USA > Iowa > Johnson County > Leading events in Johnson County, Iowa history, biographical > Part 37
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ORRIN ANDREWS (Deceased)
Probably no couple were more intimately associated with the early history of Johnson county than Orrin Andrews, who passed to his reward January 11, 1902, and his venerable widow, who is so widely and favorably known there. They passed through many years of hardship and privation and enjoyed the fruits of their early toil together, being among the earlier pioneers to locate in their community. Mrs. An- drews well remembers the early years when wolves were fre- quently seen in front of their cabin, and deer, elk, and wild fowl were plentiful. At first the candles used for lighting the home were made by the primitive method of "dipping," and later, when molds came into the market, the new method was considered a great saving of time and work. She was a typi- cal pioneer wife and mother, and was always most solicitous of the comfort and welfare of her family.
Orrin Andrews was born in Orange county, N. Y., December 8, 1825, son of Nathan and Filena (Ames) Andrews, and died
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in Johnson county, Iowa, the same day that his son, Charles M., was called to rest, a severe shock to the widow and mother, thus doubly bereaved, and one from which it seemed difficult to recover. Mr. Andrews was very young when he removed with his parents to Oswego, New York. Eight years later he accompanied them to Trumbull county, Ohio. One year later removal was made to Erie county, Pennsylvania, where he at- tended the country schools. He was married in Crawford county, Pennsylvania, and moved to Towa in 1854, locating first on the home where his father had located, the latter being a pioneer of Graham township, Johnson county. Later he purchased eighty acres of land in Section 10 and kept adding
THE ANDREWS HOMESTEAD
to his holdings until he had 300 acres. He took an active and honorable part in all publie movements and was one of the building committee who erected the Christian church at Morse, being one of its founders and an elder for many years. His widow is still an active and useful member. He served as township trustee and four years as justice of the peace, also being active in school matters. He was keenly interested in local and national politics. He became very successful as an agriculturist and erected good, substantial buildings on his farm. He also made other improvements and installed mod- ern machinery. He fenced and tiled the place and brought it to a high state of cultivation. In the early days he was obliged to use the crude and primitive tools of the day, such
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as the diamond plow and the cradle, and was delighted with modern tools for lightening labor and saving time. He was a most highly respected member of society, popular in many circles, and sincerely mourned by his multitude of friends. He is buried in the Morse cemetery as is his son, as this is the family cemetery with many members buried there.
Mr. Andrews was united in marriage with Sarah Shepard in Crawford county, Pennsylvania, December 16, 1852, married by Justice Finley, and they made their first home in Erie county, Pennsylvania, remaining there two years until moving to Iowa. Sarah Shepard was born in Erie county, Pennsyl- vania, February 6, 1827, daughter of Mason and Jane (Smith) Shepard, her father a native of Vermont and a farmer by oc- cupation. He was married in Erie county and died in Craw- ford county, Pennsylvania, in 1866, at the age of seventy- seven years. Mrs. Shepard was born in Erie county and died in Crawford county, at the age of eighty-six years. Mrs. Andrews, the eldest of their eight children, is now in her eighty-fifth year, and in full possession of her faculties. She was reared on her father's farm and well educated in the public schools and in an academy. The locality where she and her husband settled, soon after coming to Johnson county in the spring of 1854, was mostly unbroken prairie, but con- tained some timber. The trip to the new home was fraught with interest to the young couple. They came by wagon to Erie City, thence down the Ohio by steamer and on to Cleve- land, thence by rail to Chicago, and on from that city by stage to Tipton, Iowa. Arriving at Tipton, they crossed the Cedar river at Gower's Ferry, now Cedar Bluffs, and landed in Newport township, their final destination. Part of Newport was later included in Graham township, the present home of Mrs. Andrews.
Mr. Andrews lived for a time on his father's farm, where their first children were born, and the first eighty acres of their own was unimproved. Their hewed log cabin was of fair size, plastered and mortared with clay, and it is still plainly remembered by Mrs. Andrews. The location was formerly known as Picayune Grove, and they lived there nine years. In the rugged pioneer cabin Charles M. Andrews first saw the light. Their three children were: Jennie I., wife of Arthur
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E. Page, a farmer of Polk county, Wisconsin, whose postoffice addres is Frederick; Jessie I., married James Cozine, M. D., a Chicago physician, died November 27, 1911, and is buried in Oakwoods cemetery, Chicago, Illinois, also have one child de- ceased; Charles M., who died in 1902. Mr. and Mrs. Page have the following children: Miss Edna, the sole companion and comfort of her grandmother; Ada, married Charles John- son, lives in Frederick, Wisconsin ; one child, Gladys Leora, the only great grandchild of Mrs. Andrews; Arthur O., Tracy S., Bertha S., and two deceased. These are Jennie Andrews' children. Mrs. Andrews lives in the old homestead in Graham township. Miss Edna is a bright and charming young woman and brightens the days of her aged grandmother. Mrs. An- drews has rented all her land and is relieved from its care, so that she is able to enjoy a well earned rest with few cares to interrupt her ease and quiet. She has a vivivd recollection of early days and her account of her earlier life is most inter- esting. This is one of the rare families in which there are four generations living.
ELIZABETH HRDLICKA
Few persons have been more closely identified with the history of eastern Iowa than Mrs. Elizabeth (Stone) Hrdlicka, whose father was the first white man in Cedar Rapids, where he had a claim and shanty and was an Indian interpreter at the trading house. She has spent many days in active farm work, for in early life she was accustomed to help with husking corn and other tasks within her strength, and when living with her grandparents performed numerous household tasks and also spent many hours a day at the spinning wheel. She is a native of Johnson county, born in Oxford township, in 1845, daughter of James Wilbert and Elizabeth G. (Brown) Stone. James W. Stone was born in Providence, Rhode Island, and died at Hudson, St. Croix county, Wisconsin. His wife was a daughter of Joseph and Mary (Cruson) Brown, her father from Pennsylvania and her mother from Virginia, and mar- ried in Ohio.
Elizabeth Stone was a babe of four weeks when her mother
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died and she was reared by her grandparents, Joseph Brown and wife, who came to Johnson county in 1841. She received her early education in the country schools of Monroe township and later attended school at Blairstown, Benton county. She was married, on Independence Day, July 4, 1865, to Maurice Hrdlicka, Squire Sulet performing the ceremony. (Mr. Sulet is father of Ed. Sulet, a sketch of whom appears in these pages.) After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Hrdlicka lived on the Orville Babcock place two years, then purchased sixty-five acres of land where the son now lives. It was nothing but
RESIDENCE OF ELIZABETH HRDLICKA
brush and prairie, but he cleared and broke it, adding to it until he owned 240 acres in this place. It was partly covered with timber in 1867, and bore little resemblance to the well improved farm of today. Mr. Hrdlicka also purchased a twenty-two acre tract of land for his wife, which was not to be considered a part of his estate, but set aside for her especial use and ownership.
Mr. Hrdlicka was born in Bohemia September 22, 1843, son of Joseph and Theresa Hrdlicka, who came to the United States when he was a boy. They came to Cedar Rapids and later to Johnson county. Maurice Hrdlicka gave up active work in 1904 and prepared to spend his remaining years in
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comfort and ease. He erected a fine home in 1901 and fitted it with modern conveniences. Their first home had been a modest one-room dwelling and they had replaced it when they began to prosper in their operations. They worked in har- mony to attain success and both were most industrious and ambitious. They won the entire respect and esteem of their neighbors and found time to enjoy the society of their many friends. Mrs. Hrdlicka is a woman of intelligence and good breeding and was a valuable helpmate. Mr. Hrdlicka passed away while on a visit to his daughters in Cedar Rapids, Jan- uary 19, 1908, and his loss was a shock to the entire community, where he had passed the latter part of his life.
Eleven children are now living of this couple: Joseph, who married Mary Brown, lives on a part of the home place and they have two children, Florence and Mary; Catherine, wife of Elias Brant, of Clear Creek township, has three children, Raymon, (Miss) Georgie E., and Floyd; Mary Agnes, married Paul Dodt, of Madison township, and their two children, Beu- lah Florence, and Maurice Earl; Charles, married Mary Hempsky, of Linn county, and their children are three in num- ber, Harold, Lloyd L., and Dorothy M .; Elizabeth, wife of Edward Anderson, of Cedar Rapids, has two children, Donald W., and Gladys; Wilbert A., married Bessie Dodd, lives in Cedar Rapids, and they have two children, Irene and Wilma. All these children have been well educated and reared to take their proper places in life. They revere the memory of their father and honor their good mother, who has meant so much in their lives.
MILTON MELVIN WOLFE
Milton M. Wolfe, of an old and well-known Johnson county family. was born on the homestead in Madison township, where his paternal grandfather settled in 1854. This is one of the oldest farms in the county and was developed and im- proved by successive generations of the Wolfe family until the present day, when it is one of the best in the region. Mil- ton M. is a son of Mahlon K. Wolfe, a sketch of whom also appears in this work, and the family is given further mention in connection with the sketch of Clarence K. Wolfe, also to be
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found in these pages. The grandfather, Captain Louis R. Wolfe, was born in Knox county, Ohio, being a son of Christo- pher Wolfe, a native of New Jersey and of German descent. Malılon K. Wolfe now lives retired from active life, in Iowa City, the old home having been sold to his son Clarence K.
Mr. Wolfe of this sketch was educated in the public schools and reared to farm work. After attaining his majority he carried on farming near Fairfax, Iowa, seven years, then sold out there. In 1909 he purchased the Zeller farm of 108 acres on Section 13 of Penn township. He has forty-five acres of corn and is known as an energetic, able farmer. He has erect- ed a modern residence, which is heated by a furnace and
RESIDENCE OF MILTON M. WOLFE
furnished with modern conveniences in every possible way. He makes a specialty of Norman horses and has a good breed of cattle and hogs as well. Besides this place he owns a 200- acre farm in Sanborn county, South Dakota, which is cared for by a tenant and is growing in value year by year. Like the others of his family, he has a keen business instinct and manages his affairs with good judgment. He is a democrat in politics and much interested in local affairs. He is also prom- inent in fraternal circles, belonging to the M. B. A., and the A. F. & A. M. of North Liberty. He and his wife are well- known socially, having a large number of friends.
In 1900 Mr. Wolfe was united in marriage with Miss Mae
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Stoner, daughter of William Stoner, of North Liberty, and three children have blessed this union: Myrle, Donald, and Russell, all bright young folks and children of whom their parents are justly proud.
WILLIAM STONER, deceased, was born in Pennsylvania, in 1847, son of John Stoner. He became a farmer and stock- man after coming to Iowa and bought, fed, and shipped cattle and hogs on an extensive scale. He became one of the suc- cessful business men of North Liberty, where he erected a pleasant modern home. He purchased a fine 240 acre farm on Sections 10 and 11 of Madison township, and this place is now the property of L. O. Wolfe. He became known through- out the eastern part of Iowa for his activity in the stock busi- ness and won an enviable reputation in business circles. His death occurred December 22, 1901, and his loss was sincerely monrned by all who had known this estimable business man and public-spirited citizen. His wife's maiden name was Alice Markham, and their union took place in 1871. She was born in Pennsylvania, daughter of Martin and Emeline (Wat- erman) Markham, natives of the same state, who came to Iowa when she was four years old. Mr. Markham was a car- penter in early life but later became a farmer in Oxford, Mon- roe, and Madison townships, Johnson county. He died in Illinois in 1894 and was buried at Glidden, Iowa. Mrs. Ston- er was the eldest of nine children. Mr. and Mrs. Stoner be- came parents of eight children: Lester, of Madison town- ship, married Nellie Wray, who died, leaving two children, Gertrude and Richard; Emma, married George Ranshaw, a sketch of whom appears within these pages; Ollie, died in young womanhood in 1909; May is the wife of Mr. Wolfe; Martin J., married Mattie Myers, of Madison township, have two children, Donald and Wendell; Adella, married E. M. Wray and they have no children, live in Sanborn county, South Dakota, where they have a farm ; Glenn, married Inez Cheadle and they have a daughter, Gladys, and live on a farm in Sanborn county; Ferne M., married Oral Ramsey and they live at North Liberty. Mrs. Stoner is a member of Bethel church in Madison township and is active in the work of the King's Daughters and other worthy causes. She has a nice home at North Liberty, where she has many friends.
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EDWARD B. RINDA
Edward B. Rinda, proprietor of beautiful Pine Hill Farm, operating a choice half-section of land in Graham township, Johnson county, is a representative Bohemian-American citi- zen, who is interested in all that relates to the general welfare and prosperity of his community. He was born August 26, 1864, at a time when the country of his future adoption was in the throes of civil warfare. He is a son of Frank and Kate (Drastak) Rinda, natives of Bohemia, the former of whom now resides with his daughter, Mrs. George Cole, of West Lucas township, and the latter died in 1908, at the age of seventy years. The father followed the trade of weaver in early life, but after coming to America followed any honest labor by which he could make a living, and for some years has lived retired from active life, being now eighty-three years old. The mother died as the result of an operation performed in Mercy Hospital at Iowa City. Two sons and one daughter were born to this couple: Edward B., Anna, and Benjamin, who died in infancy. Anna Rinda married George Cole, a well-to-do farmer, and they live on the County Farm road, two and one-half miles from Iowa City, in West Lucas town- ship. Mr. and Mrs. Cole have children as follows: Ernest, George, Edna, Edith, and Wilma.
At the age of sixteen years, having received a good educa- tion in the public schools. Edward B. Rinda began learning the trade of carpenter, which he followed for three years, dur- ing this time working on a number of buildings in the third ward in Iowa City, which city was his home for eighteen years. He was married in Newport township, in 1891, to Miss Be- atrice Buchmayer, the ceremony being performed in the Cath- olie church by Father John Zlebeik. She was born in Bo- hemia February 7, 1871, daughter of Joseph and Anna (Jelenak) Buchmayer, the former a retired farmer of New- port township. He had four children: Frank, of Johnson county ; James, lives here also : Anna, married James K. Kas- per, lives in Newport township: and Mrs. Rinda. She is a talented artist, whose work in oil colors, especially, has been widely admired and favorably criticised. She has natural genius in this direction and has given play to her ability and
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skill. She decorated the interior of St. Mary's church, of Morse, and the beauty of this work has been greatly praised. Five children have been born of this union: Florence E., born Febraury 26, 1893, who has inherited her mother's talent and is & gifted artist, has furnished many beautiful pictures for the family home, and who is an able instructor. She took a three months course in Cedar Falls State college; Eliza- beth, born November 27, 1894, and Clara, born December 28, 1898, who graduated from the district school when fourteen years of age, and the latter is attending the Catholic Sisters' school in Davenport; Edward H., born July 14, 1899, the
RESIDENCE OF E. B. RINDA
fourth child: Mareella, born December 20, 1905, the youngest, attends the home school. The eldest daughter, Florence, grad- uated from Grant school, near her home, when fourteen years of age, then took a course in St. Agatha's School of Iowa City and then attended the Immaculate Conception Academy at Davenport, Iowa, where she studied art and music; is now teaching in the home district No. 6. This is a home where music, art, poetry, and song abound. The mother has inherit- ed her talent, as she never had an opportunity to study art, and the children have all inherited her tastes. They are be- ing given opportunities to develop their talents, and brilliant futures may be predicted for at least one of their number, although all are yet in early youth.
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Mr. Rinda began farming on his own account on the home place in Penn township in 1892, and fifteen years later sold out and purchased 160 acres, at $65 per acre, on Section 14, Graham township, where he now lives. In 1903 he purchased 160 acres adjoining this place, for which he paid $69 per acre, the old Sam Hempstead farm the first, the latter the old Ashorn farm. Since 1910 he has expended $6,700 in im- provements, and has a beautiful farm home. His modern residence is surrounded with fine concrete walks and is furn- ished with concrete porch and pillars. His barn, 108x60 feet, with 20 foot posts, has a capacity of 125 tons of hay, and he has in same barn a fine place for his horses, 38x60 feet, with cement floors. He keeps a herd of about 50 to 80 Hereford cattle, 100 hogs, and raises a high grade of horses for himself. In 1911 he planted 120 acres with corn, and the yield was 60 bushels to the acre. Of other grains he averaged 45 bushels to the acre. He raises timothy seed for his own use. He has fenced his farm so that it is hog tight and has tiled much of it. He has fitted it with modern machinery and equipment, and it is one of the model up-to-date places in the township. He has built a corn crib 56x28 feet, 14 feet high, with an elevator to take in his corn. He has a fine orchard and las in all possible ways added to the beauty and value of his farm. He is a self-made man and furnishes a good example of what may be accomplished by earnest effort and untiring energy. He is a devout and active member of St. Mary's Catholic church of Morse, to which the other members of the family belong, and fraternally belongs to Camp No. 5059, M. W. A., of Oasis. He is a democrat in politics. He is school treasurer in Distriet No. 6. His wife is a member of St. Mary's Society of Morse.
FRANKLIN DAVID LINDSLEY (Deceased)
The boyhood days of Franklin David Lindsley were spent on the farm of his father, John B. Lindsley, near Frederick- town, Knox county, Ohio. There our subject was born De- cember 5, 1845, being the second of four children of John B. Lindsley and Eliza P. Strong. The former was born in Ohio April 25. 1818, and the latter January 15, 1820. Mother Lind-
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sley died February 2, 1871, at Galt, Illinois, and Father Lind- sley at West Branch, Iowa, July 19, 1892. Of their family of four children only one, the youngest, now survives. Franklin David received a good common school education in Knox coun- ty, and when the family removed to Whiteside county, Illinois, he accompanied them. They settled at Galt, where our sub- ject maintained his residence until shortly after the great Chicago fire of 1871, when he came west to Iowa. He was then employed by Mr. Whittmore, of Rockford, in the insur- ance business. Although just a little past eighteen years of age, young Lindsley determined to enlist for service in the
RESIDENCE OF MRS. F. D. LINNDSLEY
Civil War, and so, in response to President Lincoln's call for 100-day volunteers, he mustered in at Sterling, Illinois, as a private in the 140th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He was honorably discharged October 29, 1864, and returned to Galt.
Sooner or later, however, every man is destined to take up the calling for which he has the natural talent. In the case of our subject it was railroading, and so in a few years we find him taking up the duties of an agent of the Chicago & North- western railroad at Galt. Once in the harness, Mr. Lindsley took to the business as naturally as a young duck to water,
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and when he removed to Mt. Auburn, Benton county, Iowa, he "checked in" as agent for the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern railroad at that point. He held that position until he came to Iowa City April 1, 1882, when he took up a similar position with the same road at that point, a post which he held until the absorption of the B., C. R. & N. by the Rock Island System, thus completing twenty-one years of service with the Rock Isiand road. For three years following his withdrawal from railway service, Mr. Lindsley engaged in the coal busi- ness with W. E. C. Foster, of Iowa City, under the firm name of Foster & Co. But the old fever was still in his veins, and he retired from the coal business to accept the ageney of the Interurban System at lowa City, and he continued with that company from its inception until his death, September 19, 1909. He is buried in the Iowa City cemetery.
Mr. Lindsley was married June 15, 1872, at Mt. Auburn, Iowa, to Miss Penena Kile, by Rev. M. F. Smedley, of the Methodist Episcopal church. The latter was born in Lancas- ter county, Pennsylvania, May 7, 1853, and was a daughter of Abraham and Susan (Ginrich) Kile. The parents of Miss Kile were "Pennsylvania Dutch," both being born in Laneas- ter county, Pennsylvania. Mr. Kile was born August 5, 1826, and his wife, April 10, 1827. The couple were married in 1852. Mr. Kile died on his farm in Benton county, Iowa, No- vember 14, 1898, and Mrs. Kile at Iowa City, December 24, 1906. They had twelve children, of whom six are living at this writing. Mrs. Kile was the youngest. Abraham Kile and wife removed from Pennsylvania to Iowa City in 1856, where for three years Mr. Kile worked at his trade of con- tracting and building. He constructed the first railway pas- senger depots at Iowa City and West Liberty. Being a man of original ideas, he always drew his own plans, and his work included bridge and miscellaneous construction. In 1859 the family removed by ox-team to Benton county, where they set- tled on a farm in Cedar township. Vinton was their trading point until Mt. Auburn, four and'one-half miles distant, was established. Prior to the arrival of the Kiles, there was only one house between Vinton and Blairstown, a distance of eigh- teen miles. The first house erected by Mr. Kile on his new farm was of round logs, and therein nine of their twelve chil-
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dren were born. Mr. Kile, as may be supposed, was prom- inent in the development of Benton county. He was township trustee of Cedar township for five years. At one time he owned 500 acres of fine land in that township which he cleared with his oxen. At his death, in 1898, he owned 312 acres of improved land, which he deeded to his wife. At her death the land was sold and the proceeds divided among their six sur- viving children.
Two sons of Franklin David Lindsley and Penena Kile sur- vive : Henry A., born May 22, 1873, a conductor on the Chi- cago, Rock Island & Pacific railroad, is married to Miss Vina Meggeson, of Cedar Falls, father of one son, Willard LeRoy, born June 23, 1907; J. Clarence, born April 4, 1876, also a conductor on the Rock Island System, married to Miss Rachel B. Branson, of Thornburg, Keokuk county, Iowa, father of one son, Francis Kenneth, born July 25, 1906, lives in Iowa City.
Mr. Lindsley was an active member of the Masonic fratern- ity, being a Knight Templar. He was also a member of Kos- cisco lodge, I. O. O. F., and of the G. A. R. He was treasurer and a member of the official board of the M. E. church of Iowa City for a number of years. His interest in education is shown by the fact that he was president of the Iowa City board of education for some years, also director in the Iowa City State Bank. He built the family home at 328 South Clinton street in 1906, which he only lived three years to enjoy. He was greatly attached to his home, and evinced a special fondness for his two grandchildren. Mrs. Lindsley, who survives her husband, is an active worker in the M. E. church, and is a member of the Foreign and Home Missionary Societies of the church. As she has just reached middle life, she may confi- dently look forward to many years of usefulness in the com- munity of which she and her family are honored members.
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