USA > Iowa > Wright County > History of Wright County, Iowa, its peoples, industries and institutions > Part 46
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Henry Anderson is one of six children born to Ole and Melinda Ander- son, natives of Norway, and his birth occurred on April 27, 1860. in Ken- dall county, Illinois, the home of his parents, who immigrated to America in 1855 and settled in Kendall county. Illinois, where they resided until
MR. AND MRS. HENRY ANDERSON
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their deaths. Ole Anderson was a farmer, before and after his residence in the United States, and much of his knowledge was assimilated by his sons, who increased their natural perceptions, by a practical application of inherited ability. The names of his children follow: Mrs. Hannah Hex- stall, of Kendall county, Illinois; Andrew, also of Kendall county, Illinois; Oliver, of Kendall county; Mrs. Bessie Nelson, of LaSalle county, Illinois; Mrs. Melinda Larson, of Kendall county, Illinois, and Henry, of Wright county, Iowa.
Henry Anderson received his education in the common schools of his native county and assisted his father with the farm work on the home place until twenty-one years of age, at which time he rented land and began operations for himself. For two years his efforts in the agricultural line were made in Kendall county, Illinois, but in 1886 he removed to Hancock county, lowa, where he rented land and continued in his initial vocation for six years. In 1802 he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in section 12, of Norway township. Wright county, Iowa, and on this property he has continued to live for twenty-three years.
At the time Henry Anderson purchased his present home, it was prac- tically unimproved, while now it is one of the best country homes in the township, with a modern house and other buildings of the best construction. In 1887 Henry Anderson returned to Kendall county, Illinois, and was joined in wedlock to Julia Osman, daughter of Osman Osman, and a native of Kendall county, Illinois. Osman Osman and his wife were natives of Norway and the United States, respectively, though Mrs. Osman was of Norwegian descent.
Of the five children born to Henry and Julia ( Osman ) Anderson, three are deceased, two dying in infancy, and Melvin died when five years of age. Those living are: Orphie, born on June 28, 1894, and Frances, who was born on January 3. 1900. Orphie is a graduate of the common schools and has been a student of the college at Forest City, Jowa, having taken a com- mercial course at that institution of learning. Frances is a student of music in the college at Forest City, Iowa.
Religiously, Henry Anderson finds his inspiration in the creed of the St. Olaf Norwegian Lutheran church, of which he and his family are mem- bers. Among the offices of trust which have been bestowed upon him by his many admirers and fellow citizens, those of township trustee and school board member have been filled with a sincerity of purpose that has endeared him to those who know him best. His affiliations are with the Republican (32)
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party, and this organization receives his enthusiastic support. A visit to the farm of this progressive man is an inspiration and a help, for his method of cultivating and caring for the principal crops, beets, corn and oats, is pro- ductive of the best results.
CHARLES E. LONGLEY.
The Longley family is one of the oklest in America, ancestors of the present generation having come to this country on the "Mayflower." One of the descendants of the original Longleys who came over in the "May- flower" is Charles E. Longley, a prominent citizen of Belmond, Wright county, Iowa, who is now living retired. . He has been prominent in the agricultural, industrial and political life of Wright county for a generation, and is highly respected in the community where he lives and where he is so well known.
Mr. Longley is a native of Kane county, Illinois, where he was born on May 21, 1859. He is the son of Joseph L. and .Ann ( Wedge ) Longley, who were both born near Malden, Massachusetts. The late Joseph L. Long- ley was a butcher by trade in his early life, but later took up farming and when his son, Charles E., was only four years old the family sold their farm in Illinois and removed to Delaware county, Iowa, where they lived for a couple of years. From Delaware county the family moved to Burlington, in Coffee county, Kansas, but remained there only about one year and one- half when they removed back to fowa, settling at Belle Plaine, Benton county. There they lived for six months and on May 27, 1867, removed to Wright county, where Mr. and Mrs. Joseph L. Longley lived until their death. The family located one mile and one-half north of Dows, where they purchased land. It was there that Charles E. Longley spent the greater part of his boyhood and where he grew to manhood. At the time the family came to Wright county the nearest railroad was at Iowa Falls, Hardin county. Very soon afterward, however, the road was extended to Webster City, Hamilton county, and then to Alden, in Hardin county, which became their nearest market. Alden was fifteen miles distant.
Charles E. Longley received a good common-school education and lived at home with his parents until twenty-six years old, having in the meantime purchased eighty acres of land in Iowa township. After passing his twenty- sixth birthday he removed to his farm, which was slightly improved with a shanty and twelve acres of land which had been cultivated. After living on
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the farm for seven years, Mr. Longley moved to Belmond, where he has lived ever since with the exception of three years spent on a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in section 24, which for a time he owned. Mr. 1.ongley removed to the second farm and erected new buildings, and then sold it and moved back to Belmond where he had purchased property. Mr. Longley followed the carpenter's trade for some years after removing to Belmond. He is also proficient as a horseshoer and even yet does a little horseshoeing, masonry and plastering. He still owns the original farm in lowa township and has since added eighty acres to the farm. It is well improved, Mr. Longley having spent about three thousand dollars in install- ing drainage on the farm. It also has good buildings and good fences. Among his other interests Mr. Longley is interested in the Wright County Furniture Store Company.
On December 15. 1884, Charles E. Longley was married at Hampton, Franklin county, to Emma L. Grout, who was born in Michigan, near Armeda, in Macomb county, and who is the daughter of Aldrich and Eliza (Ballon) Grout, natives of Michigan and New York, respectively. Mr. and Mrs. Longley were the parents of one child, Mildred Electa, who died on February 13, 1890, when not quite five years old.
Mr. Longley supports the Republican party. He has served as town- ship trustee of Pleasant township, as president of the board of health, as road supervisor and as constable of the town of Dows. He was trustee of Pleasant township for nine years, president of the board of health for six years and road supervisor for two years. Mr. and Mrs. Longley are active members of and support the Spiritualist church.
FRANK O. FITTS.
The subject of this sketch made his entrance into the business world at ten years of age. No further evidence of a child's ambition can be desired. This hoy knew what he wanted to be when he should grow up to be a man. He wished to be what his father was, and with a wise under- standing of his child, the father encouraged the desire, thus adding to the force of heredity the power of early environment, and so strong was this combined influence upon the vocational life of the child, that he never cared to change it. Frank O. Fitts, at one time the youngest telegraph operator in the United States, was born on May 21, 1863. in Caledonia county, Ver-
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mont. His father was Orvis Fitts, and his mother, before her marriage, was Mary Nourse, the former being a native of Braintree, Vermont, and the latter of Bethlehem, New Hampshire. This is an old and well-known family in the East, and it is probable that they are of English origin.
Orvis Pitts, who was for many years a railroader, was the early inspira- tion of his son who while still a school boy, was determined to begin his lessons in telegraphy. His first lesson under his father occurred when he was in his tenth year, and it is said that he was the youngest telegraph operator in the United States at that time, that being the year 1873. The family was then living in Walden, Vermont, where he subsequently worked for four and one-half years as a substitute.
Frank O. Fitts came to Iowa in 1881 and worked for several years as an extra man at F't. Dodge, Livermore and Humboldt, and then went to South Dakota where he took his first regular position at Busnell, in 1883. After three years, he went to White, South Dakota, for three years, leaving there for a position in Elkton, South Dakota, where he remained for four years. and in June, 1894, came to Belmond, Iowa, where he has been agent for the Rock Island railroad ever since.
His interest in his work has not prevented Mr. Fitts from taking part in movements which have to do with the social welfare of the community. For some time he has been interested in manual training and domestic science as a part of the regular work, and it is due largely to the efforts of Mr. Fitts that these studies have been placed in the local public schools.
On June 29, 1888, Frank O. Fitts and Mary Stoutenburg were mar- ried in White, South Dakota. Mrs. Fitts was born on March 12, 1871, near Brampton, Ontario, Canada. She is the daughter of Jacob and Rachael Stoutenburg. Her parents having died when she was quite small, very little is known of them, other than that they are of German descent. Mr. and Mrs. Fitts are the parents of three children. Corri Orvis, assistant cashier of the Belmond Savings Bank, was born on June 25, 1889. Thera G .. a teacher in the local schools, was born on March 10, 1892. F. Onnalee, a student at the Oberlin Musical College, Oberlin, Ohio, was born on March 14, 1895.
Mr. Fitts' knowledge of and interest in educational subjects has made him a valuable member of the Belmond school board and his official work in that capacity has been along the line of progressive ideas and methods. He has also been a member of the city council. Mr. Fitts belongs also to the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and he and his family have been loyal and helpful supporters of the Methodist Episcopal church.
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An unusual singleness of purpose characterizes the life of Frank Fitts. The future men and women of Belmond will owe to him a debt of gratitude for the foresight which led him to advise the introduction of manual train- ing and domestic science in the public schools. In so doing, he has made practical vocational training possible to future generations as well as to the present. Such are the men who leave valuable monuments to their men- ory, monuments which mean the enhancement of life.
JAMES R. COULTER.
Coming to Wright county in 1886 with but three dollars to his name and in debt for the team of horses with which he began his career as an lowa farmer, James R. Coulter, an honored veteran of the Civil War, has done well and now, in the evening of his life, is living in comfortable retire- ment in his pleasant home at Rowan, this county, surrounded by comforts that scarcely were dreamed of in his boyhood.
James R. Coulter was born in Coshocton county, Ohio, on October 10, 1841, son of Josephus M. and Anna ( Pigman ) Coulter, natives, respectively, of Pennsylvania and Virginia, residents of Ohio from the time they arrived there as children with their parents, who immigrated to that state early in the settlement of the Coshocton region. Mr. Coulter's grandfather. William Coulter, was a surveyor and helped survey the entire county of Coshocton, receiving from the government a grant of land there in payment of his services. On this land, his son, Josephus M. Coulter, spent his entire life and there James R. Coulter was reared, receiving his schooling in a little pioneer log school house. He was twenty years of age when the Civil War broke out, and on October 20, 1861, he enlisted in Company A, Seventy- sixth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in which he served with Sherman's army for two years and six months, being discharged in February, 1864, on account of disability. Mr. Coulter participated in numerous important engagements of the war, notable among which were the battles of Ft. Donel- son, Shiloh, Corinth, Island No. 10, Arkansas Post and the siege of Vicks- burg.
Upon receiving his discharge Mr. Coulter returned to his father's home anl presently bought a portion of the old home farm, which he sold in 1873, after which he moved to Fulton county, Indiana, where he lived for twelve years. Ilis wife dying at the end of that time, he decided to come West. For two years he lived at fowa Falls, this state, where he married
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a second time, after which, in 1886, he came to this county, locating south of the village of Gault, where for three years he rented a farm.
When he came to Wright county Mr. Coulter had but three dollars and was in debt for his team of horses, but he prospered and at the end of five years was able to buy a farm of one hundred and twenty acres south of Dows, this county, for which he paid twelve dollars an acre-land that today is worth one hundred and seventy-five dollars an acre. Six years after buying that farm he sold it for forty dollars an acre and bought a farm of one hundred and eighty-five acres near Esterville, Emmett county, this state, for which he paid nineteen dollars an acre, and on which he lived for one year, at the end of which time he sold it for thirty-seven dollars and fifty cents an acre and bought a nearby farm for thirty dollars an acre which he sold a year later for forty-five.
In 1901 Mr. Coulter went to South Dakota, where he entered a home- stead claim, on which he lived until he had it "prooved ttp," in the mean- time buying more land near there, which he since has sold. In 1907 he returned to Wright county, locating in Gault, from which place, after three years residence, he moved to Rowan, where he now lives.
On February 29, 1868, James R. Coulter was united in marriage to Belle DeHuff, also a native of Coshocton county, Ohio, daughter of Henry and Mary ( McCarty) DeHuff, to which union two children were born, Blanche, who married F. B. Sheldon, of Rowan, this county, a biographical sketch of whom is presented elsewhere in this volume; and Bertha, who married David Hartness, to which union three children were born, Riley, Lyle and Rex. David Hartness was killed by a train at Belmond and his widow later married Earl Hadley and now lives at Carleton, Washington. On December 5, 1885, at Iowa Falls, James R. Coulter married, secondly, Janet Parland, who was born in Montreal, Canada, daughter of Thomas and Mary ( Mather ) Parland, natives of Scotland, which second union has been without issue. Mr. and Mrs. Coulter are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Rowan and take an active part in church work, rarely missing a service. They are concerned in all good works thereabout and are held in the highest esteem by their many friends, their pleasant home being the scene of much genial hospitality.
Mr. Coulter is a Republican and takes a good citizen's interest in the political affairs of the county. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias lodge and formerly was an active member of the Grand Army of the Repub- lic, but with advancing years has dropped his active connection with that patriotic order. He is a substantial citizen and is held in high regard throughout that entire section of the county.
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PETER CHRISTENA.
By the exercise of his own resourcefulness, even from youth, Peter Christena has largely attained the object of his early ambition, namely, a competency and a place of respect and esteem among his fellow men. He has kept in view the final good, and by tenacious activity and faith in him- self, he has sought to exemplify in his life and conduct the principles and high ideals which he inherited from his ancestors who were known to be people of sterling worth. But in doing this, he has not been unmindful of the claims of others upon his time and generosity.
Peter Christena, a retired farmer of Lincoln township, is a native of Germany, having been born in Bavaria, on May 27, 1834, and is the son of Michael and Margaret ( Gardner) Christena, both of whom were also born in Bavaria, Germany.
In 1843 the father of Mr. Christena, perliaps influenced by the migra- tory habits of his friends, joined some of them and journeyed to the United States, making his first home in the new country in Dearborn county, Indi- ana. Here he began life on eighty acres of land which he cultivated until 1854, when, with his family he removed to Clayton county, Iowa, where, with his son Peter, he purchased two hundred and fourteen acres of land at seven dollars an aere. These enterprising pioneers traveled overland on horseback and in wagons in which their household goods were stored, and en route, they passed through Indianapolis, and South Chicago, making the trip in the fall of the year. The journey required twenty-three days, and it was necessary to traverse forests and to ford many a dangerous stream. The father of the subject of this sketch made his home with his son, Peter, until his death which occurred in 1861, his wife dying ten years later. Of the seven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Christena, only two remain, these being Peter and his sister, Barbara.
Peter Christena attended school in Dearborn county, Indiana, his course, however, consisting of a very limited term of six months. He then assisted his father on the farm until the two journeyed to Clayton county, where he farmed until 1801, taking entire charge of the enterprise. In that year he located in Lincoln township on one hundred and sixty acres of land which he purchased and which became the scene of his general farming opera- tions and stock raising. Among his assets as an agriculturist are a large number of Poland China hogs.
Mrs. Christena was formerly Julia Goeller, and to her the subject of
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this sketch was married in 1865 in Claton county, lowa. Mrs. Christena is the daughter of William and Mary Katherine ( Funke ) Goeller. Eight children formed the household of Mrs. Christena's early home, and of these only three, August, William and Mrs. Christena, are living. Mrs. Christena was born in Prussia, Germany, of which country her parents were natives. Her father was a miller in Germany until the time when he came to America and located on a farm in Clayton county, lowa, which he cultivated until a few years previous to his death, when he made his home with a daughter in Yankton, South Dakota.
To Mr. and Mrs. Christena have been born the following children: Mary, now Mrs. John Ulrich; Emma, who married Alfred Pinion and became the mother of a daughter named Viola, and who is now deceased; Carolina and Amelia who are at home.
Mr. and Mrs. Christena are devout members of the Methodist Epis- copal church, of which Mr. Christena has held all the prominent offices, including that of trustee. Politically, he is a Republican.
Although living more than the biblical allotment of three score and ten, the gentleman whose life history is here considered, is unusually active and alert both mentally and physically. He takes an interest in the life about him and in affairs concerning the county, and enjoys a large share of popu- larity. His has been a most useful and helpful career and the many friends his geniality have won attest to the fact that he is a man worthy of friend- ship.
CHRISTIAN B. JOHNSON.
The history of a county, as well as that of a state or nation, is chiefly a chronicle of the lives and deeds of those who have emerged triumphant in the battles for success. The world determines the character of a com- munity by the success of its representative citizens and yields its tribute of admiration and respect to those whose works and actions constitute the record of the community's prosperity and pride. Among the prominent farmers and merchants of Wright county. Jowa, who are well known because of their success in the larger commercial affairs of life, is Christian B. Johnson, a merchant of Belmond, Iowa, who owns three hundred and twenty acres of land in Ransom county, North Dakota, as well as the home farm of three hundred and twenty acres in section 15, of Belmond town- ship. The home farm is well improved. Mr. Johnson's first quarter section
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of land cost three dollars and twenty-five cents an acre, the second quarter section cost sixteen dollars an acre. When he came to Wright county, lowa Falls was the nearest market, but two years later the railroad was extended to Garner, a distance of twenty-three miles.
Christian B. Johnson was born on January 13, 1848, at Ringsocket, Norway. He is the son of Barr and Agnetta ( Thompson ) Johnson, who were farmers in Norway. They were the parents of seven children. in August, 1850, the family arrived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, having come to America by the way of Quebec and from Quebec to Milwaukee by the way of the lakes. On the latter part of the trip from Quebec to Milwaukee, the father died of the fever. The mother proceeded to Dane county, near Stoughton, and lived there for one year. Afterward the family moved to la Crosse county, Wisconsin, where they purchased a small farm and lived in what is known as the Bostwick valley. After Christian B. Johnson's eldest brother died, his mother sold the farm and they moved to the La Crosse valley, in the same county, where she made her home with her eldest daughter and lived until her death.
Christian B. Johnson received a good education for his day and gen- eration In 1860 he immigrated to Wright county, lowa, having been married in the previous spring and having purchased land in Wright county in the spring of 1868. He made the trip from Wisconsin to Towa overland by driving three yoke of oxen. The journey required eight days, the family landing at Hickory Grove on May 24. 1869. Mr. Johnson's farm at that time was all wild prairie and had no improvements. His first house was built of hickory logs and consisted of one room, twelve by sixteen feet. Mr. Johnson was fortunate enough to own a stove and soon was comfortably settled in his log home. After a few years he built a better house. He also added more land until the home farm now consists of three hundred and twenty acres. This farm is now rented out. During these initial years in Wright county. Iowa, the Johnson family experienced all of the trials and hardships of pioneer life.
The family lived on the home farm until the fall of 1892. when Mr. Johnson moved to Belmond, purchasing an interest in the store owned by J. S. White. After continuing in partnership with Mr. White for six years, Mr. Johnson bought out his interest in the store and has operated it ever since. In the carly years of Mr. Johnson's business experience, the store had a large stock of clothing, but it was soon discovered that clothing was unprofitable, since most of the business at that time was done on credit,
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collections were slow and the investment too large for a satisfactory profit. Consequently, this department was abandoned.
On May 1, 1860, Christian B. Johnson was married in La Crosse county, Wisconsin, to Agnita Anderson, the daughter of Thomas and Johanna Anderson, of Norway, and herself a native of Norway. Mrs. Johnson's parents came to America in the spring of 1866 and first located in La Crosse county, Wisconsin, but later immigrated to Wright county, lowa
Mr and Mrs. Christian B. Johnson have been the parents of nine children, seven of whom are living, as follow: Anna J., who married H. C. Enger, and has three children, Agnes, Olga and Helen: Theodore, who is in the mercantile business at Latimer, Iowa, married Mollie Johnson, and has five daughters, Ruth, Alma, Gladys, Loretta and Theodora; Benton Joel, who attended college at Decorah, Iowa, and later took a course in bookkeeping at Albert Lea, now in the hardware and implement business in Belmond, married Hannah Olson, and has two sons, Gerhard and Clifford; Albert, who also attended school at Albert Lea, married Marie Schenna- man, and has two children, Eleanor and Viola, and is engaged in the mer- cantile business at Huxley, Iowa ; Gena Amanda and Julia Aletta are unmar- ried; Chester Gerhard married Edith Marsh and is employed in his father's store.
Christian B. Johnson is a Republican in politics, but has held no office of consequence. The Johnson family are all members of the Lutheran church and take an active interest in religions matters. Mr. Johnson is a liberal contributor to the support of the church and. in fact, to the support of all worthy enterprises.
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