USA > Iowa > Johnson County > Leading events in Johnson County, Iowa history, biographical > Part 47
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, IOWA
Robert Bane made trips to Muscatine and hauled goods for John Powell, a pioneer merchant of Iowa City. At one time he sold 6,000 bushels of corn at twelve cents per bushel, loaded on a steamboat, within 150 yards of the river. About the same time, he sold dressed pork at $1.50 per hundred pounds. He was noted for his fine crops of corn, which were the best in the county from the same amount of land, and was also considered very successful in raising hogs. He was very fond of hunting and his son James remembers when the two men counted twenty-two deer in a herd on the home farm. There were also thousands of wild turkeys, pigeons and prairie chickens on the farm. The father was a fine marksman and by his skill added dainty fare to the family larder. He was proud of his fine orchard, which was the result of his care and hard work. He did most of the grafting himself. He had about fourteen acres of land in it and sold thousands of bushels of apples in Iowa City. His father, Robert Bane, Sr., was a soldier in the War of 1812. But two sons of Robert and Sarah G. Bane now sur- vive: James W., the elder, and Samuel, a farmer of Penn Township. Mary Jane died in youth ; Calvin H., a soldier, in the Civil War, died in Texas, March 17, 1911.
James W. Bane received his education in the district school in Penn township and in the public schools at Iowa City. He has lived on his present farm since 1849, with the exception of three years, during which he was defending his country's flag at the time of the Civil War. He enlisted August 5, 1862, in Company I, Twenty-second Iowa Volunteer Infantry, under Captain James Robertson, being mustered out at Savannah, Georgia, in July, 1865. His brother Calvin first enlisted in Company C, Sixth Iowa Infantry, in 1861, a short time later was discharged at St. Louis, on account of sickness, and in April, 1862, enlisted in Company A, of the same regiment where his brother served, and remained with it for the full time. The principal battles in which James W. participated were : Champion Hills, Black River Bridge, assault on Vicks- burg; Winchester, Va., in which, on September 19, 1864, his brother John D., of Company B, was killed; Fisher's Hill, Ce- dar Creek, siege of Vicksburg, and others. He was slightly wounded at the last named battle, being first hurt in the right shoulder, and later, when charging the enemy, fell in jumping
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a ditch and injured his back. He won an honorable record, as did his brothers, and has reason to be proud of the part he played in the struggle.
At the close of the war Mr. Bane returned to his father's farm, and in 1868 he was united in marriage with Nancy J. Stewart, daughter of Robert Stewart, deceased, a sketch of whom appears in this publication. After marriage Mr. Bane lived on the home place three years, occupying the old house. In the fall of 1873 he erected the present substantial house, which has been their home ever since. Children as follows have blessed this union : Robert Davidson and Robert Donald, twin sons, who died young; Maud is the wife of E. Clark, of Sioux City, and they have two sons - Clifton B. and Marion Gail; Albert S., who farms the old place, owns all except forty acres of it (there being 163 acres altogether) and also operates two other farms; Earl G., of East Lucas township, married Miss Millie Mott, and they have four children - Tyril, Ivan, Newell and a baby daughter, Solna May; Claud J., who op- erates the William Hanke farm near Iowa City (in East Lucas township), married Alice Drovsky, and they have two sons - Robert L. and Harold Albert; Winifred, married Edward Zeithhamel, formerly taught school, resides in Cedar Rapids.
In 1907 Mr. Bane gave up active farm work and he and his wife now occupy the forty acres of land which is all they own of the home farm, and which is very dear to them, for on it they have passed many happy years and have reared a fine family of children, who are a credit to them and to the com- munity. The orchard on this place is one of the finest in the country, being one of the largest and containing a large variety of apples. There are thousands of bushels of cherries picked there yearly ; a good crop of green gage and other plums, and various other small fruit. Albert S. Bane may well be proud of his orchard, which is so productive and which yields so good an income.
Like his neighbors, Mr. Bane used the sickle, scythe, and cradle for harvesting his grain in his early operations in Pleasant Valley township, and was a typical pioneer. He has been one of the successful men of his region and has been wil- ling to advance any movement for the general progress and welfare, at the same time developing one of the best farms in
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, IOWA
his part of the county. In 1905 he erected a fine barn that is one of the best in the neighborhood, and the farm is well fenced and in a high state of cultivation. He has served in various local offices and has been a delegate to various demo- cratic conventions. He has been trustee and road supervisor and for more than twenty-five years a member of the school board. He is highly respected for the part he has taken in local affairs and has a number of warm personal friends.
FRANK K. SEDLACEK
Mr. Sedlacek is a native of Bohemia, but has spent nearly all his life in Monroe township, Johnson county, where he has become successful as a farmer. He has taken an active part in local affairs and is recognized as a citizen of intelligent and public spirit, ready to uphold whatever he believes will be useful and beneficial to the community. He was born in 1861, son of John and Dora (Lenoch) Sedlacek, who were born, reared and married in Bohemia. They came to America when Frank K. was about six years old and settled on the farm he now owns and operates. There the mother died in 1884, and the father in 1897.
Mr. Sedlacek was reared to farm work, attending the schools near his father's farm, and upon reaching manhood he chose farming as his life work. He remained with his parents and there brought his wife upon his marriage. He was united with Miss Rose Dvorak in 1886. She is also a native of Bo- hemia, and came to America when eight years old with her parents. Her family located in Monroe township, lived there five years, then moved to Oxford township.
Three children were born to Mr. Sedlacek and wife, namely : Rose C., and Joseph H., at home with their parents; Arnold, who died in infancy. Mr. Sedlacek is a democrat in political belief. He is a member of the Reformed Bohemian Evangeli- cal church and is useful in connection with its operations. He is popular and well known in various circles, and he and the other members of the family have many warm friends. He has made many improvements on the home farm and its appearance and productiveness are a credit to his good management and ability as a farmer.
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BIOGRAPHICAL
JOHN WAVRA
John Wavra is a member of the third generation of his family to live in Monroe township, Johnson county, where his birth occurred December 19, 1867. His parents and grand- parents were upright and useful citizens of the community and were held in high regard by the early settlers there. John Wavra is a son of John and Annie (Zvecek) Wavra, natives of Bohemia. The father came to America with his parents when he was a young man abont twenty-four years old, and they settled on a farm in Monroe township - the same where John, Jr., was born. The grandparents died on that farm and the parants lived there until retiring from ac- tive farming in 1905, when they moved to Cedar Rapids, and have since made that city their home. The father was married at the age of twenty-seven years and brought his wife to the old homestead. Eleven children were born of this marriage, two of whom died in infancy and nine reached maturity, the latter being: John, Jr .; Anna, Mrs. John Stanek, of Cedar Rapids ; Joseph lives near Fairfax, Linn county; Mrs. Mary Lawrence, living near Ely, Linn county ; Annie, Mrs. John Melsha, living near Cedar Rapids ; Frank, engaged in a grocery business in Cedar Rapids; Elizabeth, lives with her parents; William is associated with his brother Frank in the grocery business ; Charles is employed in the Cedar Rapids Savings Bank.
John Wavra Jr. was reared to farm work and has always been occupied in this industry, in which he has been more than ordinarily successful. At the time of his marriage, in 1892, he purchased his present farm of 160 acres, in Monroe town- ship. His wife, whose maiden name was Laura Hach, was born in Cedar Rapids and is of Bohemian parentage. She is the daughter of Wencil Hach and Tracy (Prazek) Hach. Two children have been born of this union: John U. assists his father with the work of operating the farm, and Laura H. is attending school.
Mr. Wavra has taken an active and intelligent interest in everything affecting the progress and welfare of the com- munity. He is a useful member of the United Brethren church, and in politics is a democrat. Fraternally he belongs to Fair- fax Camp, No 4496, M. W. A. He has served as township
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, IOWA
assessor for the past six years and is treasurer of the school board. Every publie measure meets with his ready support and he has many personal friends, in various local circles.
JOSEPH KONASEK
Although born across the sea, Jospeh Konasek is a typical American citizen, actively interested in the best interests of his community and doing his best to further its progress and development. He is recognized as an enterprising business man and has the good will of all who have been associated with him in any way, having many friends and acquaintances in Johnson and adjoining counties. Most of his active life has been spent in farming, but he retired from this occupation in
5
RESIDENCE OF JOSEPH KONASEK
1910 and since then has devoted his energies to insurance mat- ters. For the past twenty years he has served as secretary of the Bohemian Farmers' Mutual Insurance Company, and has ably fulfilled the duties of the office. Mr. Konasek was born in Moravia, in December, 1846, son of Joseph and Annie (Cu- hel) Konasek. The parents brought their children to America in the fall of 1859 and spent the first winter in Wisconsin, com- ing to Monroe township in the spring of 1860, and in this town- ship the subject of this sketch lived for fifty years. The four children of the family were as follows: Joseph, Jr .; Frank,
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BIOGRAPHICAL
owns a nice farm near Pendleton, Oregon; Annie, wife of Wes- ley Janko, of Jefferson township, Johnson county; Vincent, died in Oregon in 1904. The father died some thirteen or four- teen years ago and the mother eighteen years ago.
Upon starting out in life for himself Joseph Konasek se- lected farming as an occupation, being twenty-two years of age when he began. In 1869 he secured a farm of eighty acres and ten years later secured eighty acres more. In 1895 he pur- chased 170 acres nearer Swisher, being at one time possessed of 330 acres of excellent farm land, in Monroe township.
On June 9, 1869, Mr. Konasek married Miss Frances Che- melicek, a native of Bohemia, who came to America with her parents in 1866. The family came to Johnson county in 1872. Six children have been born of this union: Joseph W., lives on the old home farm in Monroe township; Blanche, Mrs. Mit- volsky, of California ; Carrie, Mrs. A. J. Rypka, of Cedar Rap- ids; Poldey, Mrs. Anton Kaleban, of Linn county, Iowa; Charles, of Linn county; Otto, of Monroe township.
Mr. Konasek is a democrat in politics and has held all the township offices in Monroe township, of which he was assessor nineteen years and supervisor one term. Since moving to Swisher, in 1910, he has built up a good business in the line of insurance and has taken a prominent part in the affairs of the town. He has a beautiful home, where he and his wife dis- pense hospitality to their many friends.
EDWIN G. JAMES
Edwin G. James was born in Muscatine, Iowa, May 20, 1873. He is a son of Gad and Harriet (Kile) James and a brother of George E. James. (For a more extended description of the family see sketch of George E. James published herewith. -ED.)
At twenty-five years of age Mr. James commenced farming on his own account and has continued in the business until the present time. He bought his home farm of 160 acres in the fall of 1903. Under its owner's careful cultivation and manage- ment it has become one of the most productive and attractive places in the township (Lincoln).
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, IOWA
Mr. James was married in February, 1899, to Miss Carrie M. Herr, daughter of Benjamin and Rebecca (Wilson) Herr, of Muscatine county. There were four children: Fannie, now Mrs. Ed. Wells, living in Scott township; George and Bertha, living at home ; and Carrie M., wife of our subject.
RESIDENCE OF EDWIN G. JAMES
Mr. James is a republican in politics and an attendant at the M. E. church. He is an able farmer and a man universally respected by his neighbors.
In Jannary, 1912, he left the farm and is now living retired at West Liberty, Iowa.
JAMES C. COCHRAN
John Cochran, the father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and died in Iowa City, Iowa, in 1869. His wife was Jane Gould, born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1804, and died at lowa City in 1884. Seven children, sturdy Scots every one, were born to John Cochran and Jane Gould. The family is pure Scotch, back to the earliest genealogical record, the first known ancestors being John and James Coch- ran. Our subject was born May 20, 1834, at Glasgow, Scot- land. He left his native heath October 1, 1853, with his pa- rents, bound for the new world. He has a perfect recollection of some of his boyhood experiences, one of the most vivid of
FRED COCHRAN
J. C. COCHRAN
JAMES CLARK COCHRAN
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which was a trip with his father and a man named John Rob- inson into western Ireland in 1845. That was the year of the great famine, and John Cochran and Jolin Robinson were com- missioners from Scotland to distribute rations among the starving people. The twelve-year-old lad witnessed scenes which he can never forget. The potato crop that year and for ten years thereafter in Ireland was a failure, and that being the chief article of food of the poor masses, great distress was inevitable. Thousands died of absolute starvation, and still other thousands of combined disease and destitution. Gen- erous America shipped loads of provisions, principally oat
RESIDENCE OF JAMES C. COCHRAN
flour and corn meal. Mr. Cochran recalls a one-story house, 100 feet long, in the famine district, where mush was made and distributed in rations to the people. They carried it away in noggons, and many of them were later found dead in their tracks, having gorged themselves with the mush. Some were found dying in the mountains. Mr. Cochran also recalls that the herring catch, a staple article of diet, was a failure these years, and to make matters worse poor laws were established and the constabulary confiscated everything they came in con- tact with. The unfortunate Irish were driven from their homes and compelled to seek refuge in other countries. In
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, IOWA
County Galway the people planted their potatoes in the bogs and raised good crops, which in a measure relieved the situa- tion there ; but altogether the conditions were most deplorable. Mr. Cochran was vividly impressed by his trip.
On October 1, 1853, as heretofore stated, Mr. Cochran, in the company of his parents, left Scotland for America. The com- pany took a sailing vessel, the Glennmana, by way of Galway for Dublin ; thence via the West Indies, the Caribbean sea and the Gulf of Mexico to New Orleans. The voyage occupied nine weeks, and was tempestuous and fraught with thrilling experi- ences. The yellow fever broke out on board and sixty-nine died therefrom, among the number being a refugee Swedish nobleman and his wife. A daughter survived. John Cochran was named by the captain as one of the appraisers of the noble- man's estate. The vessel at this time was in the neighborhood of San Domingo, where it had been driven by the fierce winds of the southern route. Crippled by its combat with the ele- ments, the ship began to drift, and John Cochran, being a skilled mechanic, was called by the skipper to fix the compass. The tempest-tossed and afflicted company at last reached New Orleans on January 1, 1854, after weathering a fierce gale four days out from port. From the Crescent City passage was taken on the Great Republic to St. Louis. January 4, 1854, was spent on a sandbar in the Mississippi river, the steamer being entangled for two days. At Natchez the first ice was seen floating down the Mississippi. Arriving at Cairo, our subject was sent on shore to procure some swine meat. The carcasses of two bears were hanging up at the dealer's, and young Coch- ran on returning to his father declared he had "seen two New- foundland dogs hanging up." This, of course, put the laugh on him, much to his chagrin. At Cairo the captain refused to risk his vessel any further in the ice, and said he would charge pro rata for the passage to that point. This being agreed to, the family continued their voyage to St. Louis on another boat, which they reached in due season. The trip was continued to Muscatine, which was then a port of entry, where they arrived June 10, 1854. Luckily, on arrival, they found a man who was just returning to Iowa City by wagon, and he was induced to take the Cochrans, eight in all, to their destination, seven miles beyond the then Capital City, to the home of Uncle Matthew
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Cochran and Margaret (Russell) Cochran, in Graham town- ship, then living on the present Chas. Dingleberry farm, in their log house (see sketch of Adaline Cochran).
After a few months John Cochran and his son, James, se- cured employment in Iowa City, the former at his trade of tin- ning and the latter running a sawmill. Said mill was a prim- itive affair, consisting of a saw and sawbuck, with himself as the motive power. With this plant he sawed, split, and piled up cordwood at $1.00 per cord. The elder Cochran was em- ployed by Hart & Love, and our subject was soon made an ap- prentice with the same firm. Hart & Love soon afterwards sold out to J. S. Stafford, and our apprentice received $6.00 per week for one year, during which time he acquired a good in- sight into the trade. The business then passed into the hands of Mr. Choate, and our subject's wages were raised to $10.00 per week. In 1860, having saved up $400.00 in cash, with this amount and notes running for 1, 2, and 3 years at 10 per cent, he bought out Mr. Choate. After three years he had every- thing paid up.
The natural Scotch thrift of young Cochran began to be manifest, and he commenced buying dry hides at 5 cents a pound and storing them in a warehouse 25x100 feet which he had erected on the present site of Byron Stillwell's paint shop, on Washington street. In 1862 he had a capital of $2,000.00 invested in hides at 5 cents per pound. Mr. Blackburn offered him 20 cents per pound, and he finally accepted 30 cents per pound. That year he bought the Cochran property on South Clinton street, where his son, Frederick J. Cochran, now has his office, paying therefor the sum of $3,000.00. The building has been entirely remodeled and the property is worth today at least $20,000.00.
James Cochran was in active business in Iowa City thirty- seven years. He has invariably been a money-maker. At times he has cleaned up an average of $50.00 per day in his chosen business. At one time it is said of him that he bought dressed hogs for $2.00 and $2.05 and sold them at a large profit. During his long business career in Iowa City, Mr. Cochran has been associated with some of the leading enterprises of the city. He was vice president of the Johnson County Savings bank between thirty and forty years; was a director and the
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, IOWA
treasurer of the Iowa City Publishing company, and a director in the Iowa Packing and Provision company.
In 1862 he was married to Maria E. Doty of Penn township, daughter of Theodore and Susan (Bowen) Doty, pioneers of Iowa. Seven children were born of this union, of whom only two survive, namely : Mrs. Charles H. Dayton, residing at 415 South Summit street, Iowa City, and Frederick J., married to Gail Huntsman and residing in Iowa City (see his personal sketch). One child, Nellie, died in her twentieth year. She was well educated, an active member of the church and beanti- ful in both appearance and character. Her last words were, "Take my life and let it be, conse --. " She died before the sentence was finished.
Mr. and Mrs. Cochran's first experience at household work was in rented housekeeping rooms on Clinton street, east of the University campus, where they resided eleven months. Their next home was north of the postoffice, for which Mr. Cochran paid $1,125 and later sold for $3,500 in government bonds. There Mrs. Dayton was born. Selling the property near the postoffice, the family removed to another home across College Hill, for which he paid the sum of $1,600. This he sold for $3,000 cash and two lots, on one of which he realized $1,000 and on the other $1,500. Thereafter (in March, 1869), he be- gan the construction of his present brick residence, 314 South Clinton street, into which the family moved in 1870. The in- terior finish of this house, including doors and casings, is black walnut. Therein all the children were born except Mrs. Day- ton. There our subject and his estimable wife live in the con- sciousness of well-spent lives, he having reached the advanced age of seventy-seven years. Though of limited education and brought up in the school of experience, he became a man of af- fairs and of influence and wealth. Both he and his wife are lifelong members of the Methodist Episcopal church, he being a member of the official board, First Church, Iowa City. He is a member of Eureka lodge, No. 44, I. O. O. F. of Iowa City.
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BIOGRAPHICAL
G. H. VAN PATTEN
G. H. Van Patten has been a resident of Johnson county since 1864 and has followed the trade of carpenter all his active life. He has worked on many of the prominent buildings of the region and is well known for the high quality of his work. He was born at Wilma, Jefferson county, New York, in 1832, a son of Frederick and Eliva (Campbell) Van Patten. The father was born in southern New York and was of German an- cestry and the mother was a native of Connecticut. In 1845, deciding to seek the larger opportunities of the West, the fam- ily removed to Wisconsin. On reaching the age of sixteen
RESIDENCE OF G. H. VAN PATTEN
years G. H. Van Patten began learning the trade of carpenter and completed his apprenticeship by the time he had reached his majority. He became an expert workman and readily found employment.
In 1864 Mr. Van Patten came to Johnson county, where he continued to work at his trade, making it his life work. On January 1, 1860, he married Miss Harriet Marian Hardeng, a native of Oneida county, New York, daughter of Charles and Henriette (Sedgwick) Hardeng, natives of the same state. The family came to Wisconsin in the 'fifties, and there Mr. and Mrs. Van Patten met and were married.
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, IOWA
Mr. Van Patten has always been a republican in politics and he and his wife are members of the Christian church at Iowa City. They have a large number of friends and have a pleasant home, which they have occupied a number of years. Mr. Van Patten is known as a public-spirited citizen and a man of in- tegrity and has won the respect of all who know him.
FREDERICK J. COCHRAN
Frederick J. Cochran, son of James C. Cochran and Maria Doty, was born July 9, 1870, at 314 South Clinton street, Iowa City. He was educated in the Iowa City publie schools, and graduated from the Iowa City Academy in 1887. He then en- tered Williams College and took a commercial course. Later he entered (in 1887) the Law Department of the S. U. I., grad- uating in 1892. For a number of years he practiced his pro-
RESIDENCE OF F. J. COCHRAN
fession, but of late his time has been occupied with the legal work of his father and the business of real estate and loans. He was married in March, 1892, to Gail Huntsman, daughter of Dr. A. C. Huntsman, former regent of the State University, and a successful physician. Mrs. Huntsman was formerly Ma- tilda Fulton. Mr. Cochran and his wife were married by the president of Penn College. Their union has been blessed with
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four children : Dorothy, Alice, Nell, and James Clark. They reside in their new home, 406 Summit avenue, Iowa City. Mrs. Cochran is a native of Oskaloosa, Iowa, and a graduate of the public schools of that city. She is an active member of social clubs of Iowa City and a prominent worker in the First Con- gregational church, of which both husband and wife are mem- bers.
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