USA > Iowa > Johnson County > Leading events in Johnson County, Iowa history, biographical > Part 48
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Frederick J. Cochran is one of the up-to-date and progres- sive business men of the University City ; an active member of the Commercial Club, the Automobile Club, and the Motor Club, in the latter two of which he takes an especial interest. He is an owner and fancier of good driving horses also, and takes nobody's dust either on the speeding track or the high- way. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., K. of P., M. W. A., and Royal Arcanum. In the prime of life, well educated, ex- perienced, alert, with the invisible urge of a long line of canny Scot ancestry in his veins, it is not difficult to prophesy for him success and worthy honors in the city and state of his birth.
ALONZO BROWN (Deceased)
The Brown family were early pioneers of Johnson county, and the late Alonzo Brown bore an honorable part in its his- tory and development. He is a lineal descendant of Gen. Dan- iel Brown, who in 1748 married Rebecca Cleveland, of the same family from which Grover Cleveland descended. Daniel was a son of Western Brown. Daniel and Rebecca (Cleveland) Brown had six children, of whom Daniel, named for his father, was the great-grandfather of Alonzo Brown, late of Iowa City. The latter Daniel was born in 1753 and married Martha Rogers in 1780, by whom he had eight children. One of these, also named Daniel Brown, and the youngest, was born January 21, 1781, and married Miss Hulda Tanner, February 8, 1803, at Steventown, New York. He died March 16, 1826, and was buried in Rensselaer county, that state. His widow was buried in the cemetery at Solon, Johnson country, Iowa. Fam- ily tradition in the Brown family says that their ancestors were tillers of the soil and worthy Christians. Edwin Alonzo Brown was a son of Daniel and Hulda (Tanner) Brown and
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father of Alonzo Brown, of this review. Edwin Alonzo was born in Rensselaer county, in the Empire state, August 29, 1819 (the same year as the birth year of Queen Victoria), and died on his pioneer farm in Cedar township, Johnson county, May 22, 1888. When in his tenth year he came with an aunt (his mother's sister), in a single buggy, from Steventown, New York, to Quincy, Illinois. Upon their arrival in Chicago it was surrounded principally by corduroy roads, and at the spot now occupied by the city of Quincy was but a small settle- ment, to which mail was carried on horseback and later by boats on the Mississippi river, long before the use of the stage was introduced there. A letter, without an envelope, simply
RESIDENCE OF MRS. ALONZO BROWN
folded and addressed on the outside, cost twenty-five cents for postage. Mr. Brown remained in Quincy until March, 1839, the year of Henry Walker's arrival in Johnson county, and in that year, with a close friend, staked out his claim in Cedar township. Like the other early pioneers, he kept looking around. He removed from Quincy to Warren county, Illinois, and later on to Iowa, where he lived on his claim through the summer and in winter worked in the lead mines at Galena, or cut wood for the steamers. His first house on this place was erected of round logs, with but one door and one window, and in this primitive cabin his three eklest children were born,
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namely : Edna B., widow of Thomas K. Wilson, of Iowa City; John M., and Alonzo. The pioneer family lived in this dwell- ing some eight years, during which time their nearest trading point was Iowa City. They then moved into a more substan- tial residence, the foundation for which was constructed of stone by masons, but the remainder of the house was built by the hands of Mr. Brown, he having hauled the lumber for it all the way from Muscatine, a distance of some thirty miles. This was one-story and a half high and is still standing, though it has been several times remodelled and additions have been made at different times. It is still standing on the estate and in the possession of the family. Mr. Brown was a most sue- cessful farmer and a good judge of stock. During the latter part of his life he made a specialty of raising fine draft horses.
On April 20, 1846, Mr. Brown, father of Alonzo Brown, mar- ried Miss Martha McClain, of Scotch descent, and a native of Maryland. Her father emigrated from Scotland to Maryland in an early day and there she was born, March 8, 1823. She died on the pioneer homestead which she had helped to acquire, January 6, 1887. The last child of Edwin Alonzo and Martha Brown, Cuyler, was born in their second home, and died at the age of seventy-four years. Mr. and Mrs. Brown were active members of the Universalist church, kindly and upright in manner and dealings, and of broad and liberal views upon all subjects. They were cheerful and hopeful in attitude, and worked hard to rear their children and give them their start in life.
Alonzo Brown was born in the old house constructed of round logs, on the old family homestead in Cedar township, October 15, 1850, and died at his residence in Iowa City, Jan- uary 17, 1905. Like his father, he was a thrifty and success- ful farmer and also a lover of high-grade stock, Brown's draft horses being known far and near as the finest to be had in the region.
Mr. Brown was married November 14, 1889, to Miss Ethie L. Adams, daughter of John E. and Jemima Adams, and a native of Cedar township, Johnson county. A sketch of Mr. Adams is to be found elsewhere in this volume. Miss Adams was a school-teacher before her marriage and is well known in the county, where her entire life has been spent. Her par-
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ents were natives of Cleveland, Ohio, and she was one of six children. Mr. Brown continued farming after marriage, but about 1904 retired from active life and located in Iowa City, where his remaining years were spent. He was one of the larger stockholders of the Citizens Savings & Trust Company, and one of the substantial men of the community. His word was as good as his bond and he was everywhere held in high regard for his integrity and fair dealing. At his death his widow assumed charge of his affairs and has managed them successfully. His loss was widely mourned and he was missed in many circles. He left two sons, Arlo Edwin and Vernon Adams, who were born on the farm near Solon and who are now attending Rock River Military Academy at Dixon, Illi- nois. Mrs. Brown is a member of the Methodist church. She is interested in various local affairs and has a large circle of friends. Both she and her husband belongs to old and hon- orable families of Johnson county, who stood high among the early settlers and left records of which their descendants are prond.
EDWIN MORRIS BROWN
Edwin Morris Brown, who owns one of the prettiest places in Iowa City, is a native of Johnson country, born in a log building in Clear Creek township, a short distance north of the town of Tiffin, in the year 1860. He is a son of Morris Brown, a pioneer of that region and for many years known as the Old Squire of Clear Creek township. The father was one of the following nine children: Hugh, deceased, who was for four years foreman on the work of erecting the capitol building at Des Moines, and a skilled carpenter, was noted as a stair build- er; Sally, Mrs. Bowelns, of Port Washington, Wisconsin; Squire Morris, father of Edwin M .; Charlotte, Mrs. Reed, de- ceased; Nancy, of Portsmouth, Iowa ; William, of Shelby, Iowa, also an expert carpenter; Jennie, Mrs. Wilson, of Chicago; Robert, of Pennsylvania, a fine carpenter; Elizabeth, married A. J. Runkle, a well known insurance broker of Cedar Rapids, a sketch of whom appears in this work.
Morris Brown came of a family of carpenters, and was born in Pennsylvania in 1828 and died near Centralia, Washington,
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in August, 1909. He came to Iowa from his native state be- fore the railroad was built to Iowa City. He came by rail to Rock Island, crossed the ice afoot to Davenport, and came on to Johnson county, where he purchased the farm north of Tiffin which is now the home of his son William Bruce Brown. His farm was unimproved and he first erected a small log dwelling, but being a good carpenter, afterwards built a fine substantial home. He was an earnest Baptist and a strong democrat and served his township as trustee and justice of the peace. He also held school offices. He was a member of the Masonic order. About 1890 he moved to the Pacific coast and pur- chased fine coal and timber land near Centralia, where he
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RESIDENCE OF EDWIN MORRIS BROWN
spent the remainder of his life, and where he became a local preacher for the Baptist church. He was a good business man and became a successful capitalist. He was married in Penn- sylvania to Miss Susan Snider, a native of that state, born in 1829, and who now resides on the old home farm in Clear Creek township with her son Bruce. Children as follows were born of this marriage: Ella, deceased; Gilbert, living in the south- western part of Missouri; Robert Bruce, now deceased, was the first of their children born in Johnson county; Elizabeth, married Captain Riley Dennison, son of George Dennison, a pioneer settler of Johnson county, and cousin of Dave Denni- son, of North Liberty, a sketch of whom appears in this work;
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Edwin Morris, subject of this sketch; William Bruce, on the old home farm, is a trustee of Clear Creek township; Clay, is clerk of the same township.
In boyhood Edwin Morris Brown attended the rural schools and learned all the details of farming, besides becoming a car- penter. He was always very handy with tools and had a nat- ural taste and ability for this kind of work. He and his broth- er Bruce carried on the home farm one year and later he pur- chased a farm nearby. The latter he brought to a high state of cultivation and he prospered well in this field of work. In 1907 he retired from farm life and came to live in Iowa City. He purchased the old Rev. Clute place and converted it into the sightly home he now occupies, opposite the Chautauqua grounds, comprising two acres of land, well improved. It was over-run with weeds, but Mr. Brown has made the place a veri- table park, with a handsome lawn and suitable flowers and shrubs. He remodelled the house himself and takes great pride in the result of his painstaking labors. His front yard is noted for its handsome flowers and the place is located in one of the choicest portions of the West Side.
In his early days on the farm Mr. Brown used such old fash- ioned tools as the cradle and seythe, and has seen the region develop to a wonderful degree. As a carpenter he erected barns from North Liberty to Cosgrove, in Hardin county, and made a specialty of substantial framework, which won him a high reputation for the quality of his work. Farmers who wanted something they knew was put up to stand the strain to which it was subjected for many years to come, employed Mr. Brown to take charge of their work, and he was known far and near for his conscientious building. He had a good standing among his neighbors and was always identified with public- spirited movements in the region. He served as clerk and as- sessor of Clear Creek township and was active in educational matters. He has always been much interested in the Chautau- quan movement and secured grounds for the purpose at Iowa City, besides forwarding the cause in other ways. He owns a section of choice South Dakota land and desirable property in Iowa City. He is a democrat in politics and served as commit- teeman in his township. He holds membership in the M. E. church and fraternally is affiliated with Lodge No. 4, A. F. &
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A. M., of Iowa City. He has a large number of friends in the county and is popular wherever known.
Mr. Brown married, in Clear Creek township, in 1887, Miss Helen Crupley, daughter of James and Sarah P. (Summer- hayes) Crupley, a pioneer family of the township. Mrs. Crup- ley lives on East Lucas street, Iowa City. One child has been born of this union, Miss Edith Margaret, a senior in Iowa City high school.
JOHN L. ADAMS
The entire life of John L. Adams, covering a period of sixty- one years, has been lived upon the homestead in Big Grove township, a part of which was taken up by his grandfather, Jolin Lyon, about the year 1834. The farm now aggregates 500 acres and comprises the homestead of the Lyons family, of which the mother of our subject was a member, as well as additional purchases made from time to time during the past fifty years. It is one of the very fine farms of Johnson county, the pride of its owner and the object of admiration by the countryside.
The parents of John L. Adams were E. M. and Henrietta (Lyon) Adams, the former a native of Maine (born in 1811) and the latter a Pennsylvanian. At the age of sixteen Mr. Adams removed with his parents from Maine to Ohio. He lived in the Buckeye state eleven years, and married his first wife there, Miss Sarah Gleason, by whom he had one son, De- catur, now living in southeastern Kansas. His young wife having died, Mr. Adams removed to Johnson county, Iowa, where he settled upon a homestead in Pleasant Valley town- ship in 1838. The trip to Iowa was made by way of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. On reaching Burlington, he found himself comparatively without means. He was fortunate in securing employment, however, and soon pushed on to the township in which he elected to take up his homestead. There he began immediate and practical work as a farmer, an occupa- tion which he continued until his death at the ripe age of eighty- nine years. Mr. Adams chose for his second wife Miss Henri- etta Lyon, who came with her parents from Pennsylvania to Iowa in 1839. Soon after their arrival at Muscatine the Lyon
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family were all taken sick, a calamity which resulted in the death of the father. The remaining members of the house- hold pushed on to Johnson county and located upon the claim in Cedar township, which is now a part of our subject's farm. Mother Lyon spent the remainder of her life on this farm. It passed into the hands of our subject's father by purchase in 1852, and he and his wife moved thereon, our subject being at the time only a few weeks old. There, however, he has re- sided ever since. Five children were born to E. M. and Henri-
RESIDENCE OF JOHN L. ADAMS
etta Adams: Frank, who died when twelve years old; Milo, died at age of four years; one died in infancy; our subject ; Lilly, widow of H. S. Fairall, residing at Superior, Wisconsin. Barring one year spent in the gold fields of California in 1850, E. M. Adams resided on his farms in Cedar township from 1838 to 1900, the year of his death. His widow died in her ninetieth year in 1906.
John L. Adams was born on the old farm in Cedar township, March 9, 1852. Farming has always been his occupation, a business in which he has taken delight. His education was re-
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ceived in the district schools, and his alma mater is the uni- versity of industry. In 1876 he was married to Miss Isabella Keen, a native of Indiana, who came to Johnson county with her parents at the age of five years. Mr. and Mrs. Adams have had three children : Georgia, wife of Dr. A. J. Burge, of Iowa City, died in Vienna, Austria, soon after her marriage; R. K., and R. P., both living at home.
Mr. Adams is a republican. He is a member of the Masonic order of Iowa City. The family is affiliated with the Christian church. The declining years of this worthy couple are being spent in peace on their beautiful farm.
DR. CHARLES EDMUND STEWART
The Stewart family has been one of the most prominent among the early settlers of Johnson county, which has been their home for more than fifty years. They have been closely connected with the region during its period of most rapid de- velopment and settlement, and have been identified with the most interesting things of its history. Dr. Charles E. Stew- art, a native and lifelong resident of the county, was born at North Liberty, April 6, 1863, son of David and Winnifred (Duff) Stewart. The father was born in Huntington county, Pennsylvania, March 24, 1830, and his parents were na- tives of the same county. David Stewart was a son of Robert Stewart, who was born in Huntington county, Penn- sylvania, February 14, 1798, and died in Johnson county, Iowa, January 7, 1880. He was of Scotch-Irish descent, and his father lived to the age of ninety years. The Stewarts were early settlers of Pennsylvania and there is in possession of the family a deed signed by William Penn, which has been handed down from one generation to another. Members of the family still occupy the old home in Huntington county, Pennsylvania. They owned some of the largest woolen mills in that state, where several sons of the family of Robert Stewart worked. The plant is now called the "Gibony" Factory.
Mrs. Robert Stewart was born in Huntington county, Octo- ber 11, 1800, and died in Johnson county, Iowa, at the age of eighty-three years, nine months, and twenty-nine days. Her
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maiden name was Anne MacDonald, and she was of Scotch an- cestry. Children were born to Robert Stewart and wife, as follows: Jonathan, James, Dr. David, Macdonald, Charles M. ; Sarah A., who became Mrs. Osborne; Mary A., Mrs. John Cunningham; Nancy J., Mrs. James Bane, of Penn township, and John T. In 1865 the father of these children came to Johnson county, selecting North Liberty as his residence. He kept a general store at that place and also served as post- master. He and his wife had two children at the time they came to Iowa. Two of their children now survive: John T.,
RESIDENCE OF DR. C. E. STEWART
of Penn Township, and Nancy J., wife of James W. Bane, liv- ing on the old Robert Bane farm two miles southeast of North Liberty in Penn township.
Children were born to David Stewart, M. D., and wife, as follows: Mrs. L. W. Alt, Winnie, Dr. C. E., William, Alex- ander, Guy, and one who is deceased. The parents of these children were married in Huntington county, February 14, 1856. After attaining his majority David Stewart worked for a time in his father's woolen mills, and later read medicine with Dr. J. R. Smith, of Pine Grove, Center county, Pennsyl- vania. He also attended lectures at Jefferson Medical Col- lege, Philadelphia, and later studied for a time at Ann Arbor, Michigan. Receiving the degree of M. D. in 1855, he began
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practice at Colerain Forge, Pennsylvania, but a short time later removed to Rock Grove, Stephenson county, Illinois, and in 1857 moved to Pontiac, that state, where he practiced three years. In 1860 he came to Iowa, then being rapidly settled, and for more than fifty years his home was in Penn township, Johnson county. During this time he was a leader in every movement for the good of his community. He was most influ- ential in the councils of the republican party, and served a term in the state legislature, taking office in 1869. He was again nominated for this post in 1892, but as this was a strong- ly democratic year, he was defeated.
Dr. David Stewart was a soldier of the Civil War and one of the most prominent G. A. R. men in Iowa. He enlisted in Company E of the Twenty-eighth Iowa Infantry and held the rank of captain one year, after which he was promoted to the rank of regimental surgeon, where his skill and knowledge made him a valuable acquisition to his regiment. He served one year as army surgeon, then on account of ill health was obliged to return home, and was mustered out in July, 1863. After his return he resumed the practice of his profession. For a short time he served as government inspector of the alcohol works in Iowa City, this being about 1876. As he grew older he ceased taking so active a part in local affairs, although always a leader in many ways, and influential in many circles up to the time of his demise. He was one of the most prom- inent men in securing the building of the Iowa City and Cedar Rapids Interurban Railway, to which he gave much thought and labor, without hope of return, especially in the way of win- ning the assistance and cooperation of the persons who lived along the route. For forty years he was one of the leading practitioners of Johnson county, but for about ten years prior to his death he lived retired from active life. He passed away at his home in North Liberty, June 18, 1910, at the age of eighty years, having been in failing health for several months. In his death Johnson county lost one of its oldest and most valued citizens. He had won many firm friends, who joined his widow and family in grief over his demise. He received a Masonic funeral and the G. A. R. attended in a body.
Dr. Charles Edmund Stewart moved with his parents to a farm in Johnson county in 1869, and there worked and attended
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the country schools until the fall of 1879, when he entered Iowa City Academy. One year later he entered the medical department of the State University, attending lectures for two years, after which he entered upon the practice of medicine at Coffeyville, Kansas. Later, having decided to spend some time in further study, he returned to Iowa, and in the fall of 1886 entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Iowa, from which he graduated in March, 1887. In May of the latter year he formed a partnership with Dr. J. F. Houser, of Iowa City, and was actively engaged in practice until 1891. In 1888 and again in 1889 he was elected county physician of Johnson county, filling the office creditably.
THE STEWART HOMESTEAD
In 1891 Dr. Stewart accepted a position with the United States Government as railway postal clerk, having passed a civil service examination with credit. At first he operated be- tween Albert Lea, Minnesota, and Burlington, Iowa, and later was transferred to the main line of the Rock Island Road, be- ing on duty between West Liberty and Council Bluffs. In the early part of 1895 he took another civil service examination, this time for the position of post office inspector, and received a high percentage mark, being appointed in March of that year as inspector for Eastern Iowa, and since that time he has con- tinued in the service. During his work in this capacity he has
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travelled in every state in the Union and has successfully helped in the investigation of some of the largest postal frauds ever handled by the department.
Dr. Stewart has always given his loyal support to the repub- lican party. He attended the national convention held at Chi- cago, which nominated W. H. Taft for president, and during its session held the position of sergeant at arms.
On November 8, 1899, Dr. Stewart married Miss Sue Meyers, who was born in York county, Pennsylvania, December 3, 1866, and came to Iowa with her parents in 1874. She is a daughter of Samuel B. and Barbara E. Meyers, the father born in York county, Pennsylvania, August 23, 1843, and the mother born in Carroll county, Maryland, March 3, 1846. They were married June 2, 1863, and came to Iowa about eleven years later. Seven children were born to them. The mother died September 2, 1907, and is buried at North Liberty cemetery. Samuel B. Meyers lost one of his legs while on the farm in the mill owned by Meyers, Chamberlain & Moseland. Samuel B. Meyers is a brother of Isaac Meyers. He now resides in Iowa City.
No children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Stewart. They have a pleasant home at North Liberty, where they have a number of friends and are prominent in various circles.
The paternal ancestors of Mr. Stewart were Scotch-Irish, and the maternal ancestors Scotch.
HENRY J. WIENEKE
Henry J. Wieneke was born in Monroe county, Ohio, August 30, 1837, son of Christian and Johannah (Muller) Wieneke, natives of Germany, who came to America in 1833 and settled in Monroe county, Ohio. He lived there until 1844 when he came to Johnson county and entered 100 acres of land. He remained there until his death in 1846, aged 52 years. The mother died at the age of 88 years. In the father's family there were six children of whom our subject is next to the youngest. Hannah was youngest and is still living in Pasa- dena, California. All are deceased except Hannah and Henry.
When a young man, in company with his brother, Henry Wieneke engaged in the bakery business and they conducted
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one of the very first bakeries in the country and their trade ex- tended for a considerable distance around lowa City. He re- mained in the bakery business for seven years and then re- moved to Cedar Rapids, where he started the first bakery in that place. Continuing there for about two years he returned to Iowa City and engaged in the cabinet trade but soon after he again engaged in the bakery business and continued that until the fall of 1861 when he enlisted in Company B, Four- teenth Iowa Infantry. In 1863 he was transferred to the Sev- enth Regiment, Iowa Cavalry. His military service was in the northwest, fighting the Indians. He was in the big battle
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