Memorial and biographical record of Iowa, Part 129

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

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL

On the 10th of June, 1880, Mr. Pratt was united in marriage with Adella J. Arnold, of Providence, Rhode Island, and they now have a daughter and son, aged respectively thirteen and eleven years. Mr. Pratt gives his political support to the Republican party and takes an active interest in local, State and national is- sues. He has never had a desire for public office, preferring that others should enjoy all the glory to be obtained from such service. He is quite interested in military affairs and is now serving on the military staff of Governor Jack- son. He is also president of the Grant Club, of Des Moines, the oldest political club in the State.

J AMES O. WARRINGTON, an honored pioneer and representative citizen of Dallas county, Iowa, was born in Del - aware county, Ohio. He comes from a family well represented in the Revolutionary war, during which his paternal grandfather served as one of the eight body guards of Gen- eral Washington, having on account of his commanding presence and fine physique been the second chosen for that responsible position. The parents of our subject, John and Ruth (Moore) Warrington, were both natives of the Old Dominion, from which State they removed to Ohio, in 1825, but the year 1863 found them residents of Lucas county, Iowa, where the father died at the age of seventy-five years, and the mother at the age of eighty-four.

James O. Warrington is one of a family of eleven children. During his boyhood and youth he assisted in the labors of the farm, and the winter seasons were passed in attendance at the district schools of the neighborhood. He has made farming his life occupation, in which he has met with a well-deserved success, and as he started out with no capital save a deter- mination to succeed, his extensive farm shows what can be accomplished by determined ef- fort and close application to business prin- ciples.

Mr. Warrington has been twice married,

his first union being with Phœbe Cordelia Eastman, a native of Ohio, and their wedding being celebrated in 1849. The lady died two years later, leaving a son, Monroe, who is mar- ried and has eight children. In 1854 Mr. War- rington led to the marriage altar Jane Jeffrey, who was born in Marion county, Ohio, and to them have been born four children: Ruth P., who is married and has seven children; Thomas A., who is married and has four children; Charles H., who also is married; and James J., who is married and has three children. Mrs. Warrington is a daughter of Thomas and Jane (Ferguson) Jeffrey, natives of Washing- ton county, Pennsylvania. The father was a son of John and Esther (Alexander) Jeffrey, and died in Iowa at the age of seventy-four years. His wife departed this life in Illinois, at the age of seventy-five years. By this union there were eight children, two of whom still survive. The maternal grandparents of Mrs. Warrington were Robert and Katharyn Fer- guson.

After his first marriage, Mr. Warrington rented land in Ohio for some two or three years and later attended school. In 1853 he came to Mahaska county, Iowa, where he en- tered 160 acres of Government land, but later disposed of that tract and in 1855 bought 320 acres more of Government land, in Dallas county, which was entirely unimproved. He built there a fine residence, barns and all other necessary outbuildings, besides making the place one of the most highly cultivated in the county. He sold that tract in 1883, and bought his present fine farm of 400 acres, and has now a beautiful home, surrounded by ev- erything that goes to make up a model farm. There he and his wife expect to spend the evening of their lives in quiet retirement, resting after many years of honest toil. Ev- ery dollar that Mr. Warrington now possesses has been obtained through his own endeavor, and he well deserves the honorable title of a self-made man. He has assisted materially in the moral and religious welfare of the commu- nity and has given liberally of his means to the

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building of churches and school-houses in the county, besides the substantial aid he gives to any worthy undertaking. He, together with his family, are prominent workers in the Bap- tist Church, and for almost half of his entire lifetime he has been superintendent of the Sunday school.

Though not a politician, Mr. Warrington has filled several local offices, among which was that of Justice of the Peace, and has given his support to the Republican party since casting his ballot for John C. Fremont, in 1856. In 1862 he was given charge of the mail route between Oskaloosa and Washing- ton, which he ran for four years, and in 1870 bought two routes, one from Boone to Des Moines, and the other from Stewart by Guth- rie Center to Casey. Of these he also had charge for four years. In public as well as private affairs he always discharges his duties with promptness and fidelity, and his upright, honorable course has ever won him the confi- dence and respect of all with whom he has come in contact.

ORENZO. HALL. - Among the prom- inent and representative citizens of Dallas county, Iowa, who carry on general farming as a means of liveli- hood, is the gentleman whose name introduces this review. For over a third of a century he has resided here, during which time he has won the esteem and confidence of all with whom he has come in contact.

Mr. Hall is a native of Ohio, his birth having occurred in Knox county, on Christmas Day of 1827, and is a son of Isaac Hall. The father was born in Ohio, of which State his parents, Richard and -- (Parks) Hall, were early settlers. In Ohio Isaac wedded Miss Prudence Huff, a native of New York and a daughter of Jonathan and Sarah (Cannon) Huff, who also were born in the Empire State, and their deaths occurred in Ohio. In 1836 Isaac Hall removed with his family to Indiana, where he passed away at the age of seventy-

five years, and his wife at the age of seventy. In their family were twelve children, four of whom are yet living.

On the home farm Lorenzo Hall remained until he had reached the age of nineteen years, at which time he began learning the carpen- ter's trade. He followed that occupation in Indiana until he reached the age of twenty- four years, when he was married. After work- ing at his trade for seven years in that State, he came to Iowa and entered 140 acres of land from the Government. His first home in Dal- las county was a little log cabin, 12x14 feet; but two years later this was enlarged, and about 1870 his present comfortable residence was erected. He has become well-to-do, and all his possessions have been acquired through his own unaided efforts and industrious business habits.

On the 12th of August, 1851, Mr. Hall was united in marriage with Emily Albin, who was born in Carroll county, Ohio, December 28, 1831, and is a daughter of William W. and Mary (Burns) Albin. Six children graced this union, but Mary J. died at the age of twelve years. Those living are Thomas P., a resident of Montana, who is married and has one daughter; Alonzo, who makes his home in Nebraska, and by his marriage has two sons; Loretta, who is married and lives in Colorado; Benjamin Franklin, who is still under the parental roof; and Charles W., who is married and resides near his father. The family is one of the most refined and highly respected in the community, and in social circles they hold an enviable position.

In politics, Mr. Hall is a supporter of the Democracy, having given his allegiance to that party since casting his first vote for Winfield Scott.

A LBERT W. MERRILL, superintend- ent of the schools of Stuart, Iowa, is a native of Des Moines, born on the 29th of March, 1869. His parents were William and Elizabeth (Lindsay) Merrill.

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The father was born in North Sidney, Maine, in the year 1834, and came to Iowa about 1857, locating in Davenport. In 1860 he re- moved to Des Moines, where he engaged in the manufacture and sale of furniture as senior partner of the firm of Merrill, Keeney & Com- pany. For a quarter of a century he was prominently identified with the business inter- ests of that city, and did not a little to pro- mote its material welfare. In the spring of 1895 he removed to Greentop, Missouri, where he is now engaged in farming. He served as Lieutenant and Regimental Quartermaster of the Twenty-third Iowa Infantry for more than two years during the Civil war, and was an earnest, loyal Union man. He is an ardent Republican, and was prominent in the councils of his party in this State. He was also actively identified with the Masonic fraternity, a lead- ing and influential member of the order. In connection with his other business interests, he aided in the organization of the Merrill Brick Company, of Des Moines, of which he was president. He is a man of sound judgment and business sagacity, energetic and wide- awake, and Des Moines owes not a little to him for his services in her behalf.

The Merrill family is of English origin and was founded in Massachusetts in the seven- teenth century. The father of our subject was married in Davenport, Iowa, in 1861, to Miss Elizabeth Lindsay, who was born in Wheeling, Virginia, in 1840. They became the parents of three sons, of whom of our sub- ject is the youngest. The others are Edwin L. and Harry B. The former is an architect, formerly located at Des Moines, now in St. Louis, and married Miss Maymie Jones, of Joplin, Missouri, in 1890. The latter is now associated with his father in his farming inter- ests. He was formerly in the lumber business in northwestern Iowa and Dakota, and was secretary and manager of the Merrill Brick Company, of Des Moines.

The two brothers here mentioned were educated in the Des Moines high school, and our subject was graduated at the West Des

Moines high school with the class of 1886. He then entered Iowa College, at Grinnell, Iowa, and was graduated in 1890 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. The same year he entered upon his professional life as a teacher, for which he was eminently fitted, and was principal of the schools of Oswego, Illi- nois, for one year. The succeeding year he was assistant principal of the high school at Fort Dodge, and the next year principal of the North Des Moines high school, where he continued for a year. In the autumn of 1893 he was elected superintendent of the public schools of Stuart, and is now entering upon his third year's work here. This city is well supplied with school facilities, having four fine brick buildings, each two stories in height. Three are ward schools and the fourth, erected in 1894, is exclusively for high-school purposes. Under Superintendent Merrill's supervision there are fifteen grade and high-school teach- ers. His work in the schools of Stuart is very highly appreciated by the intelligent people of the city, for these educational institutions have been greatly improved under his capable ad- ministration. He usually spends a portion of his summer vacations in institute work, having and been thus engaged for two years in Illinois, for three terms in the Guthrie County Institute.

On the 29th of June, 1893, in Oswego, Illinois, Mr. Merrill married Miss Louise J. Jessup, a native of Yorkville, Illinois, who ob- tained her education in that locality. Her father, Henry S. Jessup, was at one time a prominent farmer of Na - au - say, Kendall county, Illinois. Both of her parents are now deceased. In his religious views Mr. Merrill is an Episcopalian, while his wife belongs to the Presbyterian Church, and in his political associations he is a Republican.

3 AMES S. BUTTOLPH, who is serving as Postmaster of Iowa Falls, is num -. bered among the younger business men of the city, but his prominence is by no means measured by his years. He was born

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here on the 19th of December, 1869, and is a son of Jonathan T. and Maria (Woodruff) Buttolph. The father was born in Middle- bury, Vermont, in 1826, and came to this State in April, 1857, locating in Iowa Falls. He brought with him considerable capital, pur- chased a large tract of land, and engaged in dealing in live stock and grain, also in the brokerage business. Subsequently he turned his attention to banking, and organized the Bank of Iowa Falls, of which he was president for eighteen years, with the exception of a short period of twelve months. In 1894 he retired from the presidency of this institution, but is still the principal stockholder in the bank. It is a State bank, with a capital stock of $50,000, and the oldest establishnient of the kind in the city.

Mr. Buttolph has been very successful in his undertakings, carrying forward to a pros- perous conclusion whatever he has begun. He has made judicious investments in real estate, and now owns considerable business property in Iowa Falls, together with a large stock farm of about 800 acres in Hardin county, Iowa. He is entirely a self-made man. He secured his start in life by saving his earnings, secured at clerking in New York. In his early life he lived frugally and was very industrious. At length he determined to try his fortune in the West, and traveled to Chicago, where he pur- chased a set of millstones, which he took to Wisconsin. This he sold at a good profit there, but he did not like the country in the Badger State and in consequence came to Iowa. His capital of about $2,000 he judi- ciously invested, and it has steadily grown un- til he is now one of the wealthy men of the county. Mr. Buttolph is now living retired, enjoying that which he has truly earned and richly deserves, and spends much of his time in travel, in which he takes great delight. In politics he has long been a stanch Democrat, but has never sought or desired public office. In religious belief he is a Baptist, and is a very liberal contributor to the church, and to all enterprises which are calculated to prove of

public benefit. His wife is till living and has long been a faithful companion and helpmeet to him. They have reared a family of three children, namely : Kate R., now the wife of Jerome D. Steele, a resident of Iowa Falls; Nellie B., wife of James P. Carleton, a resi- dent of Chicago, now studying voice culture in Italy; and James S.

Our subject is the youngest of the family, and was reared in his parents' home, acquiring his education in the public schools of Iowa Falls and at Faribault, Minnesota. He then entered upon his business career and received his training in the Bank of Iowa Falls, where for four years he served as assistant cashier. He then turned his attention to the insurance business, which he followed for two years. In the latter part of 1893 he was appointed to the position of Postmaster of Iowa Falls, and en- tered upon the duties of the office on the 6th of January, 1894. His capable administration, now covering a period of almost two years, has given good satisfaction, and he is a popular and highly esteemed officer.

On the 4th of December, 1890, Mr. But- tolph was united in marriage with Miss Etta C., daughter of A. J. Cannam, proprietor of the Woods Hotel, of Iowa Falls. She was born in Hampton, Iowa, where her parents were pioneer settlers. One daughter graces this union, -Greta Marie. Mr. and Mrs. Buttolph hold a very high position in social circles, and their hospitable home is ever open for the re- ception of their many friends. Our subject is a stanch Democrat, has always taken a deep interest in the success of his party, and is active in its local councils. Socially, he is a member of both the subordinate lodge and en- campment of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

ON. ROBERT GEORGE REINI- GER. - It is a difficult matter to an- alyze a well rounded character like that of our subject, who has attained distinction as a statesman, a jurist and a judge,

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and who has been equally prominent in polit- ical, social and military circles. To the wel- fare of his country he has ever been devoted, and he has demonstrated the fact that one may as efficiently promote the country's interests and the cause of his fellow men on the bench as on the field of battle. He is now success- fully engaged in the practice of law in Charles City, and is numbered among the eminent members of the profession in Iowa.

Judge Reiniger was born on the 12th of April, 1835, in Tiffin, Seneca county, Ohio, and traces his ancestry back to Germany. His father, Gustavus Reiniger, was born in the kingdom of Wurtemberg, Germany, in 1802, and was there united in marriage with Miss Rosa Durr, who was born in the same province in 1804. Their marriage was celebrated in 1826, and in 1832, with the two children that had come to bless their home, they bade adieu to the Fatherland and sailed for the New World. In his native country, Mr. Reiniger had served as a government official, but on coming to America engaged in agricultural pursuits in Seneca county, Ohio, where he spent his remaining days, passing away in 1886. . His wife died in the spring of 1869. In their family were six children, the eldest being Rose, who died in Seneca county. The second, Gustavus G., became a member of the legal profession and for a time was engaged in practice with the Judge in Charles City. Re- moving to Union, Franklin county, Missouri, he there continued his professional labors un- til his death in 1869. Otilia C. is the wife of C. W. Lutz, a merchant and farmer residing in Tiffin, Ohio. Our subject is the next

younger. Edward Albert is a resident of Charles City, Iowa, where he is engaged in the stock business. Bertha died in her native county.

In the home of his parents Judge Reiniger was reared and his education was acquired in the public schools and college of Seneca coun- ty, after which he took up the study of law and fitted himself for admission to the bar. Be- lieving that there was less competition and bet-

ter opportunities in the West, he resolved to seek a location in Iowa, and in 1857 took up his residence in Charles City, where he entered into partnership with his elder brother, who had located here in 1855. They carried on business under the name of G. G. & R. G. Reiniger for two years, when in 1859 they ad- mitted to partnership Irving W. Card, under the firm name of Reiniger, Card & Reiniger. Together they engaged in practice until 1861, when Mr. Card withdrew, the brothers resum- ing the old firm name, which was continued until 1865, when the connection was dissolved by the retirement of the senior partner, who removed to Missouri.

In the spring of 1861, prompted by a spirit of patriotism which he could not and would not resist, our subject entered the Union army, and was made First Lieutenant of Company B, Seventh Iowa Infantry. After about a year's service he was promoted to the rank of Cap- tain, and commanded his company until after the fall of Atlanta. He participated in many of the most sanguinary and hotly contested battles of the war, including the engagement at Belmont, Missouri, November 7, 1861, the siege of Forts Henry and Donelson in the win- ter of 1861-2, the battle of Shiloh in April, 1862, and the battle of Corinth on the 4th and 5th of October, 1862. During the march to Atlanta he was on detached service, command- ing a post in southern Tennessee, but joined his company during the siege of Atlanta, par- ticipating in the operations against that city. He commanded the regiment at the battle of Jonesboro, which was his last active engage- ment, having served for three months over his terin of enlistment. After thirty-nine months spent in the defense of the old flag and the cause it represented, Captain Reiniger was mus- tered out and returned to his law office in Charles City.

During the three years that he was at the front his clients naturally went to others, and he had to begin anew to secure patronage. At length, however, he succeeded in doing this, and from that time forward has stood as

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one of the leaders of the profession in Floyd county. In the fall of 1870 he was appointed to the bench of the twelfth circuit to fill an unexpired term, and was afterward elected for three terms of four years each, thus serving for fourteen consecutive years. No higher testimonial could be given of his efficiency. His decisions were utterly free from partiality and were the result of careful consideration and the weighing of every particle of evidence brought to bear upon the case. Few men are more thoroughly informed on the law, and while he believes in giving every man a fair chance he carried out his views of justice and his course gave general satisfaction. He was elected Senator to represent the Fourty-fourth Senatorial District in the upper house of the General Assembly in 1885, and served two terms of four years each. On his retirement from that office he returned to his extensive law practice in Charles City, and is now asso- ciated in business with J. H. Lloyd and W. S. Prouty, under the firm style of Reiniger, Lloyd & Prouty. In the Senate his course was alike honorable and efficient and he soon took rank among the able legislators of the State. He was chairman of the committee on constitutional amendments, before which came the question as to the submission of the amendment relative to the liquor traffic, and Judge Reiniger favored re-submission. He also advocated the ineasure for extending municipal suffrage privileges to women. He introduced a bill to dispense with public exe- cutions. He is conscientiously opposed to capital punishment, but, with no prospect of eliminating that feature from the statutes, he favored private executions by electricity.

In 1893 he became one of the directors of the Charles City National Bank, served as vice-president in 1895, and in December of that year was elected president of the bank.

Judge Reiniger has always been active in political work, a leader of his party, and an able advocate of the doctrines of Republican- ism. Of the social orders, he has been prom- inently identified with the Masonic fraternity

since 1857, and has attained to the Royal Arch degrees. He has been a member of the Independent Order of Good Templars since 1858. He is a prominent member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and assisted in organizing a post in Charles City under the old dispensation, serving as its commander. On the re-organization of the order he again became active in its work, and has sustained his relations therewith to the present. He and his family are connected with the Congre- gational Church, and both the Judge and his wife are active and influential members.

On the 18th of November, 1867, the Judge was united in marriage with Mary Ellen Palmer, a daughter of Dr. William M. Palmer, of Charles City, Iowa. She was born in Maine and educated in her native State, coming to Charles City, Iowa, with her father's family in 1865. They have one son, Robert G., Jr., who was born March 19, 1880, and is now in the senior year in the Charles City high school.

B OSCOE M. PARSONS, M. D., one of the practitioners of the homeo- pathic school of medicine in Traer, Iowa, is a representative of that stur- dy stock which comes from the Green Moun- tain State. He was born in Bennington county, Vermont, June 16, 1848, and traces his ances- try through several generations to England. His great-grandfather, a loyal soldier and sailor under King George III., was engaged in the merchant marine service at the time of the Revolution, and followed that pursuit for many years. He finally located in Canada, where he reared his family, which included the pa- ternal grandfather of the Doctor, who, on reaching maturity, removed to southern Ver- mont, where the following two generations of the family were born.

Dr. Parsons' father, Benjamin B. Parsons, was born in 1817, in the same house which became the birthplace of the Doctor. His mother, Maria P. (Blanchard) Parsons, was

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of French lineage, her parents locating in Windham county, Vermont, where she was born, in 1823. Mr. and Mrs. Parsons were reared in the same neighborhood, attended the same school, and were eventually married, April 12, 1845. Three sons and a daughter were born in their family, namely: Roscoe M .; Fernando A., a banker and real-estate dealer in Kansas; Winslow R., a manufacturer of novelty goods in Chicago; and Lenore E., wife of W. S. Bishop, who resides in Water- loo, Iowa.

In the fall of 1850 the family removed to Dodge county, Wisconsin, where they lived for twelve years, and in 1862 came to Water- loo, Iowa, their present home being on a farm about a mile from that city. The early life of Dr. Parsons was spent on his father's farm and in attendance on the public schools of the neighborhood. He was early inured to all the labors of the farm, and while teaching school through the winter months followed agricul- tural pursuits in the summer. He began teaching in 1872, and was thus engaged through the seven succeeding years. In the fall of 1879 he entered the office of Drs. Ban- ton & Roberts, in Waterloo, with the deter- mination to fit himself for the medical profes- sion. After nine months' preparatory study he entered upon his first course of lectures at the Chicago Homeopathic Medical College. The following summer he returned to the office of his former preceptors, and in the autumn entered the medical department of the State University of Iowa. In the summer of 1881 he opened his present office in Traer. In September, however, he resumed his studies in the Chicago Homeopathic Medical College, from which he received his diploma on the 2d of March, 1882, when he resumed his office in Traer, and has since successfully engaged in practice.

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Memorial and biographical record of Iowa, Part 129

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