USA > Iowa > Allamakee County > History of Winneshiek and Allamakee counties, Iowa > Part 65
USA > Iowa > Winneshiek County > History of Winneshiek and Allamakee counties, Iowa > Part 65
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Engebert Johnson, farmer, P. O., Conover; owns 300 acres of land on Sec. 3; was born in Christiansans Stifte, Norway, Oet. 21, 1842; came to the U. S. in 1864 and located in Freeport, thence to his present farm in 1868. In Nov., 1866, he was married to Gertrude O. Haugen, and has five children living, Peter, John, Ole, Christine and Andrene. He has lost two daughters by death.
Rev. Abraham Jacobson, postoffice Decorah; owns 174 acres of land in Sec. 2, Springfield tp .; was born in Norway, Jan. 3, 1836; came with his parents to the U. S. in 1848, and located at Mus- kego, Wis. In 1850 they came to this tp. and located on Sec. 1. His father died Sept. 10, 1879. The subject of this sketch began attendance at the Ill. State University, at Rockford, in the autumn of 1852, having accomplished about sixty miles of the journey on
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foot; there he remained until 1860, when he went to Chicago as pastor of the first M. E. Church; after one year returned home, and soon after went to Dakota as a missionary; thence, in 1862, to Quebec, Canada, as a missionary for one season. He then returned to this Co., and for three years was engaged in farming. In 1866 he went to St. Louis to attend the German Lutheran Concordia, and in 1868 went to Perry, Dane Co., Wis., as pastor of the church,' and remained until 1878, when a cyclone passed over the town, destroying the church, injuring the parsonage and several other buildings; one man was killed within a few feet of Mr. J., and he himself was badly bruised. He then returned to his present home, and works as a missionary in the west. In 1860 he was united in marriage to Mary H. O'Connor, who died in 1861. Jan. 3, 1863, he was married to Nicoline Hig, and has nine children, Clara G., Mary H., Jacob O., Signe A., Isaac M., David L., Helga L., Abra- ham S. and Carl G. Mr. J. has served as assessor and member of the board of supervisors, and was also captain of the home guards during the late war. He is the owner of a bible published in 1672 at Nuremburg, Germany.
James M. Lower, farmer, was born in Madison Co. Ind., in 1841, and in 1855 came to this Co. with his parents. After leaving the old homestead he bought the farm he now resides on, in 1871; it contains 82 acres, fine rolling prairie, is thoroughly improved, and is well stocked with horses, cattle, and as fine a drove of hogs as there is in the Co. They are his special pride, and show careful attention as well as fine stock; are principally Berkshire, with some Poland China. The place is well fitted for stock purposes, and is situated in one of the best parts of the Co. He was mar- ried in June, 1874, in Madison Co., Ind., to Miss Forkner, and they have three children.
Jas. Alex. Leonard, wholesale and retail dealer in books, station- ery, wall paper, musical instruments, etc .; is a native of the Em- pire state, having been born at Syracuse in 1840. He early in life turned his attention to mercantile pursuits, and soon became a member of the firm of Wynkoops & Leonard. June 10, 1867, he was united in matrimony with Miss Julia Ives. In 1876 he came to Decorah, at once engaged in his present business, and although an entire stranger his excellent social and business qualifications soon gained the esteem.of all, so that he is now recognized as one of the leading citizens of Decorah. He is at present an alderman of the city, but takes no interest in politics more than to perform his duty as a citizen. Mr. L. is also assistant engineer of the De- corah fire department. The children are Geo. I. and John L.
H. M. Langland, County sheriff, was born in Norway in 1845, being the oldest son of M. and Gertrude Langland, who emi- grated to the U. S. in 1849; lived in Dane Co., Wis., until 1854, since which time they have resided in Pleasant tp., Winneshiek Co. The subject of this sketch was educated at Albion academy
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of Dane Co., Wis .; subsequently taught school one year, and in 1870 was appointed deputy sheriff of Winneshiek Co., and served four years. From 1875 to 1880 he was a member of the firm of Lee, Johnson & Co., dealers in general merchandise, Decoralı, and in 1881 was appointed sheriff, vice D. C. Moore resigned. Mr. L. was married in 1876 to Miss Gertrude Iverson, who died in May, 1881.
Iver Larson is a native of Norway, born in 1837; came to the U. S. in 1850, and in 1851 to Winneshiek Co. Here he lived with his parents about ten years, and then attended school at St. Louis for about eighteen months, after which he clerked for Kerndt Bros., of Lansing, Io., until 1866. Mr. Larson then formed a partnership with Christ Aslesen, and was engaged in mer- cantile business at Brownsville, Minn., until 1878, since which time he has been at Decorah, where he now does a very large bus- iness in general merchandise. In 1866 he married Miss Anna Nel- son; they have one son and four daughters.
F. C. Lennon is of Irish and Scotch descent, and was born in the city of Milwaukee, Wis., in 1845. In June, 1855, the family came to Io. and settled in Frankville tp., this Co. Here the sub- ject of this sketch helped till the soil, and received a good, com- mon school education, and at different intervals taught school until 1876. He then came to Decorah, and has since been en- gaged as collector for different parties; also deals in real estate. Mr. Lennon is a good financier, and a man who does just as he agrees to do. Dec. 19, 1878, he married Miss Estelle Scott; they have two children, Hawley and Louisa.
J. G. Lamm was born in the state of N. Y. in 1844. He came to Winneshiek Co. in 1868, and in 1869 engaged in the saloon bus- iness, which he still continues. Mr. Lamm was married in 1872 to Anna Weyland, and they now have five children, Joseph, Armena, Leo, Emuel and Laren.
Christian Lower, one of the oldest and most popular citizens of Winneshiek Co., was born in Preble Co., Ohio, in 1814, and in the same year his parents moved to the then territory of Indiana. He lived with his parents in Wayne Co., Ind., until 1855, having taken unto himself a wife, Miss Barbara Hoover, he came to Io., and settled in Frankville tp., where he has resided ever since. He has been twice elected member of the county board of supervisors, and has served several years in the office of justice of the peace, in this tp. His farm contains 205 acres of fine land, and is all tillable, except 32 acres of timber, and is well stocked, fine Devonshire cattle being Mr. Lower's specialty, and in horses the Mambrino stock is his favorite. He has one thoroughbred of that stock, which is a magnificent animal. Mr. L. has arranged everything with a view to comfort and convenience. His pleasant residence is surrounded by a flourishing orchard, and a fine strong spring of
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pure cold water flows within a few yards of the house. Mr. and Mrs. L. have raised a family of four sons, and have lost by death one daughter.
Joseph Lennon, farmer, was born in County Monaghan, Ireland, in 1802; worked on farm there until 1829; then came to the U. S., settled first in Essex Co., N. Y., and worked on a farm for a time; then went to Canada West, and in 1840 returned to the states, settling in Racine Co., Wis., and farming. In 1853 he came to Io., and located in Winneshiek Co., the farm of 80 acres he now resides on being a portion of the original claim, the balance of which he has given to his children. He has filled the office of justice of the peace several years, and was for many years notary public. He was married in Ireland in April, 1828, to Miss Cath- erine Sherry; they have nine children living.
C. J. Lundgrens, variety store and dealer in cigars and tobacco; was born in Sweden in 1829: came to America in 1852, and settled in New York. In 1857 he removed to Red Wing, Minn .; thence to Conover, and in 1872 came to Calmar and established his pres- ent business. He married Caroline Isaacson, also of Sweden; they have three children, Albert F., Mary Amelia and Carl Theodore.
A. P. Leach, P. O. Freeport; farmer, Sec. 13-whose portrait appears in this work-is a son of David and Palmyra (nee Pardee) Leach, and was born Oct. 22, 1808, in Rensselaer Co., N. Y. In the year 1812 his parents moved to Chenango Co., which was then considered the far west, it being a wilderness and still inhabited by the red men. The subject of this sketch, at the age of 15, went to live with an uncle, who was a hatter at Canajoharie, at which business he worked till he was 21 years of age, when he returned to Chenango Co., and with his parents, the same year, 1829, moved to Chautauqua Co., where he soon after engaged in the manufacture of hats at the village of Stockton in said county, continuing till 1850, when he sold out and purchased a farm, and engaged in farming. In 1854 he sold his farm, and immigrated to Io., purchasing 300 acres of land in the beautiful valley of Freeport, in Winneshiek Co., three miles below Decorah on the Upper Iowa river, and where he still resides. At that time there were but very few settlers in the county and less than half a dozen houses in the now flourishing city of Decorah. Many privations and inconveniences were incident to the pioneers of this county; no place of market nearer than the Mississippi river, forty miles away. Mr. L. is at present the only one of the early settlers in his immediate vicinity now here, some having moved away, and others passed to their long homes. Mr. L. has been one of the foremost enterprising farmers of his tp., as the appearance of his residence and the surroundings indicate-a view which may be seen in the Andreas State Atlas of Io. He now owns but 120 acres of land, worth $75 per acre, having disposed of 180 acres of his original purchase, for the purpose of reducing the labor and
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care incident to carrying on a large farm, although for a man of his age he is possessed of remarkable strength of body and mind. Mr. Leach was married to Miss Elira King. of N. Y., in 1832. Their children are Antoinette, David, Maggie, Augusta, Willie and Minnie.
N. B. Libbey, farmer, Sec. 32. P. O. Cresco: owns 240 acres land valued at $25 per acre; was born in Maine in 1832; is the son of Elias and Mehitable Libbey, and was married in 1860 to Susan Jane Libbey, also of Maine.
M. S. Lemon, farmer, Sec. 32, P. O. Ridgeway; owns 80 acres of land valued at $40 per acre; was born in St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., in 1840. When he was 21 years of age he came west and lo- cated in this Co. He was married in 1870 to Ellen Kittleson, a native of Wis. Mr. Lemon is the fourth son of James and Fanny Lemon, and has six children, Melerna, Cleara, Genie, Charles, James and Wilbur. He has been town clerk for several years.
Moritz Lange, farmer, Bluffton tp., was born in Dresden, Ger- many, in 1824, of wealthy parents, and received a fine education at some of the best academies. When 17 years of age he entered the German army and served the regular term of six years. He became implicated in a rebellion there, and was obliged to leave; his property was confiscated, and he dared not return. He came to America in 1848, and lived in New York, Albany and other cities in N. Y., and returned to the farm. He has filled various offices in the tp .; has been justice of the peace several terms, and still holds that office. He was married in N. Y. in 1852 to Miss Margaret Dawley, and has four children, Adelbert, George, Wil- liam and Charles. In 1854 he came to Io. and lived in Canoe tp., this Co., for some time, and then on Franklin Prairie; and in 1856 he came to this place, where he now resides and owns 80 acres, well improvad and stocked. In 1862 he enlisted at Bluffton in the 38th Io. Inf., Co. E, as corporal, under Capt. Cleghorn, served three years, and was in many of the important engagements. He was discharged at Houston, Texas, in 1865, and paid off in Davenport.
J. A. Libbey, farmer, Sec. 32, P. O. Cresco; owns 1200 acres of land valued at $25 per acre; was born in Maine in 1832; is the son of Ebenezer and Susan Libbey. At the age of 18 he went to N. H .; lived there seven years, and from there moved to Winne- shiek Co., Io. He was married in 1857 to Miss Buelah A. Stevens, a native of Great Falls, N. H., and has five children, Dora M., Milton O., Etta F., Minnie A. and Walter R. He has held the office of township trustee one full term. His children are all liv- ing at home, except Dora M., who is married.
J. A. Klein, county superintendent of schools, was born in Jef- ferson Co., Wis., in 1848, receiving his education at the State Normal school at Whitewater. He taught school at Jefferson two years, and at Fort Atkinson one year. In 1875 he came to Io., and
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until 1881 was principal of the schools of Calmar. He was elected to the office which he now holds in the fall of 1881. Mr. Klein married Miss Louise Klein August 19, 1880, and now has one daughter.
J. J. Klopp, druggist, was born in Ohio in 1849; was educated at Notre Dame college, near South Bend, Ind. At the age of 16 he commenced keeping books at Cincinnati, and continued until he became of age. He then went to Leavenworth, Ind., and en- gaged in the drug business. Here, in 1876 he married Miss L. E. Ammon. In 1877 he came to Decorah. They have three children.
Jens O. Kalloway, P. O. Decorah; farmer, Sec. 21, Glenwood tp .; son of Ole J. and Christy Kalloway; was born May 31, 1844, in Bergensteft, Norway, and emigrated to the U. S. with his par- ents in 1862, first stopping in Crawford Co., Wis., and the follow- ing year came to this Co. and tp., where his father died in 1871. His mother is still living and is with the subject of this sketch, who located on his present farm in 1872. He was married to Miss Tilda Johnson, also of Norway, January 31, 1876; they have three children, Oli, John and an infant son. Mr. K. is a member of the Lutheran church.
John Kennedy, P. O. Decorah; farmer, Sec. 28; was born in Sherrington, Canada, in 1826, and emigrated to Decorah in 1856, and engaged in the manufacture of wagons, which he continued till 1871, when he came on to his present farm; was married to Miss Margaret Burrows in Canada-they have three children, Mary, William and Claudius.
John B. Kaye, attorney at law, was born in England in 1841. He came to America with his parents in 1842, and settled in Md .; removed to Penn .; thence to Wis. in 1848, and located near Ge- neva, Walworth Co. In 1863 he went to Nevada, where he re- mained four years, and returned to Wis. He spent two years in Wis., Md. and Penn., and again went to Nev., where he remained until 1871. He studied law with J. A. Smith, of Geneva, Wis .; came to Iowa in 1872, was admitted to the bar at Decorah, and established practice at Calmar. He married Fannie Green, a native of Walworth Co., Wis. Their children are, Percy S., Mary Ger- trude, Alice, Edna and Sarah Eliza.
John Knox, farmer, owns 120 acres of farm land and 10 acres of timber. Mr. Knox was born in County Kilkenny, Ireland in 1846. In 1855 he came to the U. S., spent that fall in New York; then came west, settling in this county. He worked on farms for about six years, then, having saved some money, bought the land he now owns; which he has thoroughly improved and well stocked. He was married in February, 1873, in Burr Oak tp., to Miss Mary E. Whalen, and they have three sons and one daughter.
Rev. U. W. Koren, P. O. Decorah; pastor of the Lutheran church in Springfield tp., located on Sec. 1; also has charge of three other churches in the vicinity, the aggregate cost of the four
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churches being $42,000-his home church costing $17,000, with a very fine parsonage costing over $5,000, and very pleasantly sit- uated in a grove about sixty rods from the house. The Rev. Koren is also president of the N. E. L. Synod, the same being similar to the duties of bishops of the M. E. church, his jurisdic- tion extending over the territory west of the Mississippi river to the Pacific ocean. The subject of this sketch was born in Nor- way in 1826, and received a classical and theological education at the University of Christiana, where he completed the course and was ordained in 1853; and the same year, in answer to a call from the Lutheran church of the northwest, he immigrated to the U. S., coming direct to this Co. and located, where he still resides, the country then being very sparsely settled. He at once engaged in establishing churches, and entered upon a general missionary work, which extended over the counties of Clayton, Fayette, Chick- asaw, Howard, Winneshiek and Allamakee, Io., and Houston and Fillmore counties in Minn., which area of territory now contains about fifty churches and twenty pastorates. Rev. Koren was largely instrumental in the establishing of the commodious Luthe- ran college at Decorah; purchasing the land upon which it is located, and otherwise doing much toward securing the establish- ment of the college. He was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Hysing, in Norway, on the 18th day of Aug., 1853; their children are Ahlert H., Johan, Paul, Wilhelm, Henriette, Carolina M., Elizabeth and Marie.
Frank Kapinos, P. O. Spillville; proprietor of saloon; son of John and Barbara Kapinos; was born in Bohemia, Austria, in Nov., 1847, and came with his parents to Milwaukee, Wis., in 1852. His father was engaged in the employ of the C. M. and St. P. R. R. Co., and was killed by a railroad accident near Mazoma- nie, Wis., in 1866. The subject of this sketch came to Io. in 1859, and engaged with his brother-in-law, John Elbling, at McGregor, in the manufacture of cigars. In 1859 he came to Spillville and engaged in his present business. He was married to Miss Lena Jarash in 1871; they have six children, Caroline, Emma, Frank, Lena, Mary and Louisa. He is a member of the Catholic church.
John J. Kovarik, teacher of the Catholic school, organist in the Catholic church and leader of the band at Spillville; was born in Bohemia in 1850; attended the college at Pisek for five years, and came to the U. S. with his parents in 1868. They located in this town, where the 'subject of this sketch engaged in teaching both the English and Bohemian languages. Feb. 15th, 1870, he was married to Elizabeth Riha, and has five children, Joseph, John, Cecelia, Elizabeth and Mary.
Othmar Kapler, farmer and notary public, does a general con- veyancing business; P. O. Spillville; owns 300 acres of land be- sides his homestead of two acres, and 40 acres of land in Fayette Co .;
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was born in Wurtemburg, Germany, Nov. 15, 1840; came with his parents to the U. S. in 1852, and located at Shepherdstown, Va. He removed to Wheeling the following year; thence to Cal- houn Co., Ill., in 1854, and the spring following came to this Co. In August, 1862, he enlisted in Co. B, 21st Io. Inf .; participated in a large number of important battles, and was discharged at Clinton, Io .; returned home and engaged in the hardware business with George A. Purdy, which they conducted for one year; then Mr. K. sold to his partner and came to Spillville, where he opened a hotel and boarding house, which he ran until 1878. He has been notary public since 1866, and justice of the peace two years. He married Barbara Rachel; daughter of the first sheriff of this Co .; they have seven children, George R., Caroline, Rosa, Louisa, Regina, Anna and Frank.
W. H. Klemme, lumber dealer, was born in Franklin Co., Ind., in 1849; is son of H. W. and Katherine Klemme. When he was 12 years of age his parents removed to this tp., where they have since resided. In 1871 he engaged in the dry goods business in company with Mr. Bolles. The following year he sold his inter- est in the dry goods business and entered the lumber trade, whichi he still continues. He was married to Augusta Bolles, also a na- tive of Ind .; they have one daughter, Nellie.
Albert Kittleson, farmer, Sec. 15; owns 160 acres of land valued at $30 per acre; was born in Norway in 1826; is a son of Charles Kittleson. He came to America in 1851, stopping in Wis. about two years; in 1853 he came to this Co. and in 1855 settled on his present farm. Mr. Kittleson has been one of the tp. trustees since the town was organized, and also assisted in organizing the tp. of Lincoln; he was instrumental in getting the Turkey river bridged in three different places, and has been a man of great value to the township in improving the public highways generally. He has been twice married, first to Anna Thompson, who died in 1865, leaving five children; his second marriage was to Emma Johnson, and they have one child.
Howard A. Kinne, farmer, Sec. 13, P. O. Cresco; owns 160 acres of land valued at $30 per acre; was born in 1839 in Onon- daga Co., N. Y .; is the oldest son of Julius and Rachel Kinne; came west in 1860 and bought a farm near Decorah, Io. In 1862 he enlisted, and after the war settled at Freeport, and made that his home until 1877, when he moved to Orleans tp., and has been a resident of that tp. since. Mr. Kinne was married in 1860 to Hannah Tobin, a native of N. Y. Mr. Kinne enlisted in 1862 in the 6th Io. Cav. (Col. Wilson), and saw active service in the north- western department, participated in the battle of Tah-kah-okaty, July 28, 1864, and the battle in the Bad Lands, August 8 and 9, 1864; was honorably discharged October 17, 1865.
H. W. Masters, farmer, Burr Oak tp .; was born in 1844 in Steu- ben Co., N. Y. He came to this state in 1864, and lived for three
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years with his uncle, W. J. Masters, who came several years earlier. He then went back to N. Y. and married Miss Margaret Vosberg, of Schuyler Co., N. Y., and in the following year returned to Io. and bought the farm now owned by Ezra Weldon. He lived there about three years, then sold to Mr. Weldon, and in 1872 bought the place he now resides on, there belng 120 acres situated in Sec. 9, well improved, good residence, etc., well stocked and all under fence. They have five children, Frank, Addie, Clar- ence, Jennie and Guy. Mr. Masters has filled various offices in the tp .; has been justice of the peace two terms; is a member of the I. O. O. F., Burr Oak lodge; of the A. F. and A. M., Decorah lodge, and the R. A. M.
B. M. Lein, dealer in general merchandise, was born in Norway in 1838, and was a tailor by trade; came to the U. S. in 1867, and spent the first summer in Allamakee Co., Io .; then moved to Hes- per, established business as tailor, and built up a good trade. After being there one year he bought property. In the summer of 1882 he added a new and complete stock of general merchandise and also conducts his tailoring business in the building belonging to Johnson Pike, located on the main street of the town. Mr. L. was married in 1860 in Norway to Miss Willmann, and they have three children.
Hon. H. C. Manning, the only son of Alpha and Levina Man- ning, and partner in farming with his father, has served several terms as member of the board of supervisors, and was elected in the fall of 1879 on the republican ticket to represent this district in the 17th session of the State Legislature, and is one of this county's most prominent citizens.
Alpha Manning, farmer, was born in Jan., 1812, in the Province of Quebec, Canada, came to the U. S. in Feb., 1857, and settled in this place. He had purchased the land three years previously; had been in the mercantile business, also in manfacturing agricul- tural implements, plows, wagons, etc., and in farming. His land here is thoroughly improved, and is farmed and owned in partner- ship with his son, H. C. Manning. They own 370 acres, all in this tp., with good residence, barns, etc., and well stocked. Mr. Manning was married in 1837 in Canada East, to Miss Levina VanDrake, by whom he had five children. Mrs. Manning died in April, 1866, and he afterwards married in May, 1867, Mrs. Stork, (nee Van Drake.)
John May, farmer and stock raiser and dealer, Burr Oak; one of the heaviest land owners and stock men in the Co .; come to this place in 1868 from W. Va. He had there followed business as a contractor and builder. He purchased large tracts of land, including land in Secs. 14, 23 and 24, in all about 500 aeres. The home farm is on Sees. 23 and 24, and the buildings, including the large and handsome stone and frame barns, and an elegant resi- dence, are in the village of Burr Oak. The barns and buildings
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used for stock are the most complete and elaborate in fittings for their different purposes of any in the Co. They are well stocked, and were erected in 1877 at a cost of over $7,000, exclu- sive of cost of labor, and cover one village block. The residence, which is a handsome frame structure, is in the center of another block on a handsome elevation overlooking the pretty village. The farm land is all improved and is operated in partnership with his son, George May, and his son-in-law, Peter Pfeiffer, the latter being the general manager and overseer.
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