Memorial and biographical record of Iowa, Part 128

Author:
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1360

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Mr. Thornley was married November 8, 1882, to Miss Marion McColl, and they have had three children: Clara Belle, Catharine Hazel, and one that is deceased.

In all public affairs of a local nature Mr. Thornley has always taken a commendable interest. He has served as Assessor and in other township offices, and also as Council- man and Village Treasurer of Woodward. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., and he and his family are identified with the Methodist Episcopal Church.

ON. JOHN F. HOPKINS, whose eventful and well spent life is well ' worthy of mention, now resides in Boone county, in his adopted State, having for more than forty years been a resi- dent here. He was born in Logan county, Ohio, October 4, 1821, and was a son of Rob- ert and Nancy (Veazy) Hopkins, who were natives of Sussex county, Delaware. About 1800 they left that State and journeyed through the wilderness to the frontier of Ohio, locating in Pickaway county, where they both died, the father at the age of seventy years, the motlier when eighty years of age.

The gentleman whose name heads this sketch continued under the parental roof dur- ing his minority, and was carefully reared by his parents. At the time of the gold excite- ment in California he bade adieu to home and

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friends and started for the Eldorado of the West, journeying across the plains. He made his way from Ohio to Nebraska City, -the site of old Fort Kearney, -and then indeed found himself in the wilds of the West. It was yet eighty-seven days' journey to California, but at length the long trip was ended and he found himself on the Pacific slope. After two years passed there he resolved to return home, and sailed down the Pacific coast to Acapulco, Mexico, where he left the vessel and went across the country to the city of Mexico, and thence to Vera Cruz, crossing the Gulf to New Orleans, and going up the Mississippi to Cin- cinnati, whence he hastened to his old Ohio home.

Not long after his return Mr. Hopkins was married, on the 22d of April, 1852, to Miss Lydia Bates, who was born in Ohio. They became the parents of five children, four of whom are yet living. Their son, who was one of the brightest young business men of this section, died recently, at the age of thirty- eight years, leaving a beautiful little daughter, who is now the pride and life of her grand- parents' home. The surviving children of the family are: Eva, who is married and has one child; Elsie, who is married and had two chil- dren, now deceased; Libbie, who is also mar- ried; and Nannie, who is married and has two living children.

In the spring of 1854 Mr. Hopkins came to Iowa and located on 640 acres of land, mostly in Dallas county. In October of the same year he returned for his family, and with them drove to the frontier home, camping out until a log cabin, 18 x 24 feet, could be built. That continued their place of abode until 1860, when their present residence was erected, a half mile south of the village of Madrid, in Boone coun- ty, where he has since lived. He has bought and sold other land, but still owns a tract, the first section which he secured on coming to the county. He has managed his business inter- ests with ability, and his economy, diligence, perseverance and good management have brought to him a handsome success, making

him one of the substantial citizens of this sec- tion of the State.

In politics, Mr. Hopkins is a Republican, having supported that party since its organiza- tion, but his first presidential vote was cast for James K. Polk. He has frequently been called to offices of honor and trust in the township and county, and represented his district in the Thirteenth General Assembly, where he served on a number of important committees, and helped shape some valuable legislative meas- ures for the State. The family attends the Baptist Church. There is no enterprise of a public or private character started in this com- munity, that is calculated to prove of benefit, which does not receive his hearty support and co-operation. He has been a liberal contribu- tor to many charitable and benevolent enter- prises and is a public-spirited and progressive citizen. He was elected the first president of the Old Settlers' Society of Boone county, and has filled that position since its organization. In business, in public office or in private life he has always been an honorable and loyal citizen and his many excellencies of character are worthy of emulation.

0 AVID HASTIE .- Prominent among the representative pioneers of Dal- las county, Iowa, who have aided in the development and improvement of this section from an early day, is the gentle- man whose name introduces this review. He

is a native of Scotland, his birth having oc- curred in Dumfriesshire, on the 25th of May, 1828, and is one of the four survivors of a family of nine children born to John and Mar- garet (McLaughlin) Hastie, who also were born in Dumfriesshire, and there they both passed away, at about the age of sixty years. The paternal grandparents of our subject also spent their entire lives in Scotland.

At the age of sixteen years David Hastie left the parental roof, going to Staffordshire, England, where he learned the dry-goods trade, at which he was employed for about three and

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a half years. There his marriage was cele- brated on the Ist of April, 1853, the lady of his choice being Miss Mary McLaughlin, who was born in Staffordshire, July 3, 1831, and is a daughter of John and Mary A. (Hopkin- son) Mclaughlin, the former a native of Scot- land and the latter of England. The father of Mrs. Hastie departed this life at the age of sixty-five, while her mother reached the ripe old age of eighty-three years. She is one of a family of eight children, three of whom are still living, and by her union with our subject has become the mother of eight children. Those living are: Margaret, who is married and has six children; John, who is married and has one son; Robert, who is married and has two children; William, who is married and has four children, and Kate, who is married and has three children.

Believing that better opportunities were af- forded enterprising men in the New World, Mr. Hastie decided to come to this country, and at Liverpool boarded a vessel bound for New York, which arrived there twenty-eight days later. He came direct to Muscatine, Iowa, by river and thence to Des Moines by stage, and on to Dallas county by wagon. With the money received from the sale of his dry-goods stock in Staffordshire, England, Mr. Hastie here purchased 100 acres of land, on which he erected a log house 16 x 18 feet, with an extra kitchen, costing about $125, and was the first shingle-roofed house in the neighbor- hood. In 1866 a more commodious dwelling was built, at a cost of about $1,000. His present comfortable home was erected in 1892, and he has also built a tenement house upon his place. Besides this property he also owns three good houses in Perry. Three years pre- vious to his arrival, Mr. Hastie had a brother locate in Dallas county, where the latter se- cured a farm for himself and our subject, but on his going to California he sold out his inter- est to our subject, though on his return he again secured a portion of that farm. From time to time Mr. Hastie has added to his orig- inal purchase until he now has a fine farm of

240 acres, for a portion of which he paid $25 per acre, and has one of the best improved places of the country.

In the fall of 1864 Mr. Hastie manifested his loyalty to his adopted country by enlisting in the Union Army, becoming a member of Company D, Second Iowa Infantry, Fourth Division, Fifteenth Army Corps, under Cap- tain Thomas Davis, and was with Sherman on his celebrated march from Atlanta to the sea. He remained in the service until the close of hostilities, after which he received an honora- ble discharge, at Rock Island, Illinois. He is now a member of Redfield Post, G. A. R., of Perry.

On locating in Dallas county, Mr. and Mrs. Hastie found most of the land in its primitive condition, and Indians were still to be seen in vicinity. It was very lonely for her, and almost the only persons whom they saw were the few travelers who stopped with them on their way farther West. There were few set- tlements in the county and the little farm houses were widely scattered. For some time in those early days the home of our subject was used as a sort of hotel, as hospitality reigned supreme there and the pioneer traveler always found a hearty welcome.

Mr. and Mrs. Hastie hold a high position in the esteem and confidence of their fellow citizens, and are active and consistent mem- bers of the Baptist Church, to which they contribute liberally. In politics, our subject is a stalwart supporter of the Republican party, and cast his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln when he ran for his first term. He has held several local offices of honor and trust, and for fifteen years served as treasurer of the school district.

IRAM S. HARRIS .- One of the re- spected citizens long resident of Bur- lington, Iowa, is found in the subject of this review. He comes of a South- ern family and was himself born in the South,

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his birth having occurred at Prestonburg, Ken- tucky, March 13, 1833.

His parents, David K. and Ann (Spurlock) Harris, were natives of Tennessee and Virginia, respectively, and to them were born five sons and eight daughters, only three of whom are now living, -Elizabeth, Hiram S. and James L. David K. Harris, the father was a par- ticipant in the war of 1812. He was a mer- chant in Kentucky in early life, and spent fif- teen or sixteen years in the Kentucky Senate. He moved to Polk county, Iowa, in 1845, be- fore Iowa had been admitted into the Union, and that same fall took up his abode in Bur- lington. Here he was a Justice of the Peace for fifteen or sixteen years; was also City Al- derman and held various official positions of prominence and trust. He bought the prem- ises now owned and occupied by his son, Hiram S., as early as 1848, and lived here till his death, in 1869, at the age of seventy-four years. His wife survived him some ten years. Both were stanch members of the Christian Church. He was an Elder in the church, and they had the pleasure of entertaining at their home in this city the well-known Alexander Campbell.

Taking another step backward for a history of the grandparents of Mr. Harris, we find that his paternal grandfather was a native of North Carolina, of Irish descent, and was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. At the time of his death, which occurred in Tennessee, he was well advanced in years. He had one daughter and four sons. The daughter, Betsey, commonly called " Aunt Betsey," was born in Tennessee, and moved from there to Columbus, Kentucky, where she and her husband, Robert Walker, accumulated considerable property. During the late war she was run out of her home by the Union soldiers, and about a year later died near Nashville, at an old age. Her brother, William, moved to Illinois at an early day, even before it was a Territory, and ran a ferry- boat across the Mississippi to Cape Girardeau. Subsequently he moved to Helena, Arkansas, and lived there until his death, some years be-

fore the war. The maternal grandfather of our subject was John Spurlock. He was of English descent, was born in Virginia, served as a Revolutionary soldier, and lived to a good old age. His occupation through life was that of a minister of the gospel and he was a power for good in his day. In his family were four sons and five or six daughters.

Hiram S. Harris, the immediate subject of this article, was twelve years old when he came with his parents to Iowa, and has lived here ever since, -forty-eight years in one house. Forty-five years of this time he has been en- gaged in rafting and steamboating on the Mis- sissippi river. Also he has for some years past run a kind of home-like hotel, known as the Harris House.

Mr. Harris was married in July, 1854, to Miss Elizabeth Marshall, daughter of Henry Marshall, and their union was blessed in the birth of four children, two sons and two daugh- ters: John M., David K., Bird and June. John died at the age of eighteen months and Miss June died in the bloom of young woman- hood, at the age of nineteen years. Mrs. Har- ris departed this life in 1891, in her fifty-sixth year. She was an amiable woman, loved by all who knew her, and was a devoted member of the Presbyterian Church.

As to his political predilections, we would state that Mr. Harris casts his vote and in- fluence with the Democratic party.

J C. WILSON, one of the well-to-do and highly respected farmers of Madi- son county, Iowa, resides in Douglas township, where he owns a fine farm comprising nearly 500 acres, his residence be- ing on section 5.

Mr. Wilson was born in Highland county, Ohio, July 16, 1819. His father, A. B. Wil- son, was one of the pioneers of southern Ohio, was a native of North Carolina, coming to Ohio as early as 1814, and for a time was en- gaged in teaching school, but after his mar- riage settled down to the life of a farmer.

m. Alexander.

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His father, John Wilson, was of Scotch-Irish descent and was born in Pennsylvania. A. B. Wilson was married in Ross county, Ohio, in 1817, to Miss Margery Dean, a native of that county. Her father, Abram Dean, was one of its early settlers, having come down the Ohio river on a flatboat, from Pennsylvania, and lo- cated at Chillicothe when that town could boast of only four houses. After their mar- riage Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Wilson located on a farm in Highland county, where they passed the remainder of their lives, he dying at the age of sixty-six years and she at eighty-four. They had four daughters and seven sons, the subject of this sketch being the second son and second child.

Mr. Wilson was reared on his father's fron- tier farm and remained an inmate of the pa- rental home until his marriage, in 1845. His educational advantages were meager, being limited to about eighteen months altogether, in the district school. Five days after his marriage he came with his bride to Iowa, first settling at Burlington, Des Moines county, which continued to be his abiding place until 1864, when he sold out and moved to Wash- ington county. Two years later he purchased land in Douglas township, Madison county, and since 1866 he has resided at his present location, engaged in agricultural pursuits. From a small tract of land and a cabin home he has increased his holdings and improved his property until to-day his fine farm com- prises 488 acres, with excellent improvements thereon.

In 1845 Mr. Wilson married Miss Ann E. Mahan, who was born in Brown county, Ohio, and reared there. For many years she shared with her husband the joys and sorrows of life, at all times proving herself a worthy help- mate, passing away in 1892. Of their chil- dren, eleven in number, we enter record as follows: Harriet D., deceased; Amanda A., deceased; Cyrus L., a resident of Winterset, this State; Chester S., residing at Marathon, also in this State; Eva V., wife of I. J. Lov- ell, Douglas township, this county; Margery 51

E., wife of Lewis Sawhill, of Colorado; Fran- ces E., deceased; Cora V., also deceased; William O .; Mary O., who presides over her father's home; and one that died in infancy.

Although Mr. Wilson had but limited edu- cational advantages in his youth, he has by observation and by actual contact with the world acquired a broad knowledge, and is bet- ter posted on public affairs than many whose early advantages were far superior to his. Politically he acts with the Republican party. He has always been a strong Union man, and in the days of slavery he was connected with the "underground railroad," and was well known as a friend of the oppressed, as indeed he is yet known, with reference to the emer- gencies that come up around him and in the labor and political issues of the day.

ILLIAM ALEXANDER .- The worthy class of pioneers to whom Iowa owes her development and prog- ress is fast passing away, but an hon- ored representative of that class yet remains, - the gentleman whose name heads this record and who has been identified with the upbuild- ing and improvement of the State since its Territorial days. He is now living retired at the pleasant home of his daughter, Mrs. Eikenberry, in Chariton, where in a ripe old age he is surrounded with the comforts that should crown the declining years of a life well spent.

Mr. Alexander was born in Clinton county, Pennsylvania, on the 19th of May, 1810, and comes of good old Revolutionary stock, his grandfather, who also bore the name of Will- iam, having served in the war for independ- ence. His father, Joseph Alexander, was also a native of the Keystone State and a farmer by occupation. Mr. Alexander, of this sketch, was born on his father's farm and acquired but a meager education in the school room, demon- strating the truth of what Gibbon has said: "Every person has two educations, -one of which he receives from others, and one, more

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important, which he gives himself." When eight years of age he attended a subscription school for about a year, and in his sixteenth year spent nine months in a select school taught by Mr. Cross, whom he remembers as having been very appropriately named.

At the age of seventeen Mr. Alexander went to Philipsburg to learn the cabinet-mak- er's trade, serving a three years apprentice- ship. In 1832 he commenced business on his own account at Bellefonte, Center county, Pennsylvania, which he continued until the panic of 1837 forced him out of business at considerable loss. In 1839 he emigrated to Iowa, landing at West Point, Lee county, on the IIth of October of that year. Soon after his arrival he established himself in the cabi- net-making and undertaking business, and dur- ing the cholera plague of 1851 he made sixty- five coffins, most of them being for victims of that disease. In 1852 he opened a general merchandise store and continued in business for about ten years, but remained a resident of that place until 1867. While at West Point he was prominently identified with pub- lic affairs, served as Postmaster for one term, and was twice the candidate on the Repub- lican ticket for the office of Representative.

On coming to Chariton in 1867 Mr. Alex- ander again began general merchandising, in connection with the furniture business, contin- uing in trade until 1879. With the exception of two years spent in his native county in Pennsylvania, he has resided continuously in Chariton since 1867 and has ever been one of its most prominent, progressive and valued citizens. On the 19th of March, 1880, he was appointed Postmaster and acceptably dis- charged the duties of that office for four years. He has ever given his support to worthy inter- ests calculated to promote the general welfare, and has promoted prosperity while advancing his individual interests.

On the 15th of May, 1836, in Bellefonte, Center county, Pennsylvania, Mr. Alexander was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Leidy, a native of that place. By this union

he had three children. The eldest, William Leidy, was a gallant soldier in the Civil war. He enlisted when a mere boy, and commanded a company in the Thirtieth Iowa Infantry be- fore he had attained his majority. He was Adjutant General of Iowa for eleven years, and is now Captain of the Commissary Department in the regular United States Army, being sta- tioned at Denver, Colorado. Joseph Franklin died in childhood. Lizzie Jane is the widow of Daniel Eikenberry. The good wife and mother died February 28, 1855. On the 3d of March, 1857. Mr. Alexander married Amanda Thomas, a native of Bellefonte, Penn- sylvania, and she died on the Ist of August, 1892.

In early life a Whig, Mr. Alexander joined the Republican party on its formation, and has since steadily and stanchly supported its prin- ciples. He has always taken a lively interest in politics, and still keeps himself well posted on the public questions of the day. For sev- enty years he has been a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, and has promoted its welfare and labored for its upbuilding with un- tiring zeal. Although he has now reached the advanced age of eighty-five, his years rest lightly upon him, for a temperate, honorable life is shown in the physical as well as the mental and moral nature. In his business he met with fair success that came through untir- ing industry, energy and perseverance. His career has ever been that of an honest, upright man, winning him the respect and confidence of all who have known him, and in the evening of life he has the warm regard of young and old, rich and poor, humble and great.

℮ DWARD GRAVES PRATT, who holds the responsible position of general manager of the Capital City Gas Light Company of Des Moines, was born at North Chelmsford, Massachu- setts, June 10, 1856, and is a son of Will- iam A. and Letitia M. (Graves) Pratt. Lit- tle is known of his paternal ancestors, but

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his maternal ancestors came from England about 1640 and were prominent in the early history of the Colonies. The parents of our subject were both natives of Vermont, but shortly after their marriage, about the year 1847, removed to North Chelmsford, Massa- chusetts. Both are still living.

When Edward Pratt was a child of five years the family removed to Cambridge, Mas- sachusetts, where he first attended school, Two years later he went to Waltham, Massa- chusetts, where his parents have since made their home and where he obtained the greater part of his education. The characteristics of the man were manifest in the boy, -a resolute purpose, an unfaltering will and a determina- tion to succeed no matter what might be the obstacles and difficulties in his path. The hours spent out of the schoolroom were not de- voted to boyish amusements, although he had a healthy and natural appetite for fun. He worked in the mornings and evenings at carry- ing papers and lighting street lamps, and dur- ing his four years' attendance in high school engaged in driving a milk wagon. In order to do this it was necessary to begin work at four o'clock in the morning. For his services he received $12 per month, which supplied him with his books and clothing. One who would thus work in order to go through school would of course be a good student. In the school of experience he has also learned many valuable lessons and an observing eye and retentive memory have made him the possessor of much valuable knowledge.

In 1874, shortly after leaving school, Mr. Pratt entered the employ of the Newton & Watertown Gas Light Company, of Newton, Massachusetts, for the purpose of learning the gas business. His first work was at cleaning street lamps, after which he became general utility man about the works, later attended to the complaints of consumers and the reading of meters, also did some collecting; and dur- ing this time received $1.25 per day for his services. Energy and application for business, perseverance and fidelity to duty made him a

trusted employee and secured him a better position. In 1876 he entered the employ of the Providence Gas Company, of Providence, Rhode Island, as night clerk at the south sta- tion of the company, and after two years was made night foreman, receiving $1.75 per day of twelve hours. In 1880 he was offered the position of superintendent of the street depart. ment of the Newport Gas Light Company, of Newport, Rhode Island, and accepting this en- tered upon his duties in that capacity; but his worth was soon recognized by the company and he was promoted to the position of as- sistant superintendent, with a salary of $75 per month. In 1882 he secured a position as superintendent of the Gas Light Company, at North Attleboro, Massachusetts.

During all this time Mr. Pratt was care- fully studying the business, mastering the minutest detail as well as the more important points, until he won the reputation of being an expert gas engineer, and became associated with the New England Association of Gas En- gineers, the American Gas Light Association and the Guild of Gas Managers. He still re- tains active membership in the two former, and by reason of his removal to the West was made an honorary member of the latter. In 1887 Mr. Pratt was offered and accepted the position of general manager of the Capital City Gas Light Company, of Des Moines, in which capacity he has since served. His long con- tinuance in this responsible position well at- tests his fielity to the company's interest and his capable management of their affairs. He has reached the position he now occupies en- tirely through his own unaided efforts, his firm- ness of purpose and undoubted integrity. He has, without the aid of capital or of influential friends at the beginning of his career, passed on the highway of life many men who were more advantageously endowed at the com- mencement. He has won the confidence of the people of his adopted home and it can be truthfully said that no citizen of Des Moines more justly commands the respect of all than Mr. Pratt.

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Memorial and biographical record of Iowa, Part 128

Author: Publication date: 1896 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1360

Author:
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1360