USA > Iowa > Wright County > History of Wright County, Iowa, its peoples, industries and institutions > Part 45
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from his horse, which crushed him so badly that he never recovered. The mother continued to live with her son until her death in 1909.
Ole Thompson added to his original purchase by investing in another quarter section joining the first and continuing to cultivate the two, until his purchase of two hundred and forty acres in section 22, in Belmond town- ship. Still retaining the old farm, he removed to the new location, which he made the permanent home. In 1876 he was united in marriage to Carrie Kluge, daughter of Andrew and Margaret ( Knutsen) Kluge, of Humbolt county, Iowa.
The following children have been born to Ole Thompson and his wife, Carrie ( Kinge ) Thompson: Jessie G., wife of \. A. Olsen, of Belmond township, lowa: Adolph E., who is married and living in Belmond town- ship: Amanda .A., wife of Edward Carlson, of Des Moines, Iowa; Tolford .A., married and residing in Belmond township, Iowa; Clara A., wife of Joseph Olson, of Belmond township: Oscar C., married and living in North Dakota: Melvin L., living in Belmond township; Pearl H., wife of Alvin Erickson, of Belmond township: Adelaide J., who resides with her parents in Belmond: Ilarley M., at home and attending high school in Belmond; Lester, who died when two years of age, and another named Tolford, who also died when an infant.
Ole Thompson continued to follow agricultural lines until the spring of 1010, at which time he purchased his present handsome home in Bel- mond and has resided there from that time until now. While actively engaged in agricultural pursuits Ole Thompson bought and raised much high grade stock, principally Durham cattle and Poland China and Duroc- Jersey hogs. fle fed all the coru he raised and purchased much of the surplus raised by his neighbors. His land holdings now consist of two thousand acres in Wright and Hancock counties and one thousand acres in Minnesota and the Dakotas.
Ole Thompson is vice-president of the State Bank of Belmond, Iowa, and is president of the Olaf Elevator Company. That he has a clear judg- ment and an honesty of purpose, far above the average, is evidenced by the number of offices of trust which he holds, being treasurer of the Belmond Creamery Company and a director of the Belmond Lumber Company. He is also a director of the Belmond Telephone Company. His religious affilia- tions are in the St. Olaf Lutheran church, of which he and his wife are devout members. Ilis political faith is with the Republican party and he has always taken a great interest in all questions for its advancement.
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WRIGHT COUNTY, IOWA.
JAMES L. BROOKS.
One of the active farmers and business men of Wright county was James L. Brooks who was born on June 4, 1841, the son of Daniel and Mary ( Brook ) Brooks, both of whom were natives of Homefirth, York- shire, England. They were of a manufacturing class of people and on coming to America they established woolen and textile mills in Pike county, Pennsylvania, owing to the plentiful supply of water power in that section. . They remained there but a short time and retired from the business when James L. was but a boy and moved to Sparta, New Jersey, where the son received his education in a subscription school. The family remained there until 1861, where the father conducted a hoop factory, making wooden hoops for barrels and boxes; they then removed to Jo Daviess county, Illinois, where they lived until the death of the parents.
In 1869 James L. Brooks came to lowa, having brought his household goods by wagon, while the family came by train to Iowa Falls, from where it was necessary to complete the journey with a team and sled, there being no railroad to their new home. His brother, John, had at an earlier date settled in Straw Valley and to this locality the rest of the family came some time later. Mr. Brooks and his wife purchased eighty-nine acres of land, giving eight dollars per acre for it. The land was broken and a log house, sixteen by eighteen feet, with one room and a loft was erected. The loft was reached by a ladder and with these primitive conditions the family boarded the school teacher during the winter months. After five years they built a more modern and convenient frame house.
In 1876 Mr. and Mrs. Brooks sold the farm and moved to Clarion where they purchased the Clarion House which they conducted for one year after which they sold the property to Mr. Simmons and moved to Belmond where they conducted the Belmond House for five years. In 1881 they retired from the hotel business and purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land in section 12, Grant township. The land was undeveloped and unimproved, costing but ten dollars per aere. A house and other buildings were erected, the land cultivated and developed, and there the family made their home until 1899 when they came to Cornelia. In 1887 the family had spent one year in California where they conducted a hotel at San Luis Obispo. Mrs. Brooks had previously gone to the coast to visit her parents and was so enthused with the country and the climate that she prevailed upon her husband to join her there. Mr. Brooks died in Cornelia on Feb- ruary 9, 1914, and there the widow still resides.
JAMES L. BROOKS.
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WRIGHT COUNTY, IOWA,
On March 20, 1867, James L. Brooks and Mary Brown were married in Jo Daviess county, Illinois. Mary Brown was the daughter of John D. and Louisa M. (Gillett ) Brown and was born on February 7, 1849, in Jo Daviess county. Her father was a native of Windsor county, Vermont, and the mother was born in Erie county, Pennsylvania. The Browns are of old Puritan stock and it is thought that some of the family came over in the "Mayflower," at least the family was represented in America about that time. William Brown was major in the United States army during the War of 1812 and was later elected to the Legislature as a representative of his county in Vermont, His father, Tom Brown, was a sailor during the Revolutionary War, having enlisted at Boston. He was later taken prisoner by the British and detained in their camp in Nova Scotia until the close of the war, when he walked to Boston in the winter. He was a sailor during most of his life and followed whaling for years.
Mr. Brown, the father of Mrs. Brooks, moved from his home in Illi- nois to Missouri and from there to California, where he lived until his death. He was one of the early pioneers of Jo Daviess county, Illinois, and was a county commissioner at the time the townships were organized.
Mr. and Mrs. Brooks were the parents of five children, four of whom are living, namely: Dick, born on September 15, 1860; Harry, July 1, 1871; Thomas, October 16, 1872; and Cys, June 9, 1874. Dick Brooks was born in the old Ontario court house, of Wright county, and is married to Maud Christie. They live in Alberta, Canada, and have the following chil- dren : Marie, Ada, Bessie, Bruce, Camelia. David and Hazel. Harry Brooks married Ella Bamford and they live on the old homestead, in Grant township. They are the parents of the following children : Joseph. Esther, Ruth, Selah, James ( deceased ) and Laura. Thomas Brooks lives in Bel- mond township; he married Nellie Anderson and they are the parents of four children, Orlee, Merle, Elouise and Shirley. Cys Brooks married John Hogan, who died in 1912, leaving two children, Brooks and Lucy. The mother married John Ottinger and they live in Des Moines. Brooks lives with his mother while Lucy makes her home with her grandmother, Mrs. James L. Brooks.
James L. Brooks as a young man was a Republican in politics, but later advocated the principles of the Democratic party, and though he took an active interest in the work of his party he would never accept office. He was a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, a charter member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Belmond, but later withdrew
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his membership. He also belonged to the Oriental Order of the Palm and Shell. Mrs. Brooks was at one time a member of the Eastern Star.
Mr. Brooks, while not an active church worker, was all his life affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal church. He was always a great reader and devoted much time to study. Some time before his death he and his wife bought three hundred and sixty acres of land in sections 11, 12, 14 and 23, Grant township, and fifty acres in section 9, of the same township. Mr. Brooks was a man of broad and generous views, a hard worker and a suc- cessful business man.
THOMAS L. KNIGUIT.
Thomas L. Knight, a well-known retired farmer of Goldfield, Wright county, lowa, is a native of New Jersey, where he was born on June 20, 1842, the son of Thomas and Margaret Knight, natives of England and New Jersey, respectively.
Thomas Knight, Sr., was educated in the schools of England, and after having worked at the gunmaker's trade for fourteen or fifteen years, came to America. Upon landing in New York City he followed the gunmaker's trade in New York for some time, when he moved to a farm in New Jersey. After a number of years he moved to Ohio and farmed nine years and from there went to Dixon, Illinois, where he rented a farm and where he lived until seventy-five years old. Subsequently he retired and moved to Traer, lowa, and it was there that he passed away. To Thomas, Sr., and Margaret Knight were born the following children: Anna, Isabella, Abbie, Thomas, Charles, Robert. Dimick and Becks.
Thomas 1 .. Knight was educated in the public schools of Ohio, but received only an elementary education, having been. compelled to quit school at the age of nine years. Mr. Knight worked for his father on the farm until twenty years old, when the Civil War broke out and he enlisted in the Seventy-fifth Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, being a private in Com- pany A. Ile enlisted at Dixon, Illinois, in 1862. From Dixon the Seventy- fifth Illinois proceeded to Prairieville, Kentucky, where, in an engagement. the regiment lost four hundred and sixty-four men and it was Mr. Knight's part to assist in the burial of the soldiers killed in this battle. From Prairie- ville, the Seventy-fifth Illinois moved to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, where the regiment was victorious, but at great cost of life. After the battle of Mur- freesboro, the regiment participated in the battle of Buzzard Roost and
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WRIGHT COUNTY, IOWA.
then proceeded to Nashville, Tennessee, where it engaged in two battles. From Nashville the regiment marched to Chattanooga and from there to Lookont Mountain. Mr. Knight's regiment participated in the siege of Atlanta and it was there that the army was divided, a part going with Sherman to the sea. Mr. Knight's part of the army marched west to Franklin and there met the Rebel army. From Franklin the regiment returned to Nashville and participated in the last battle of the western cam- paign. Mr. Knight was discharged at this time and had participated in twenty-eight engagements during the eight months he was under fire.
Upon his return to Dixon, Illinois, Thomas L. Knight remained with his father until the fall and then rented a farm for two years. He was married in 1867 to Hannah E. Shore, the daughter of Benjamin Shore, a farmer of Ogle county, Illinois, who reared a family of six children. Mrs. Knight was educated in the public schools of Ogle county. To Mr. and Mrs. Knight have been born nine children, W. C., F. F., Thomas A., Jay, Margaret, Charlotte, Celestia, Lottie, and one child who died in infancy. W. C. married a Miss Duer and has three children. They reside in Gold- field. F. F. married a Miss Typer and has two children. They also reside in Goldfield. Thomas married a Miss Rowley and has two children. Jay married a Miss Killing. They are residents of Liberty township. Margaret married Daniel Robinson, of Liberty township and has eight children. Charlotte married Frank Miller, of Minnesota, and has five children. Celestia is the wife of Roscoe Samuels, of Liberty township, and has two children. Nettie is the wife of James J. Leach, of Illinois, and has one child.
Shortly after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Knight came to Iowa and settled near Grinnell, where they purchased a farm of eighty acres. After living on this farm for two years, they sokl out and moved to Tama county. settling near Traer, where they purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land. After farming this land for twenty-two years, Mr. and Mrs. Knight moved to Traer and lived there for two years, after which they came to Wright county, lowa. In 1800 the Knight family settled near Goldfiekl. purchasing a half section of land in Liberty township. Mr. Knight improved this farm and owned it two years, after which he sold out and purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land one mile north of Goldfield, on the Boone river. He continued to add to the acreage of the farm until he had five hundred acres where the town of Thrall now stands. The Knights lived upon the farm for nineteen years, and then for eighteen months operated a store at Thrall. Finally, Mr. and Mrs. Knight moved to Goldfield, where
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WRIGIIT COUNTY, IOWA.
they now have a modern home and enjoy all of the comforts and many of the luxuries of life.
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas L. Knight have belonged to the Methodist Epis- copal church for fifty-five years. Mr. Knight has served as township trustee, as school director and as constable. He is now serving as justice of the peace in Goldfield. Mr. Knight is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and belongs to the lodge at Goldfield. He has passed all of the chairs in the Odd Fellow's lodge. Nominally, Mr. Knight is identified with the Republican party in politics. He is a worthy citizen of this great county and state and has well performed all of the duties which fall to him as a man and citizen. Primarily, his interests have always centered in his home and family and to them he has given a full measure of devotion.
THOMAS S. WALLACE.
It has been the good fortune of Thomas S. Wallace to attract a large and appreciative patronage as a miller who has made himself an expert in his line of work. Personally, the gentleman whose name appears at the head of this biography possesses many of the excellent traits of character for which the Scotch are noted. His lineage is traced back to stanch old Scotch origin. Thomas S. Wallace was born on July 12, 1849, in Chester county, Pennsylvania. He is the son of William and Elizabeth ( Robinson) Wallace, natives of the above county.
While the Wallace family came from Scotland, they are also one of the oldest families in the United States. William Wallace, a farmer by occupation, was the father of six children, five of whom are living. R. Bruce Wallace, a historic old name worthy of pride, was a Civil War soldier and died about 1903. Mrs. Anna Martin, a daughter, lives in Pennsylvania, and her sister, Mrs. Lucretia Pratt, resides in Baltimore, Maryland. The subject of this biography was the fourth child, the youngest being C. Wesley Wallace, of Westchester, Pennsylvania. The remaining child born in this home died in childhood.
Thomas Wallace, who had only such educational advantages as were afforded by the country schools, remained under the parental roof until his eighteenth year, when he traveled to Pomeroy, Pennsylvania, in order to learn the miller's trade, selecting for his purpose, an old water-power mill. After three years, during which time he became versed in all that pertained
493
WRIGHT COUNTY, IOWA.
to his chosen trade, he worked for a year in Sedalia. Missouri, and from there, journeyed to Ackley, Hardin county, Iowa, where he worked for a period of eight years. In 1881 he returned to Pomeroy, to engage in busi- ness for himself, choosing for his work a new mill, and there he remained for the following three years. The next seven years were spent in Kimbe- ton where he became a well-known miller.
In 1803. Mr. Wallace located in Belmond to establish himself in the furniture business, which he followed for eight years. But he was happiest when superintending the work of a busy mill, and in 1900, answered the call to return to the occupation of his early choice, and erected a mill on the same site on which the old one had been located. And here he has labored ever since, becoming one of the best-known figures in the town. He mann- factures the "Peacock" and "Lily of the Valley" brands of flour, buckwheat flour, corn meal, graham flour and feed, the mill having a working capacity of sixty barrels of flour a day.
The marriage of Thomas S. Wallace and Elizabeth Butterfield was celebrated in 1874, in Hampton, Franklin county, Iowa. Mrs. Wallace being a daughter of parents who died when she was small, so little is known of them. Her birthplace was in Illinois. Mrs .. Wallace died in 1883. leaving to mourn her loss, her husband and four children. Their subsequent history is as follows: Elizabeth became the wife of Earnest W. Russell, of Minne- apolis. Minnesota ; May and Rose, who are twins, are teaching school; Anna, who became Mrs. Art W. Fissch, passed away in 1907, and was the mother of three children, Cecelia, Gale and Hellen. Mr. Wallace was married, secondly, to Mary Whalon, of Chester county, Pennsylvania, and to her he was united on January 1, 1885. Mrs. Wallace was the daughter of John and Catherine Whalon, native citizens of Pennsylvania. One child has been born in the Wallace home since this marriage, she being a daughter, Mary. She is now living at home with her parents, although she was at one time, a successful instructor in the Wright county schools.
Mr. Wallace has always been keenly interested in matters pertaining to education and has served his fellow citizens by giving much time and thought to the school question as a member of the school board for six years. Ile was its president for one year. In political affiliations Mr. Wallace is a Republican. IIe is a well-known member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. Mrs. Wallace and her youngest daughter are members of the Catholic church.
It is a pleasure to record, if only briefly, the chief events in the life of
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a man who is clean and wholesome both in ideals and conduct. Mr. Wallace is a man honest and fair in business; strong and loyal in friendship; and is worthy of the high regard in which he is held. No shadow of wrong or injustice mars the record of such a life, a life of a man respected and esteemed by all who know him.
THOMAS MCNULTY, SR.
One of the enterprising and successful farmers of Wright county, Iowa, who has been living retired for several years, is Thomas MeNulty, Sr. While he has personally enjoyed a large success in agriculture he has not failed to take a worthy interest in public movements, and is one of the best citizens of Belmond. Mr. MeNulty is a native of County Leitrim, Ireland, born on January 12, 1844. He is the son of Francis and Bridget ( McDer- mit ) McNulty, the former of whom was a farmer and the second of nine children born to his parents.
Thomas MeNulty, Sr., lived at home with his parents until he came 10 America, in the spring of 1860. After landing at New York City, where he remained for four years working as a laborer, he traveled to St. Louis, Missouri, in 1864, and there he worked in a packing house for nine months. Afterwards he removed to Macoupin county, Illinois, where he worked on a railroad for three years. He then went to Dubnque, lowa, and worked for a lumber company for nine months and then worked near to Independence, Iowa, as a laborer for various railroads for sixteen years. About 1885 Mr. McNulty came to Wright county, lowa, purchasing one hundred and twenty acres of land in section 6, of Pleasant township. The farm had been improved to some extent and cost Mr. MeNulty twenty-three dollars an acre. He improved the place in various other ways and added one hun- dred and twenty acres to the farm, living there for about nineteen years, when he retired and removed to Belmond. There Mr. MeNulty purchased a lot and built a house, in which he has lived ever since.
In 1863 Thomas MeNulty, Sr., was married in New York state to Mary Sharkey, a native of County Roscommon, Ireland, and the daughter of Michael and Catherine ( Burn ) Sharkey. By this marriage there were born five children, namely: Mary married Owen Sullivan, and they have nine chikfren, Mary, Agnes, Hazel, Nellie, John, Martin, Jose, Francis and Thomas; John is the father of three children, Francis, Charles and Will-
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WRIGHIT COUNTY, IOW.A.
iam; Francis married Kate Dougans, and they have three children, Mary, Florence and Frank: Delia married Malachi Norton, and they have no children; Thomas, Jr., married Julia MeLaughlin, and they have five chil- dren, Mary, Donald, Paul, Madonia and Edward. Mrs. Thomas McNulty, Sr .. died on April 23, 1904.
On November 13. 1907, Thomas MeNulty was married, secondly, in Wright county, Iowa, to Mrs. Mary ( Kelley) Kelley, who was born on January 12,. 1854, in Milwaukee county, Wisconsin, and who is the dangh- ter of John and Ellen ( White) Kelley, natives of County Galway and County Cork, Ireland, respectively. Mr. and Mrs. MeNulty were married in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Mrs. McNulty was first married in March, 1883. to John Kelley, a native of County Galway, Ireland, and they removed from Milwaukee to Hancock county, lowa, in 1884. In 1900 they removed to Wright county. where Mr. Kelley died on September 13, 1901. They had no children.
Mr. MeNulty is a Democrat. He and his good wife are members of the Catholic church. Mr. MeNulty is a member of the Roman Catholic Benefit Society.
HON. JOHN R. SMITH.
The Hon. John R. Smith, farmer, extensive landowner, business man, financier and representative of the people in public office, was born in, Rox- bury, New York, on January 27, 1838, the son of Robert and Jeanette ( Lyle) Smith, both of whom were natives of Forest, Scotland. Robert Smith was a farmer of his native country until he came to America, on July 4, 1836, and located at Roxbury, New York, near where he bought a farm, on which he lived for the remainder of his days. Robert Smith died in the year 1867: his widow, Jeanette, died in the year 1884. Robert Smith was descended from a well-known and prominent family, he being a cousin of Donald Smith, the great Canadian financier and railway man, who later became Lord Strathcona. Jeanette Smith was related to the Duke of Sulli- van, of England and Scotland. Robert and Jeanette Smith were the parents of the following children : Mary, David L., John, Robert S., William C., Thomas and Jeanette, who is now Mrs. Mitchell.
John R. Smith received his early education in the schools of Roxbury, New York, where he was associated with Jay Gould and John Burroughs, after which Mr. Smith attended the Delaware Literary Institute, at Dela-
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WRIGHT COUNTY, IOWA.
ware, Franklin county, New York, and then he taught school for some years. Following his career as a school teacher, John R. Smith became a cattle buyer, a business which he conducted in New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio, until the year 1881, when he moved to Wright county, lowa, and continued as a cattle buyer, doing business in the northern part of Iowa and in the state of Minnesota. After eight years as a cattle dealer, John R. Smith bought three hundred and sixty acres of land in Wright county, and has since added to his land until he now owns five thousand, three hundred and sixty acres : one thousand, two hundred and eighty acres of which is located in North Dakota: three thousand, two hundred acres of which is in Canada and five hundred and fifteen acres of which is located in the state of Missis- sippi. Mr. Smith now gives his entire time to the care of his land.
In the year 1890 John R. Smith became interested in the State Bank of Eagle Grove. On July 1, of that year, he took up the duties of cashier, an office which he held until 1905, when he disposed of his interest to the Citizens State Bank of Eagle Grove, and retired from active business lite.
John R. Smith has taken an important part in the political and public lite of Wright county and of the town of Eagle Grove. Mr. Smith was elected to the thirty-second and to the thirty-third sessions of the Iowa General Assembly, where he made an enviable record. He has served his town as treasurer for six terms and for a number of years was a valued member of the Eagle Grove school board. John R. Smith, in political affiliation, is a Republican, he having cast his first vote for Abraham Lin- coln in 1860. Mr. Smith has never married.
HENRY ANDERSON.
Henry Anderson, a farmer and one of the leading citizens of Norway township, Wright county, lowa, has the distinction of being an authority, in Wright county, on the culture of sugar beets, in which industry he was a pioneer. He is a man of big ideas and broad experience, being a student of agricultural and political science and a great reader. keeping abreast of the times on all national and civil issues.
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