USA > Iowa > Johnson County > Leading events in Johnson County, Iowa history, biographical > Part 54
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ing ill eight years, Mr. Powers passed away September 14, 1909, and selected six of his grandchildren to act as his pall- bearers. A solemn requiem mass was said in St. Mary's church on September 16th, by the present pastor, Rev. R. J. Renihan, and a large concourse followed the remains to its last resting place in Calvary cemetery. He was blessed by having all the rites of the church at the time of his death and was one of the original members of St. Mary's. Politically he was a democrat. He was married in 1850 and his widow died May 23, 1910, being buried by the side of her husband. She emigrated to the United States as a young woman and was married in this country. They became parents of the follow- ing children : Mary, wife of James Scanlan, deceased ; Ellen, Anista, wife of Dan Corbitt, of Iowa county, now deceased; Catherine, wife of James Holland; Margaret, Mrs. McDon- ough; d. C., on the old home farm. These good people also adopted into their family one son, Otto J. There are thirty- four grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren of this couple living. Mr. and Mrs. Powers were among the founders of the church at Oxford and lived to see Johnson county trans- formed from a wilderness to its present prosperous state, do- ing their share in the march of progress.
CHARLES A. GROSS
Charles A. Gross owns one of the well-cultivated and pro- ductive farms of Liberty township, and is well known through- ont Johnson county as a successful farmer and a breeder of fine draft horses. He has been successful to a large degree and has been able to retire from active life, although he still occupies a part of the old home farm. He was born on the homestead of his father, and is fifth of the eight living children of his parents, Vincent and Phoebe (Marks) Gross, natives of France and of Ohio, respectively, a sketch of whom is to be found elsewhere in this work. The parents came to Johnson county in an early day. Charles Gross remembers his father making his horse shoe nails and similar articles by hand, and has witnessed a remarkable change in the region where he has spent his entire life.
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Mr. Gross was born January 31, 1865, and received his edu- cation in local schools and Iowa City Academy, supplemented by a course in Williams Business College, at Iowa City. He began farming when a mere boy and has always carried on this occupation, paying especial attention to stock raising. He is an intelligent and energetic worker and in this way made many improvements on his farm. He owns 230 acres in Sec- tions 17 and 18 of Liberty township, which is all under culti- vation and now conducted by a tenant. Since 1909 Mr. Gross has been importing fine horses and has made two trips to France to look after his interests in this line. He has about eighteen head (including colts) of fine draft horses, being one
RESIDENCE OF CHARLES A. GROSS
of the leading horsemen of his part of the state. He also has about forty-five head of cattle and ninety of hogs. His land is very fertile and in 1911 he had a yield of sixty-five to seventy bushels per acre of corn on some forty-five acres. His build- ings are all modern and substantial, and he has two splendid barns, one of which holds one hundred twenty-five tons of hay. One of the beautiful and useful features of his farm is the nat- ural well-spring, fourteen feet deep, which supplies his farm with water for most purposes.
In 1890 Mr. Gross was married to Miss Frances Melecher, also of Liberty township, daughter of John and Caroline (Shultz) Melecher, and they have three living children, name- ly: Vera W., wife of Alexander Gringer, of Hills, Iowa, has
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two children, Lela and Lillian; Blanche, a graduate of the high school and St. Joseph's school, of Iowa City; Clarence, at home. Mr. Gross has rented his farm for a few years past and resides in a pleasant and cheerful home he has erected on the southeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section 18, township 78, range 6. He remained with his parents during their lifetime, and cared for their comfort and happiness. He has two children at home and the family have every comfort and convenience obtainable. They are well known and have a large number of friends in the community. The family is identified with the early history of Johnson county and has always borne an honorable part in local affairs. Mr. Gross is a democrat in polities and is a member of the Woodmen, of Hills. He has served as a delegate to the democratic county convention and in other ways has been active in political mat- ters.
FIDELL HEITZMAN (Deceased)
Although he has been dead many years, Fidell Heitzman is well remembered among the surviving early settlers of John- son county. He was an industrious and representative citizen, an original member of St. Mary's church at Riverside, and always ready to help forward the welfare and prosperity of the region. He was born in Baden, Germany, April 28, 1810, and his death occurred in Riverside, June 25, 1888, at the age of seventy-eight years. He came to America in youth and be- came a pioneer farmer of Johnson county. He helped con- struct the foundation for the MeClure Mill at English river, now Riverside, for which he received forty cents a day. He hauled grain to Muscatine with an ox team, the trip consuming several days, and he camping out nights on the way. His first claim was a quarter section of land which he entered from the government, and he became a successful farmer. At the time of the gold excitement he made a trip over the plains to Cali- fornia and spent two years there, after which he returned to Johnson county. He took a prominent part in the life of his community and won many warm friends.
Mr. Heitzman was married at old St. Mary's church in Iowa City, in 1853, to Mary Wombacher, and on the same day her
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sister, Elizabeth Wombacher, became the wife of Rochus Knebel, who is mentioned in another sketch in this work. The two couples rode to Iowa City in a wagon and Mr. and Mrs. Heitzman ate their wedding breakfast at the home of Ferdi- nand Haberstroh. This house was often used in an early day as a place of worship by the Catholics, another home used for the same purpose being that of Joseph Schnoebelin, two miles west of Riverside, the latter being a log dwelling. The priests in those days rode to the various missions on horseback, carry- ing their vestments in their saddle-bags. Mary Wombacher was born in Germany May 27, 1831, the ninth of ten children.
RESIDENCE OF MRS. F. HEITZMAN
Her parents came to America when she was two years old, in 1833, spending sixty-five days on the ocean, and landing in Baltimore after having encountered severe storms. Soon af- terward they removed to Cumberland, Maryland, and lived a few years on a farm near there. They came to Washington county, Iowa, in an early day, and two years later moved to the present site of Riverside. Mr. Wombacher died March 5, 1864, as the result of a kick from a horse, living from Wednes- day until the following Saturday after the accident, and being then sixty-nine years and eleven months old. His wife, Eva Wombacher, was born in Bavaria and died September 4, 1878, aged sixty-nine years, two months and twenty-eight days. His first wife, Catherine (Hoffman) Wombacher, died in Germany
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in 1827, having had three children: John, Adam and Mar- garet, the last named of whom married Conrad Streb. John Wombacher was a farmer in Germany, and after coming to Riverside, about 1849, purchased land there. He and his sec- ond wife had children as follows: Peter, Andrew, Joseph, Ann, George (deceased), Sylvester, George (second), Eliza- beth (Mrs. Knebel), and Mary. Of these children Ann mar- ried Constantine Armbruster.
Mr. and Mrs. Heitzman, soon after their marriage, settled in a small room log house, with a stick and clay chimney. Their first two children were born in this pioneer home, name- ly : Anna, who married Nicholas Sehnoebelin, died, leaving a daughter, Rose; Magdalene, who died at the age of twenty-five years. The rest of the children were born in the second house, which was built of frame, and which is used by their son Rich- ard for : "Igranary. The third and fourth children died in in- fancy; the fifth child, Richard, married Josephine Mellecker, and they have six children: Stella, Mary, Rose, Louis, Her- man, and Edna; Joseph, who lives on the home farm, married Mary Critz, and they had three children; Alvenus died at the age of thirteen years ; Mary Ellen died at the age of seventeen years; Robert married Irma Critz, in September, 1909, and they have a daughter, Helen. Robert Heitzman is an under- taker and resides at Riverside. All the children were bap- tized at the Catholic church. The parents were among the original members of St. Mary's church of Iowa City and Mr. Heitzman is buried in the Catholic cemetery at Riverside. He helped in the ereetion of the former church edifice. There are twelve grandchildren in the family.
Mrs. Heitzman has many friends and is well known in the community, where she was one of the first settlers. She is a member of the Rosary Society of the church and is active in the affairs of St. Mary's church at Riverside.
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, IOWA
GEORGE WASHINGTON MAGRUDER
For forty-one years George W. Magruder has lived on the farm bearing his name in Fremont township, but this period does not represent his entire term of residence in Johnson county nor his whole experience as a farmer. Mr. Magruder is another member of the unique tribe "To-the-Manor-born." June 5, 1845, was the date of his birth, and his father's home- stead in Fremont township, Johnson county, Iowa, was the scene of it. As soon as he was old enough to work, he began to assist his father in the multifarious duties of the farm, and when twenty-one years of age began business as a farmer for
RESIDENCE OF GEORGE W. MAGRUDER
himself. His first purchase was in 1868, when, at the age of twenty-three, he bought forty acres. To this he has added from time to time, until his present holdings aggregate 260 acres - one of the best farms in Johnson county.
The Magruder family is one of the oldest in southeastern Iowa, the father and founder, James, and his future wife, Ruth Stover, having settled in Johnson county in 1838. The latter came with her parents from Indiana, her native state. James Magruder also came from Indiana, but his native state was Virginia, which he left when he was nineteen. His stay in Indiana was only two years, when he pressed on to Johnson county, Iowa, and there met and married Ruth Stover.
James Magruder and Ruth Stover were the parents of seven
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children: John, who died in 1884; George W., Mary Esther and Sarah, died in infancy ; James, married, has a family and lives on the old homestead, the ground his father purchased from the government ; Martha, now Mrs. Barton Nelson, living at Lone Tree; Joseph, died at the age of sixteen. The father and mother have both passed into eternity.
George W. Magruder chose as his life's companion, Miss Annie M. Shepherd, born near LaFayette, Indiana, who came to Johnson county with her parents about 1850. Her mother is dead, and her father, a veteran of the 2nd Iowa Cavalry, and a former resident of Lone Tree, passed away July 24, 1911, aged 85 years. Two children of George W. and Annie Magru- der are living : Elma B., now Mrs. James Sims, residing at her father's farm, has two children - Clinton, eleven years old, and Margaret, aged four ; George R., a graduate of the Dental Department S. U. I., now practicing at Sydney, Montana, is married to Mary McVey, also a graduate of the same school - has two children, Virginia Ruth, seven years old, and Phyllis, one year old.
The remains of Mrs. Annie Shepherd Magruder are laid to rest in the little cemetery at River Junction, near which village her surviving companion resides.
Mr. Magruder has always voted the democratic ticket. He has held the office of township trustee for six years, has been school director for several years and has also been road super- visor. He is now president of the River Junction Lumber company and is president of the Henry Walker Park associa- tion.
He has always taken pleasure in traveling, having spent the winters of 1904 and 1905 in California, visiting Los Angeles, San Diego and Long Beach. On October 16, 1911, he started for Grand Forks, North Dakota, from which place he went on to Sydney, Montana, where he visited his son, Dr. Geo. R. Magruder. From there he went to Spokane, Washington, and then to Chelaw Falls, Washington, and on to Seattle, from which place he went to Portland, Oregon, where he met many of his old schoolmates. The next stop was at San Francisco and then Los Angeles. From there he went to Long Beach where he remained for three months, after which he went to Tia Juan, Mexico, via San Diego, for a short time and then re-
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turned to Los Angeles. His return was via Salt Lake and Denver with a short visit at Phillipsburg, Kansas, arriving again at his home near River Junction on June 12, 1912.
A brief family chronology follows :
Marriages - November 15, 1839, James Magruder and Ruth Stover; January 2, 1870, Geo. W. Magruder and Anna M. Shepherd; January 1, 1880, James M. Magruder and Millie A. Norris ; February 9, 1882, Martha J. Magruder and Thomas B. Nelson.
Births - James M. Magruder, born April 19, 1816, in Vir- ginia ; Ruth Stover, born September 10, 1821, in Indiana ; John W. Magruder, born February 7, 1842, in lowa ; Geo. W. Magru- der, born June 5, 1845, in Iowa ; Mary E. Magruder, born Feb- ruary 20, 1849, in Iowa ; Sarah C. Magruder, born May 8, 1853, in Iowa; James M. Magruder, born July 13, 1856, in Iowa; Martha J. Magruder, born December 12, 1859, in Iovo ; Joseph S. Magruder, born February 15, 1865, in Iowa.
Deaths - Mary E. Magruder, died July 17, 1853; Sarah C. Magruder, died October 4, 1854; Joseph S. Magruder, died May 3, 1881; John W. Magruder, died March 20, 1884; James M. Magruder, Sr., died November 30, 1893; Ruth Magruder, died March 21, 1905.
REV. R. J. RENIHAN
Two sons of Michael and Ellen (Tabin) Renihan entered the prietshood of the Roman Catholic church of Iowa: James Henry Renihan, late pastor of St. Mary's church, Oskaloosa, and Richard J. Renihan, pastor of St. Mary's church, Oxford. The former, at his death, July 25, 1909, was accounted one of the most eloquent and attractive orators of the Catholic church in the middle west, and his untimely taking-off at the age of forty years was the occasion of widespread grief and regret on the part of his many friends of the clergy and the church. The fame of the deceased priest as a popular lecturer had become general, and he was by some spoken of as a worthy successor to the eloquent Father L. J. Vaughan, whose death had been but recently memorialized at Janesville, Wisconsin.
Our subject is a younger brother of the deceased pastor of
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Oskaloosa, and was educated in the same schools as his brother and colleague, namely, the parochial schools and St. Ambrose College, of Davenport, lowa, and St. Vincent's College, of Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Father Renihan graduated at St. Am- brose in the class of 1890, and took his two years of philosophy at St. Vincent's. His theological course was received at Ken- drick Seminary, St. Louis. Like his brother also, he was or- dained to the priesthood by Bishop Cosgrove, of Davenport. Following his ordination he became a teacher for eight years in the classics, mathematics and Christian doetrine in St. Am- brose at Davenport. In 1903 he was appointed pastor of St.
RESIDENCE OF REV. R. J. RENIHAN
Mary's church at Oxford, Iowa, to succeed Rev. F. J. Leonard; in which position he still remains. His time is taken up largely with the charge of over one hundred families, besides which he has had the oversight of the new church, which will be entirely completed by October first, 1913.
The first ground was turned for this building on the 28th of Angust, 1912, and the cornerstone was laid by Bishop Davis, a former pastor, on December 4, 1912. The first service in the new structure was held on July 13, 1913. The building is of red pressed brick with stone trimmings and a tile roof, making it very substantial. The body of the church is 115 feet by 50 feet and has a large room on each side in the rear. It is one
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of the most complete as well as one of the most beautiful churches in the state, having steam heat and its own electric lighting plant with the semi-indirect lighting fixtures. The interior is finished in the Romanesque style with all windows of stained glass, walls beautifully frescoed, and woodwork fin- ished in natural waxed oak. The altar, which is remarkably fine, is twenty-one feet in height. It is given in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Cox by their children, namely : L. R. Cox, C. P. Cox, and Miss Anna Cox. The baptismal font is of genuine Carrara marble, the top section of which alone weighs over 900 pounds. Taken as a whole the church is a splendid monument not only to Rev. Renihan for his share in the labor, but to every member of the parish who had a part in its building.
BENSON EARL WASHBURN
Probably at some time there will be a scientist who will ad- vance a plausible theory as to why some men take the course of least resistance and others take the one that has the most resistance. Possibly the same man will say why it is that so few men follow the lines in life that they originally plan to follow. As an illustration : At the age of sixteen B. E. Wash- burn was working for a building contractor ; later we find him teaching school ; and now the visitor in Iowa City will find him in one of the finest office rooms in the Johnson County Bank building, with the sign of "Doctor" on the door.
Dr. Benson Earl Washburn was born in North-East, Penn- sylvania on the twenty-ninth of July, 1875, the son of G. G. Washburn and Ellen ( West) Washburn. Both of his parents were school teachers, the father teaching all of his active life and now living at Garner, Iowa; the mother helping him at home until the time of her death in 1891.
After completing his high school work Dr. Washburn en- tered Yankton College at Yankton, S. D., and later attended Highland Park College in Iowa. Being raised in a family of school teachers it seems natural that he should try his hand as a pedagog and so we find him teaching school for several years. Then he decided to go into business for himself and purchased an interest in a hardware store in Wakefield. Ne-
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braska. The partnership did not prove to be agreeable so he moved to Norfolk, Neb., and took a position as bookkeeper and clerk in a hardware store there. It was at this place that he and his wife, Evelyn S. Washburn, a native of Iowa, whom he married in 1899, became interested in the study of osteopathy, through the influence of Dr. N. J. Hoagland and the results that had been obtained in the relief of suffering friends and relatives whom other means had failed to help. Evelyn Sin- clair Washburn, the wife of Dr. B. E. Washburn, was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Sinclair, natives of Canada. She was born at Akron, Iowa, on July 19, 1875. She attended
RESIDENCE OF DR. B. E. WASHBURN
the University of South Dakota at Vermillion and also the State Normal at Madison, S. D., afterward teaching school in Iowa for a number of years. Coming to Des Moines they en- tered Still College and through the friendship and influence of Col. A. B. Shaw were able to make their way through many dark days at college and graduate with honor.
After graduating from college, Dr. B. E. Washburn was elected to the position of assistant obstetrician and surgeon to Still College and demonstrator of ont elinies. He continued to practice in Des Moines until January 1, 1906, when he came to Iowa City and took up the practice of Dr. A. Still Craig.
Since coming to Iowa City the practice of both Drs. B. E. and Evelyn S. have continued to expand until they have few
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, IOWA
leisure hours. Both of charming personalities, they have many friends and well-wishers in the community. Speaking of the causes of his splendid success Dr. B. E. paid a tribute to his wife of which she is highly worthy when he said, "But the most of my success is due to the encouraging influence of my wife who stood shoulder to shoulder with me through my college career and who herself graduated with honors."
ROBERT LUCAS
Probably no family bore a more important part in molding events in the early history of Iowa than that bearing the name of Lucas, and foremost among its members was Hon. Robert Lucas, first territorial governor. He is remembered by all who knew him as a man of strong character and left a record of which his descendants may well be proud. A representative of the family who has won an honorable position in life through his ability and energy is Robert Lucas, of Iowa City, who was born in the old family home there, September 13, 1853, son of Col. Edward W. and Phoebe A. (Clark) Lucas, and a grandson of Hon. Robert Lucas, above mentioned. Col. Edward Lucas was born in Pipe county, Ohio, September 13, 1825, and his wife was born in Richardson county, Ohio, August 9, 1828. Children as follows were born to Col. Lucas and wife: Edward K., deceased, who died in Nebraska, 1886; Clark S., living in Iowa City ; Isabell, died at the age of 10; Win. W., died at age of 10; Robert, living on Kirkwood avenue.
In boyhood Robert Lucas attended the public schools of his native city, and after leaving the high school matriculated in the State University of Iowa. He graduated from the latter institution with the degree of LL. B., with the class of 1876, and since that time has practiced law in Iowa and Nebraska. Other than this he has spent his entire life in Iowa City.
Some years ago Mr. Lucas took up a homestead where Gor- don, Nebraska, now stands, and during the years that he lived in the vicinity took a prominent part in politics and public af- fairs, helping to organize the democratic party in the counties of Cherry, Sheridan and Davis. For some time he edited the Chadron Democrat, the local party organ, and was most in-
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fluential in the interests of this cause, serving for a time as county chairman, at the same time carrying on the practice of law. He returned to Iowa City in 1891 and has been farming part of the old Lucas place since his return. He has become interested in various other enterprises. He is well acquainted with land values in his native county and is an excellent judge of the future value of various pieces of realty in and around Iowa City. He has witnessed remarkable progress in John- son county since he has reached an age at which he was inter- ested in the chain of events which have resulted in the present condition of prosperity, and has a patriotic pride in his native locality. He has the esteem and confidence of all who have had dealings with him, and has a host of friends. He has serv-
RESIDENCE OF ROBERT LUCAS
ed as United States Circuit Court Commissioner, district of Nebraska and ex-officio taking the final proof and prepared filing and other papers for many thousand settlers on public land. He is also well known in fraternal circles, being affiliat- ed with Arcania Lodge A. F. & A. M., of Gordon, Nebraska. He and hs family are prominent in the social life of Iowa City, and have a very pleasant home there.
The marriage of Mr. Lucas occurred on December 18, 1897, in Gordon, Nebraska, when he was united with Mrs. Flora E. Rourke, a native of Indiana and a daughter of Geo. W. and Melissa Jones. Two children have blessed their union, Mar- garet Isabell, and Edward William, named in honor of his grandfather.
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, IOWA
THE FAMILIES OF THOMAS WALTER BUTLER AND PATRICK PHELAN
In the old homestead of Mrs. Patrick Phelan, at 14 East Bur- lington street, Iowa City, reside the three surviving daughters of that well-known pioneer: Mrs. Thomas Walter Butler, Mrs. Francis HI. O'Shaughnessy, and Miss Theresa Phelan. Interesting chapters in the history of Iowa and Johnson county are intertwined with the experiences of the three distinguished families represented by these excellent and well-known women. Perhaps it may said that no family histories of the county are richer in the elements of native honesty, true public spirit, devotion to home, and faithfulness in the discharge of every duty of life than those which recite the activities of the Phelans, the O'Shaughnessys, and the Butlers. Back of the facts which justify such a statement as this, inevitably, there is the pres- ence of unique and masterful personalities. It is the duty of the memorialist and the biographer to draw back the curtain of Time past, that the citizenship of today and tomorrow may have fellowship with these citizens of Yesterday whose char- acters and deeds have entered into and become a part of the structure of civilization. Happily, the descendants of the first families of Johnson county recognize the friendliness of this invasion, and will be gratified, it is hoped, in the recital of the activities of their progenitors and kinsfolk.
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