram Pearson has not only become a successful man in business, but is regarded as a citizen of wide influence in the community and county in which he resides, having served two terms as a member of the legislature. Mr. Pearson was born near Kansas City, Kansas, July 15, 1837, a son of Moses and Sarah Pearson, who were natives of South Carolina, whence they re- moved to Miami county, Ohio. Both were of English origin. In their fan- ily were eight children, all born in Miami county, Ohio, with exception of our subject. They were Mahala J., the wife of Eli Jay, of Richmond, In- diana ; Timothy, deceased; Anna, the wife of Robert L. Kelly, of Richmond, Indiana ; Joshua, a resident of Laura, Ohio; Nathan, who enlisted for three years as a member of Company D, Forty-fourth Ohio Regiment and died in the service; Rhoda and Serepta, both deceased ; and Abram, of this re- view. In 1835 Moses Pearson and Henry Harvey were sent out by the Society of Friends, to which they belonged, to establish schools among the Indians in Indian Territory, where the Methodists and Baptists had estab- lished similar institutions. These gentlemen took their families with them and maintained their schools for three years, although theirs were the only white families in the neighborhood. In 1838 the Pearson family returned to Miami county, Ohio, locating on the home farm near West Milton, where the parents of our subject continued to reside until their death. Mr. Pearson was a great favorite with the Indians and two of their celebrated chiefs paid him a visit at his Ohio home several years after his return.
Abram Pearson was reared to maturity under the parental roof, during which time he began his early education in the common schools of the neigh- borhood, this knowledge being supplemented by two years' study in Antioch College, at Yellow Springs, Ohio. After completing his education, he en- gaged in teaching, following the profession with success until the time of his marriage in 1862, when he wedded Miss Julia Applegate, a daughter of Elias and Emma ( Dehart) Applegate, both of whom were natives of New Jersey.
Subsequent to his marriage Mr. Pearson continued teaching for two years and then removed to Kokomo, Indiana, where he spent one year, while the year 1865 witnessed his arrival in Washington county, Iowa. He pur- chased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Highland township but after a year disposed of that tract and invested his money in the farm on which he now resides, this place comprising four hundred and eighty acres, situated in Jackson township. This farm has been brought to its present state of fertility through the efforts of Mr. Pearson, who has spent many years of
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earnest effort in cultivating the land, while he has also placed substantial buildings on the place and now has one of the most valuable farms in Wash- ington county. He has always made a specialty of raising and feeding stock and has met with very desirable success.
The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Pearson was blessed with seven children : Lysander, who is deceased : E. Grant; Nathan Colfax; Anna, the wife of C. E. Brown, of Jackson township; Howard, deceased ; Clara Myrtle, who after graduating from the Washington schools engaged in teaching five years and is now at home; and A. F., who is a student of the State Agricul- tural College, at Ames, Iowa. The wife and mother departed this life May 4, 1906, her remains being interred in Elm Grove cemetery at Washington.
Mr. Pearson is a member of the Presbyterian church and in his political views is a republican and is recognized as one of the local leaders of the party. He served two years, from 1879 until 1881, as a member of the legislature, showing himself qualified to fill the office to the satisfaction of the people whom he represented. He also served continuously for thirty- five years on the school board, during which time he gave efficient service. While giving much of his time to public interests, Mr. Pearson has gained creditable success, being the owner of a valuable farm of four hundred and eighty acres, one of the best in Washington county.
JOHN A. AUGUSTINE.
The Augustine family is an old and prominent one of Dutch Creek town- ship, where its representatives have been identified with farming interests since 1836. The first of the name to locate here was Michael Augustine, grandfather of our subject, who, as before mentioned, came in 1836, the land at that time being still in possession of the Indians. In those early days war parties gathered in the neighborhood and on one occasion a battle took place, one Indian being killed.
Godfrey Augustine, father of our subject, was born in Germany, May 17. 1825, and was a little lad of five years at the time of the emigration of the family to the United States, at which time they settled in Pennsylvania, later going to Indiana, and subsequently making a permanent location in Washington county. Here the father grew to manhood and when the land was placed upon the market he invested in two hundred acres in Dutch Creek township, paying the usual price of a dollar and a quarter per acre. He was married here, October 25, 1848, to Miss Margaret Anne Harvy, a daughter of W. L. Harvy, and for nine years following his marriage he worked in a packing house in Burlington, in addition to developing his newly acquired tract of land. In later life he gave his entire time and attention to his agricultural interests and became a prosperous citizen of this section of the county. He departed this life July 23, 1906, respected by all who knew him, for his life was lived in accordance with strict and upright principles.
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Mrs. Margaret A. Augustine, who is still living on the home farm, was born in Virginia, November 21, 1830, and when but five years of age was taken by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Harvy, to Illinois, a location being made near Peoria. After two years there spent they removed to Washing- ton, Iowa, the year of their settlement here being 1837. At that time there was not a house where Washington is now located, so that in a review of the last half century one can see the many changes that have here occurred as the land has been divided into excellent farms, towns and villages have sprung into existence and the work of improvement is being carried steadily forward. Although Mrs. Augustine has reached the advanced age of seventy-nine years, she still enjoys good health and recalls with interest the events of those early days, when the family first located in Washington county. She has been a member of the Methodist church for the past forty years.
Mrs. Augustine has become the mother of eight children, namely: John A., of this review ; Mary, deceased; William David, who follows farming in Dutch Creek township; one who died in infancy ; Hester, the wife of George Statler, who resides near Keota, Iowa; George W., who is on the home farm; Emily, the wife of John Luer, a farmer of Dutch Creek township; and Sheridan.
John A. Augustine, born August 9, 1849, began his education in the com- mon schools and attended Washington Academy one term. He engaged in teaching fourteen terms and was quite successful in the profession. He has always lived at home and is now giving his time to the cultivation of the home farm, the possessions of the family aggregating five hundred and eighty-three acres, all in Dutch Creek township. Since the father's death, the sons have carried on the work and management of the farm and are enterprising and progressive young men, who merit the high esteem in which they are universally held.
Mr. Augustine gives his political support to the republican party. He has spent his entire life on the home farm and is therefore well known throughout the community, bearing the excellent reputation which has always been borne by the older members of the family.
VICTOR F. SCHNOEBELEN.
Victor F. Schnoebelen, a representative farmer of Washington county, is a native of Iowa, born in Iowa township, this county, on April 19, 1870, a son of Sigismond and Josephine (Shmidle) Schnoebelen. The father, whose birth occurred in Alsace, Germany, on the 27th of April, 1835, came with his parents to America in 1836, the family home being established in Iowa in 1844. In this state he was reared and educated and devoted the years of his active business life to the occupation of farming. He is now, however, living retired in the enjoyment of well earned rest. He makes his home on a fine farm which he owns, but leaves the active work of the
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fields to his son, Oscar. He wedded Josephine Shmidle, a native of Bohemia, and in their family were the following children: Frances, the wife of John T. Bulger ; L. H .; Albert; Victor, of this review; Agnes, the wife of Charles Strabley, of Johnson county, Iowa; Matilda, who is the wife of August Grothe and makes her home in this county; and Oscar, operating his father's farm.
Victor F. Schnoebelen passed his early life under the parental roof, at- tending the common schools in the acquirement of an education. After lay- ing aside his text-books he assisted his father in the cultivation of the fields, early learning lessons concerning the value of industry and perseverance. He remained at home until twenty-two years of age, at which time he began business on his own account, operating a portion of the home farm for about four years. He then purchased the farm upon which he now resides and has continued to devote his attention to agricultural pursuits. The place consists of two hundred and twenty acres of rich and productive land located on section 4, Iowa township. It is richly cultivated and is equipped with all modern improvements and accessories, including the latest machinery to facilitate the work of the fields. He not only devotes his attention to the cultivation of the soil but has become well known as a raiser of sheep, horses and mules, making a specialty of Hampshire Downs and Rambouillet sheep, while he also raises heavy draft horses.
Mr. Schnoebelen was united in marriage in 1898 to Miss Julia Hogan, a native of Johnson county, Iowa, and to this union has been born one child, Leonard. In September, 1903, the wife and mother was called to her final rest, and on the 16th of February, 1909, Mr. Schnoebelen was again married, his second union being with Miss Antoinette Sueppel, a native of this town- ship. He and his wife are members of the Catholic church and their lives are at all times in harmony with the teachings thereof. Mr. Schnoebelen is independent in politics, casting his vote for men and measures which in his opinion are best adapted to subserve the general welfare of the com- munity. He has been prosperous in his agricultural pursuits and is recog- nized as one of the representative farmers of this locality, not only because of his success but also on account of the high place he has won for himself in the regard and esteem of his fellowmen.
E. M. SHAW.
E. M. Shaw, who for more than four decades has been prominently and successfully identified with the farming and stock-raising interests of Jack- son township, was born in Mercer county, Illinois, on the 16th of November, 1838, his parents being Samuel and Susan B. Shaw. The ancestry of the family can be traced back to the coming of the Puritans, and the first of whom authentic knowledge can be obtained was Samuel Shaw, the grand- father of our subject. He was born in Maine, his ancestors having settled there when the state was yet a province and a part of New Hampshire.
PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENOX TILDEN FOUNDATION
E. M. SHAW
MIRS. E. M. SHAW
THE NEW' YORK. PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENOX TILDEN FOUNDATION
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Samuel Shaw served during the war of the Revolution and after his return was married. There was but one child of that union, Samuel Shaw, Jr., the father of our subject. Soon after the birth of this son, in 1793, Samuel Shaw, Sr., died and his widow afterward married David French, who gave his stepson a good education and reared him carefully. Mr. French was a farmer and several children were born of his union with Mrs. Shaw.
Samuel Shaw, Jr., learned surveying which was turned to account later in life when he became deputy surveyor of Licking county, Ohio. He was engaged as post guard during the war of 1812, belonging to what was known as the Minute Men. In 1814 he was married to Rebecca Pease, a native of Maine and of Scotch ancestry. Unto them were born eight chil- dren: Samuel, now deceased; Sarah, who became the wife of D. M. Pierce and has also passed away; Hetty, the deceased wife of Thomas Bigelow ; Annis, the deceased wife of C. H. Budd; Robert, who died in Rock Island in 1886; Martha, who became the wife of Jackson Ream and died in Moline, Illinois ; Francis and William, both of whom have passed away. After the death of Mrs. Rebecca Shaw, the father married Susan B. Maxfield. also, a native of Maine and of Scotch-Irish lineage. She was a daughter of Eliphalet and Mary J. (McCrillis) Maxfield. Her mother was born in Ireland and wedded Eliphalet Maxfield in Maine. He was a farmer and tanner, carrying on all kinds of business. Unto him and his wife were born the following children: Nathaniel, William, Rufus, Orrin, Jane, Susan, Maria, Elizabeth and Hugh. In 1837 the parents removed to Knoxville, Illinois, and most of their children accompanied them.
Samuel Shaw left Maine in 1817 and with his family settled in Licking county, Ohio, where he followed surveying for many years. In 1825 he became a Free Will Baptist, preaching regularly at Granville, Ohio, until after the death of his wife in 1835. He then removed with his family to Mercer county, Illinois, purchasing a farm, and for ten years he traveled constantly and preached over the northwestern part of Illinois from Bureau county to the junction of the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. In 1836 the Rev. Shaw returned to his native state, was there married to Susan B. Max- field and then made his way again to Illinois. He became a partner with his relative, Pat Pease, the former furnishing the capital and the latter the time, and about fourteen thousand acres of military land were purchased but through defective titles and litigation, both gentlemen became bankrupt. Samuel Shaw was then fifty years of age and had to begin at the bottom of the ladder to retrieve his fortunes. Unfortunately at this time he met with an accident which prevented his taking part in any manual labor and for several consecutive years he taught school, walking on crutches. He also filled the pulpit of several Free Will Baptist churches in the vicinity. In 1852 he served as pastor of a church in Fulton county, Illinois, and having been successful in retrieving a small part of his fortune he purchased a farm of one hundred acres in that county. He remained there until 1865 with the exception of a brief period of two years and at the age of seventy he relin- quished the ministry and followed his children to Iowa, purchasing a farm near Washington, where he remained during the residue of his lifetime,
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