USA > Iowa > Allamakee County > History of Winneshiek and Allamakee counties, Iowa > Part 60
USA > Iowa > Winneshiek County > History of Winneshiek and Allamakee counties, Iowa > Part 60
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Ben Bear. Centennial Clothing House. This enterprising young merchant is a native of Europe, born in 1853; emigrated to the U. S. in 1867, and located in the city of New York, where he served as clerk (without change of employers) until 1876. He then concluded to seek his fortune in the "great west," and ac- cordingly came to Decorah, and at once commenced his present business, in a comparatively small way, however. In 1877 he sustained losses by fire, but immediately resumed business, and being a man of excellent business qualifications, and at the same time dealing squarely and honestly with his customers, his trade increased from time to time, so that he not only carries the largest stock of clothing, gent's furnishing goods, hats, caps, boots and shoes, but also does more business than any other clothing house within a radius of many miles of the city of Decorah.
J. H. Baker was born in Oswego Co., N. Y., in 1838; removed to Walworth Co., Wis., in 1844. In 1865 he came to Io., and first opened a meat market at Conover, and ran the same about three years. He then came to Decorah, and in 1869 commenced deal- ing in grain, live stock, etc., and has since continued the same. He has also run a meat market since 1881. Mr. Baker was mar- ried at Prairie du Chien, Wis., in Sept., 1865, to Miss Elizabeth Flanders. They have three children living.
N. A. Brekke is the only son of Andrew N. Brekke, who is a far- mer on Sec. 23, Madison tp. He was born in Winneshiek Co. in 1857; was educated in the common schools and the Norwegian college of Decorah; followed farming until 1880, then entered
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into partnership with E. T. Weeks, engaged in groceries and pro- visions, and continued a member of the firm of Weeks & Brekke until March, 1882, when he withdrew from business,
Michael J. Bolland was born in Irongiem, Norway, in 1829; came to this county in 1858, and settled in Hesper tp .; bought 160 acres of land southeast of the village of Hesper, which he still owns; lived there twenty years; then bought 258 acres where he now resides. It is principally fine prairie land, with a little brush land and forty acres of timber, and is well improved and well stocked. He has a fine residence and every arrangement for comfort, and is within two miles of town. He was married in Norway in 1850 to Miss Marit Johnson. They have seven chil- dren, four deceased.
Albert A. Benedict, P. O. Decorah, firm of Benedict & Mott, proprietors of Trout Run Mills; son of Aden S. and Sarah Bene- dict; was born July 22, 1838, in Delaware Co., Ohio; his father died when he was about 4 years old. His mother was again mar- ried to Jonah Hole, in 1849, who was killed in 1862 by being thrown from a buggy by a frightened team. At the age of fifteen he engaged in a grist mill with a brother-in-law to learn the trade of a miller, in which he continued most of the time till in the fall of 1856, when he came to Winneshiek Co., Ia. He first en- gaged in a grist mill in Canoe tp., known as the Spring Water mill for about a year, after which he went to Hesper tp. and en- gaged in farming for two years, and then engaged in the assist- ance of a Mr. Tabor to start a steam grist mill in the town of Hesper; after which he was engaged in milling, carpenter work and attending school, till July 4, 1860, when he was married to a Miss Abbie A. Mott. He then came on to a farm in Canoe tp., which he had previously purchased, and continued farming in connection with milling till in 1869, when he went to Clay Co., Io., taking a homestead near where Spencer now is, and the fol- lowing year built a grist mill at Spencer in company with G. D. Marcellus. In the spring of 1872, he returned to this county and purchased an interest in the Bluffton mills, which he subsequently sold and came to Decorah and engaged in the stone mill of Am- mon Scott. In 1877, in company with his brother-in-law, J. W. Mott, he purchased the Trout Run mills, and in the spring of 1882 they purchased a farm of 440 acres above the mills three-fourths of a mile, upon which Mr. B. lives, superintending the farm, and his partner the mill. His children are: Oscar C., Allard E., Flor- ence A., Fred. E., Grace M. and Willard. Mr. B.'s mother, after the death of her second husband, came to this Co. to live with her children. She died in 1866. Mr. B.'s religion is that of the Friends.
Henry I, Brichner, P. O. Decorah. farmer; son of Henry and Elizabeth Brichner; was born Jan. 17, 1832, in York Co., Pa. When quite young his parents moved to Berkley Co,, W. Va.
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In the fall of 1857 he immigrated to Decorah, and engaged at his trade, carpenter and joiner, till in 1869 came on to his present farm of 81 acres, which is well improved and worth $45 per acre. He also makes a specialty of bees, having about 50 swarms at present. He married Miss Julia Shank. in Va., Oct. 5, 1854; they. have nine children, Laura V., John H., Edward G., Hattie N., Susan E., Joan J., Sidney E., Grace M. and Robert C., and have lost two, Albert P. and Charles W. He is a member of the M. E. church.
J. R. Booth, P. O. Decorah; proprietor of the Winneshiek Paper Mills at Freeport, was born in Montgomery County, New York, in 1827. His early life was spent in a woolen mill. In 1854 he came to Warren, Illinois, where he served as station agent for the I. C. R. R. Co., and afterwards at Galena and Be- loit, Wisconsin, at which latter place he subsequently engaged in the manufacturing of sash, doors, blinds, etc. In 1871 he estab- lished the firm of Booth, Hinman & Co., an extensive paper mill company, in which he continued until 1880, when he disposed of his interest there and came to Decorah, and purchased the Win- neshiek paper mills, which are now worth about $35,000. Mr. B. resides in Decorah, His present wife was Minerva Leonard, a na- tive of Roscoe, Illinois. He has two children, one by a former wife.
H. A. Baker, of the firm of H. A. Baker & Bros., dealers in general merchandise, was born in Crown Point, Essex County, N. Y., in 1842. He moved with his parents to Iowa in 1858. He was engaged for a time as clerk in McGregor, and in 1862 established himself in his present business at Ossian. Mr. Baker has been state representative two terms, and in 1881 was elected state sena- tor. He married Eliza Webster, a native of Ind .; they have four sons.
Hon. Benj. T. Barfoot, P. O. Ridgeway; farmer,“ section 19, Madison township; son of James and Jane (nee Purvis) Barfoot, his parents being of Scotch descent. He was born March I1th, 1830, in Wayne County, Ohio. While he was quite young his parents moved to Holmes County, in the same state. In early life he learned the carpenter and joiner's trade, at which he was engaged several years. In the spring of 1853 he came to this county, first locating at Freeport. In 1855 he moved to Decoralı, continuing house building until 1868, when he moved to his pres- ent farm, having purchased the same in 1861. Mr. B. was very successful in the pursuit of his trade, and has been equally so in farming, now owning 430 acres of land two miles southeast of Ridgeway, situated on a beautiful prairie commanding an exten- sive view of the country for miles around. He makes a specialty in stock, horses, hogs, etc., having some very fine Hambletonian horses. Mr. B. is a man of pleasant and agreeable social quali- fications being well informed in contemporaneous events, the
A. P. LEACH
THE NOK TOBR
TILDA I
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leading journals and literature of the day having a place in his li- brary. He has filled most of the offices of his township, also as- sisted in taking the United States of 1880, and the same year was a candidate for representative in the state legislature on the re- publican ticket, but was defeated on account of his known tem- perance proclivities, the free whisky and beer element being in the ascendancy in his district. He was married to Miss Jane Doherty, of Ohio, April 25th, 1850. Their children are Andrew W., J. Scott, Louisa J., Cyrus F., Enos F., Albert F. and Mary A .: they have lost one daughter, Minerva.
E. Blackmarr, retired farmer, was born in 1819, in Saratoga Co., N. Y. In 1835 he removed to Huron Co., Ohio, and was en- gaged at farming there until 1850; he then moved to DeKalb Co., Ind .; remained there three years; then came to Io., locating in this Co. In 1854 he bought land in Hesper tp., on what is known as Looking Glass Prairie. In the following year he moved to the village of Burr Oak, and conducted what was known as the Burr Oak House one year; then returned to farming, which he con- tinued until he sold out in 1866, and again moved to Burr Oak and engaged in the mercantile business, carrying general stock. He remained in this business nine years, sold out in 1875 and re- tired from active business. Mr. B. was postmaster several years, has filled various offices in the tp., and is one of its most respected citizens. He was married in 1840 in Huron Co., Ohio, to Miss A. Washburn, and they have four children, Louisa, Byron, Oliette and Melvin.
E. H. Betts, farmer, section 33; owns 80 acres of land valued at $30 per acre; was born in Portage Co., Ohio, in 1830, where he lived until nineteen years of age, when he removed to Ill. with his parents, remaining there until 1856, when he moved to Winne- shiek Co. His parents were Samuel and Mahala Betts. He was married in 1854 to Miss Olive E. Rogers, of Geauga Co., Ohio; they have three children: Arthur, now in Dakota; Evangie, and Clara H. Mr. Betts has been a member of the County Board two terms, and a justice of the peace several years.
Richard Barnes, merchant and farmer, Fremont, was born in Addison Co., Vt., in 1827; remained on the farm of his parents until 1854, when he came to Io. and settled in this Co. The first vear he resided in Decorah, and then came to this place, before the tp. was organized. He entered a quarter section of land, proved up and obtained patent; he owus now 230 acres in sections 23 and 27, including 50 acres of timber. He now rents the farm, which is well improved. He served on the County Board of Super- visors in 1865 and 1866, and was afterwards elected in the fall of 1881 to the same office on the Republican ticket. In 1873 he opened business in the building now occupied by J. S. Daskam, remained two years, then went back to the farm, and in the fall of 1880 returned to the village and bought the stock of merchandise
35
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of D. A. Fifield, having already owned the building. He car -- ries a good assortment of general merchandise, does a good busi- ness and owns residence and property in town, where he resides. He was married at Trumbull, Conn., to Mary M. Middlebrook, and has four children, Edward, Carrie, E. Frederick and Florence.
Robert Burrows, farmer, Bluffton township; was born in Suf- folk, England, in 1824; came to the United States in 1836 with his parents, who settled in Monroe County, New York, and en- gaged in farming. In 1840 they moved to Canada West, now the province of Ontario, and engaged in farming for 12 years. Robert B. then came to Iowa and settled in this township and en- tered a claim on government land, improved the same and now owns 280 acres in sections 1 and 2. all under fence, mostly under cultivation, and well stocked. He has built a good residence, barns, etc., on the southwest quarter of section 1.
Hogen H. Barlo, farmer, P. O. Decorah; owns 246 acres of land in section 34; was born in Norway Oet. 20th, 1842; immi- grated to the United States in 1866 and located on his present farm. He was united in marriage with Ann Hogenson in March, 1867. Mr. B. is a member of the Lutheran Church.
Levi G. Burton, farmer, Fremont township; was born in Crawford County, Penn., in 1838. In 1854 he came with his par- ants to this county. His father pre-empted 120 acres on the northeast of the village. He remained with his parents until 1862, when he enlisted, at Frankville, in Co. K, 38th Io. Inf., un- der Capt. Allen. They were afterwards consolidated with the 34th Iowa and served to the close of the war. He was at the siege of Vieksburg, Yazoo City, Fort Morgan, and the siege and as- sault of Blakely; was mustered out with the regiment at Houston, Texas, August 15th, and discharged at Davenport, Iowa, Septem- ber 5th, 1865. He returned to this place and purchased the land he now owns and resides upon; has improved the same, erected a fine residence and substantial farm buildings, and has the farm well stocked with good graded cattle and hogs; has six head of hor- ses. He was married in 1867 at Decorah to Miss Lucetta J. Ken- dall, and they have three children, Alma May, Edna and Nellie. He was a member of the board of township trustees several years; and is a member of the I. O. O. F., Cresco Lodge, No. 150. John and Benjamin Burton, his brothers, enlisted in Co. K, 38th Io. Inf. Benjamin died at Barancas, Florida, March 31st, 1865, in the service, and John returned from the war and was discharged at the same time as Levi G.
Swen H. Borlog, P. O. Decorah, farmer, section 1, Calmar tp .; owns 213 acres of land valued at $35 per acre; was born March 18th, 1830, in Norway, and came to the U. S. in 1854, first locat- ing in Dane County, Wisconsin, where he remained till in 1861 he came to this county and located on his present farm, in 1862.
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Mr. Borlog was married to Miss Anna Nelson in 1860; they have eight children, Ole, Sarah, Jennie, Mary, Lena, Nora, Theodoro and Ida. Mr. B. is a member of the Lutheran Church.
Andrew Nelson Brekke, P. O. Decorah, farmer, Sec. 23, Madi- son tp .; owns 160 acres of land, valued at $35 per acre; was born in Norway in 1834, and came with his parents to the U. S. in 1852; they located in Dane Co., Wis., remaining there to 1853, when he came to this Co., and located on his present farm. His mother died in 1852 in Wis .; his father is now living with him, and is at the advanced age of 86 years. Mr. Brekke was married to Miss Helen Thompson in 1852; they have one son, Nels A.
D. C. Bacon, P. O. Decorah, farmer, Sec. 24, Madison tp .; owns 240 acres, valued at $40 per acre; was born March 18, 1828, in Litchfield Conn. . In early life he learned the trade of plane mak- ing, which business he followed for many years, also carpenter and joiner work. In 1854 he came to Io., locating at Freeport, in this Co. He came on to his present farm in 1878. Mr. Bacon was married to Miss Rebecca Swift, June 25, 1855, in Connecticut. They have two children, William S. and Mary A. Mr. Bacon is a member of the Congregational church, and of the A. F. & A. M.
Jacob Butz, farmer, owns 120 acres of land, valued at $20 per acre; was born in Indiana in 1856, and is a son of Theobolt Butz; came west in 1866, and settled in this tp. He married Emma Reinhardt, who was born in Allamakee Co. They have one child, Edward.
Lewis R. Brown, Sec. 8, Orleans tp .; son of Josialı and Susanna Brown, both born in N. Y .; was born in Jefferson Co., N. Y., Feb. 8, 1834. In 1860 he came to Orleans tp., locating on his present farm, which now contains 628 acres, the probable value of which is $30 per acre. Mr. Brown also deals extensively in fine stock. He was married to Louise S. Chapin, also a native of Jefferson Co., N. Y .; they have two children, Henry C. and Susie E.
G. R. Baker, dealer in general merchandise, was born in Essex Co., N. Y., in 1851; is a son of W. H. and P. W. Baker; came to Iowa in 1859 with his parents, and settled in Bloomfield tp., re- ceiving his early education at the common schools, and subse- quently a course at the Ames Agricultural College. He was em- ployed as clerk at Ossian from 1871 to 1874, at which time he came to Ridgeway and engaged in business as above. He was mar- ried to Estella Bolles, a native of this Co. They have two chil- dren, Rollin and Raymond.
A. W. Brownell, farmer, owns 144 acres, section 17, joining the town of Fort Atkinson; was born in Rensalaer Co., N. Y., in 1831. In 1853 moved to Chillicothe, Ross Co., Ohio, engaged in the manufacture of lumber for two years; then moved to Wis near Madison and engaged at farming, and in 1863 came t Mitchell Co., Io., farming three years; then went back to Wis.
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and remained two years; in 1868 came to Fort Atkinson and pur- chased property in town, and in 1877 bought the farm which he now owns. It is improved and fenced, having good buildings, etc. He was elected in the fall of 1874 Clerk of Courts of this Co., on the Democratic ticket, served one term; and in 1877 was elected Co. Supervisor on the same ticket, the county being large- ly Republican. Mr. B. was married in Ohio in 1854, to Miss Fer- nandez, who died in 1856. He afterwards married, in 1861, at Leeds, Columbia Co., Wis., Miss A. R. Chilson, and they have five sons and one daughter. Heis a member of the A. F. & A. M.
W. Becker, lumber dealer. Fort Atkinson, was born in Ger- many, in 1849, was educated there, and in the spring of 1868 came to the U. S .; settled first at Festina, in this Co., worked in the store of C. Dessel for one and one half years, then came to this place and engaged in the grocery business in the building now owned by J. C. Morris, jeweler. In 1874 he sold out and went into his present business. He bought eight town lots for the yards, has fenced them, carries about a $6,000 stock, has erected good, dry sheds, etc., and does a good business. He was married in 1873 at Festina, to Miss Barbara Huber, of this Co.
A. Bernatz & Bros., proprietors Evergreen Flouring Mills, Ft. Atkinson. A. Bernatz, the senior member of the firm, is a native of Germany, and Geo. Bernatz, the junior member, of this coun- ty. Their parents came to the U. S. in 1849 and settled in Roch- ester, N. Y .; came to Prairie du Chien in 1852 and to McGregor in 1855, and engaged in the brewery business, which they sold and went to Smithfield, Allamakec County, and bought the flour- ing mills; from there they came to this county, bought the Ad- dicken flouring mills, on the Canoe River, northeast of Decorah, and run the same two years; then bought the Riceford mills at Houston, Minn., and also built a mill in Fillmore County, Minn., known as the Newburg mills, and the same year built the Chaska flouring mills, near Minneapolis. They sold their Minnesota mills and came to this place in 1875; had bought the Evergreen mills in the fall of 1874, and have conducted the same ever since under the firm name of M. Bernatz & Son, until the fall of 1882, then under the above name. The mill is 40x50 feet, three stories and basement, situated on Turkey River; is fitted as a merchant mill and does merchant work only; has a capacity of 125 barrels; is fitted with five run of buhrs, one set of rollers, bran duster, puri- fier, and all the necessary machinery for a first-class mill, and gives employment to five men, besides the proprietors and coopers. It is probably the only mill in northern Iowa that runs steadily the year round as an exclusively merchant mill. Power is given with four Leffel water wheels, equal to 100-horse power.
D. Bright, farmer, living on section 30. and owns 160 acres; was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, in 1828; learned the trade of carpenter; came to Iowa in 1856, settling at Osage, Mitchell
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County, and lived there ten years, working at his trade; then came to this place and moved onto his land, which he had bought ten years previously. He has now thoroughly improved it, having it all under fence, good buildings, etc., and well stocked. He has a fine herd of good grade cattle; eleven head of horses, among which are some fine Clydesdale half bloods. Mr. B. has filled many offices in the township, and is a leading and respected citi- zen. He married in November, 1852, in Pennsylvania, Miss Mary Bowers, and has five children living, William, Lauren, Low- ella, Frank and Bert.
John Birtwistle, farmer, section 5, P. O. Cresco; owns 118 acres of land valued at $25 per acre; was born in England; is the fourth son of Edward and Priscilla Birtwistle; was married in 1855 to Miss Alice Grundy, a native of England. When he was 18 years of age he came to America; settled in Grundy County, Illinois, lived there two years, then moved to La Salle County, and after a residence of eight years there, came to Winneshiek County. He has three children living, Margaret E., John E. and William. Mr. B. was for a time employed by the government as a carpenter.
Hon. Ezekiel E. Cooley stands conspicuous among the early representatives of the legal profession in the Tenth Judicial Dis- trict. He is a native of the Empire State, born in Victory, Cayu- ga Co., on the 12th of January, 1827. His parents were Ira A. Cooley and Lydia Chittenden Cooley. His father was a clergy- man of the Baptist denomination, who held pastorates after his son was born, at Hermon, St. Lawrence Co .; Denmark, Lewis Co., and Brownsville, Jefferson Co. He died at the last named place in June, 1846. At the age of sixteen years the son entered the Black River Literary and Religious Institute, at Watertown, and at his father's demise was about to enter Hamilton College, but this bereavement thwarted all his plans. Two years prior to this date, while fitting for college, he commenced teaching, and in the summer of 1847 went to Cynthiana, Kentucky, to pursue this call- ing, arriving there with seven dollars in his pocket. Up to this date he had a hard struggle in procuring the knowledge which he then possessed, and which struggle was not ended; but he con- tinned to persevere, having the legal profession in view, and con- tinued teaching with a view to supplying himself with funds. Soon after reaching Kentucky he commenced studying law, witlı Judge Trimble as preceptor; was admitted to the bar in 1849, and in August of the same year returned to New York and took charge of a public school in Odgensburg. Not satisfied with his legal attainments, simultaneously with his commencing to teach, he read law, with Hon. A. B. James as preceptor, and on the 2d of September, 1850, was admitted to the bar of the State of New York. He commenced practice at Hermon; two years later he removed to Odgensburg, formed a partnership with George Mor- ris, and continued practice under the firm name of Morris & Coo-
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ley until October, 1854, when he immigrated to Iowa and located at Decorah. At that date there were less than thirty families in the place, but Mr. Cooley had the wisdom to see that it was a town of much promiise, and a good opening for an ambitious young attor- ney, with a broad foundation of legal knowledge on which to build. In 1855 Mr. Cooley formed a partnership with W. L. Easton and L. Standring, for the purpose of carrying on the busi- ness of banking and real estate. This banking house proved eventually to be the "seed-corn" of the First National Bank of Decorah. No movenent calculated to benefit Decorahı or the county has failed to receive the hearty support of Mr. Cooley. As early as 1856 he was one of the prominent men in organizing a railroad company called the Northwestern, of which he was made the attorney. The financial depression delayed this enterprise, but after repeated trials the road, under another name, reached Decorah in September, 1869. Upon the celebration of its com- pletion, Mr. Cooley was very appropriately made the orator for the occasion. Two years after he settled at Decorah, an effort was made to remove the county seat to Freeport, three miles east- ward, and but for the adroit efforts of Mr. Cooley and a few other persons, the project probably would have succeeded. Mr. Cooley came to Decorah to practice law, and to make it a business for life. He has carried out his intentions almost to the letter, and has at- tained eminence in his profession. The few offices he has held were urged upon him by the partiality of his friends. In the spring of 1855 he was elected prosecuting attorney, and served two years. When, in 1857, Decorah was incorporated, he was chosen president of its board of trustees; and in October of the same year he was elected to the lower branch of the general assembly-the seventh-which was the first under the new con- stitution. Young as he was, and wholly inexperienced in legisla- tive matters, he was placed at the head of the committee on fed- eral relations. He was also on other important committees, such as judiciary, and township and county organization, doing valuable work on all of them, as well as on several select committees. In 1861 Mr. Cooley was appointed postmaster of Decorah, but re- signed at the end of two years. In September, 1864, President Lincoln appointed him commissary of subsistence in the volunteer service, with the rank of captain. He held this position until October, 1865, when he was breveted major for meritorious ser- vices, and received his discharge the following month. Twice his republican friends have presented his name before the district conventions for congressional nominations, but in both instances competing candidates bore off the palm, and he magnanimously took the stump and aided in their election. In 1879 he resigned the office of mayor of Decorah to accept the appointment of judge of the Tenth Judicial District, and in Nov., 1880, was elected to the same position, and is still serving as such. Judge
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