Memorial and biographical record of Iowa, Part 170

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

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ARL W. JOHNSON is a worthy rep- resentative of the business interests of Chariton, Iowa, and the senior member of the well-known firm of Johnson & Best, contractors and builders. He is a native of Sweden, born March 24, 1862, and is a son of Carl J. and Emma (Erickson) Johnson, who were also natives of the same land. In 1865 they crossed the Atlantic to America, locating in Galesburg, Illinois, where the father worked for two years in a machine shop and then retired to a farm in Henry county, that State, where he cultivated a tract of rented land for ten years. In 1877 he brought his family to Lucas county, Iowa, set- tling on his farm in English township, where he resided until 1892, when his wife died and he came to Chariton, where he has since lived retired, enjoying the rest which should always crown a long life of usefulness. The family numbered four sons and four daughters, all of whom are living, namely: Tilda, wife of John A. Warner, a resident of Illinois; Carl W., of this sketch; Eric, who is a carpenter by trade and lives in Chariton; Anna, Eudit, Peter and Alına, who are still with their father. David and Peter devote their time and attention to farming.

Mr. Johnson, whose name heads this rec-

ord, was a child of only three years when the family came to the New World. He remained at his parental home until after the removal of the family to this State, and when it came time to fit himself for a business career he began learning the carpenter's trade, in Chariton, being especially adapted for this. During the first year of his apprenticeship he built a house alone. It is said that each man may gain success if he will follow the calling for which nature intended him. Nature evidently intended Mr. Johnson for a carpenter, and his abilities in that direction are of a high order and have brought to him a well-merited success. He has followed his trade in Chariton for six years, never missing a day from his work un- less it came from sickness. During this time he has erected many fine buildings which stand as monuments to his thrift and enterprise. In 1892 he entered into partnership with E. H. Best, and this firm was awarded the contract of finishing the new court-house in Chariton. This is a magnificent structure, erected at a cost of $60,000, and every one speaks in the highest terms of the fine wood-work and inte- rior finishing which was done by Messrs. John- son and Best. In 1894 they built five large business blocks, besides twelve or more res- idences, and during the season employed twenty-two men. The name of the junior member of the firm is an index to the charac- ter of their work. It is their earnest desire and constant endeavor to please, and to this end they turn out only first-class work. Both Mr. Johnson and Mr. Best are practical build- ers who thoroughly understand the business in all its details, and are therefore ably qualified to manage and direct a large force of work- men. Honorable and straightforward in all their dealings, they have secured a liberal patronage and have received much of the best work in the city and vicinity.

Mr. Johnson was married in Chariton, to Miss Josephine Jarn, a native of Sweden, who came with her sister and brother-in-law to this country during her maidenhood days. Four children have been born to them: Margaret,

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Ernie, Laban and Herbert, -all of whom are still with their parents. The family is widely known in this community and the parents are recognized as people of genuine worth and therefore accorded a leading position in social circles. They hold membership with the Swedish Lutheran Church. In his political views Mr. Johnson is a stalwart Republican.

J J. WERTS, a representative of one of the honored pioneer families of Lucas county, was born in the vicinity of Adamsville, Ohio, fourteen miles north of Zanesville, Muskingum county, on the 6th of February, 1831. His paternal great-grand- father crossed the ocean to this country, found- ing a home in Maryland, while his son, Peter Werts, the grandfather of our subject, was born in that State July 21, 1773. After at- taining his majority he removed to Loudoun county, Virginia, where he was married, on the 3d of January, 1797, to Miss Susannah Huff, who was born in Maryland March 24, 1775. In the fall of 1812 they located in Mus- kingum county, Ohio. He was a soldier in the war of 1812.

The father of our subject, George Werts, was born in Loudoun county, Virginia, No- vember II, 1801, and spent his youth in at- tendance on the common schools of the neigh- borhood and in work on the old home farm, being early inured to the arduous labor of farming on the frontier. He was of a studious nature and spent much time in the study of such books as he could secure in his frontier home, thus spending all his leisure time. This proved to him of great benefit in later life. When he was eighteen years of age he lost his left hand by the bursting of a gun while at target practice among his comrades. This in- capacitated him for the heavy work of the farm, and shortly afterward he entered the school-room as a teacher, and for twenty-one successive years was employed in that capacity in the same district. His long service there

was certainly indicative of his efficiency and popularity.

On the 20th of September, 1827, he was united in marriage with Miss Margaret Maple, who was born in Coshocton county, Ohio, De- cember 22, 1808, a daughter of William and Sarah (Fuller) Maple. She was a consistent Christian woman and died in the faith of the Lutheran Church, her death occurring May 13, 1851. Mr. Werts survived until July 29, 1866, and was buried in the Lutheran ceme- tery in Muskingum county. They were the parents of eight children, namely: Julia Ann, born June 25, 1828, and died April 17, 1857, was the wife of A. A. Shirer, who has been engaged in agricultural pursuits in Lincoln township for the past twenty years and is one of the well-known men of this section; William W., born December 25, 1829, died April 7, 1857, and was buried in his native county; J. J. is the next of the family; Susannah, born October 9, 1832, is the wife of Q. A. Shirer; Mary J., born March 13, 1834, is the wife of Jacob K. Vincel, who has been engaged in farming in Washington township for eighteen years; Jacob H .; born November 8, 1835, has for thirty years been a farmer of Lucas coun- ty; George W., born April 4, 1841, is a pio- neer of Mercer county, Illinois; and Catherine, born April 30, 1838, died September 2, 1839.

J. J. Werts, whose name introduces this review, spent his boyhood days on his father's farm, and after attaining his twenty-first year started out in life for himself, working as a farm hand in the neighborhood for a year, for $13 per month. He next rented a farm of fifty acres in Coshocton county, but in the fol- lowing year returned to Muskingum county, where he again secured work on farms through the harvesting season. After his marriage he located on a rented farm in Muskingum county, where he remained for three years, and then purchased eighty acres of partially improved land in Coshocton county. In 1864 he emi- grated westward, crossing the Mississippi river at Burlington, Iowa, and purchased 240 acres of land on which stood a story-and-a-half

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house, 26 x 24 feet. Mr. Werts has since made this place one of the most desirable and most highly improved farins in the county. He has added to the original purchase until he now has 575 acres, all in Benton township, and the farm is improved with all modern accessories and conveniences. His present residence, erected in 1870, is 26 x 40 feet, and in the rear are large barns and outbuildings for the care of grain and stock.

Mr. Werts was married August 29, 1854, to Miss Esther A. Wymer, a native of Mus- kingum county, Ohio, born September 18, 1837, a daughter of John and Rebecca Wymer. The father was born in Pennsylvania, Novem- ber 6, 1808, but when a boy removed to Mus- kingum county, where he was married July 13, 1831, and to the union were born seven chil- dren: Alfred, born June 5, 1832, now a farmer of Muskingum county, Ohio; Daniel, born June 1, 1834, engaged in the saine occupation; Louisa, born October 28, 1835, now deceased; Esther A., wife of our subject; Lydia, born February 12, 1840, now a resident of Russell; Rebecca, born May 11, 1842, wife of D. J. Taylor, a farmer of Benton township; and Alzina, born November 3, 1845, is the wife of Robert Winn, a farmer of White county, Ar- kansas.

Mr. and Mrs. Werts have a family of thir- teen children, as follows: John Q., born June 2, 1855, received a good education and is now engaged in farming on the old homestead; Mary E., born October 1, 1857, attended the high school of Chariton, was a student in bothi vocal and instrumental music and is now the wife of James May, of Benton township; Jen- nie, born April 11, 1859, is also possessed of considerable musical ability and is the wife of P. A. Rookey, Mayor of Russell; Alfred R., born August 17, 1861, is engaged in farming in Washington and Benton townships; Jacob L., born March 3, 1863, pursued a scientific course of study in Fairfield, Iowa, and is now engaged in the drug business in Russell; Clifton E., born October 12, 1868, was also educated at Fairfield and farms the old homestead; Susan,

born January 15, 1871, is the wife of Sherman McCoy, a farmer of Chase county, Nebraska; Mabel, born June 7, 1875, is attending the Parsons College at Fairfield; Charles M., born October 18, 1876, is also attending Parsons College; Oliver, born November 17, 1878, is at his parental home; George, born September II, 1856, died on the 23d of September fol- lowing; Flora, born September 16, 1866, died August 6, 1871; and William, born September 2, 1863, died August 16, 1865. The family are members of the Presbyterian Church, in which Mr. Werts has served as Ruling Elder for twenty-seven years, while in both church and Sunday-school he is an active worker. In his political relations he is a Democrat.

ENRY WILLIAM STOY, editor and publisher of the Guthrie Times, of Guthrie Center, Iowa, was born in Washington, Washington county. Pennsylvania, and is of German lineage. The great-grandfather and the grandfather of our subject were both physicians, and the former was educated in the famous school of Heidel-" berg, Germany. William H. Stoy, father of our subject, was also a man of liberal educa- tion and superior accomplishments. He was educated in Washington and Jefferson College, at Washington, Pennsylvania, and is a musician and composer. He is especially skilled as a performer on the violin and in his art has won an enviable reputation. He mar- ried Margaret M. Biggs, of English lineage and a native of Ohio county, West Virginia. Her grandfather was one of the heroes of the Revolution and with the rank of General com- manded his troops in many a hotly contested engagement.

The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Stoy was celebrated at West Middletown, Ohio, in April, 1844. and they became parents of ten children, all of whom are yet living. During the Civil war Mr. Stoy offered his services to the Gov- ernment in defense of the Union and became the leader of the band of the Eighth Pennsyl-

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vania Reserves. He followed Mcclellan all through his campaign and in 1863 was hon- orably discharged, for the wounds he had sus- tained incapacitated him for further service.

The gentleman whose name introduces this review, the oldest son and fourth child in the family, spent the days of his childhood and youth under the parental roof and his early. life was unmarked by any event of special im- portance. In 1858, when he was a child of six years, he accompanied his parents on their removal to Harrison county, Virginia, but on the breaking out of the rebellion the family re- turned to Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, where Henry W. Stoy was reared. He acquired his education in the common schools, and in 1866 was apprenticed to a printer, learning the trade which he has since followed as a life work. He mastered the business both in principle and de- tail and steadily worked his way upward. After working for others for a number of years he engaged in business for himself as editor of the Waynesburg Republican, which he con- tinued to publish until February, 1877, when he came to Guthrie Center, Iowa. Here he purchased the Iowa Star, the name of which he changed to Guthrie Times, and he has since published this paper. It is a well-edited sheet, sparkling with news and wit, and devoted to local interests and to the support of the Re- publican party. It has a good circulation, which is constantly increasing, and its success- ful publication is due to the ability and careful direction of Mr. Stoy.

In Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, when twen- ty years of age, Mr. Stoy was united in mar- riage to Miss Alretta J. Lantz, the wedding being celebrated on the 5th of August, 1872. They now have seven children, -William H. and Andrew L., -both of whom are married, - Mary M., Gus G., Jennie F., Emma B. and Lois A.

Mr. Stoy gives his political support to the Republican party, but has never sought or de- sired the honors and emoluments of public office. Socially, he is connected with the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows and the

Knights of Pythias, and has served as Past Commander of the latter order. Since eighteen years of age he has served as church chorister and is now performing the duties of that posi- tion in the Presbyterian church of Guthrie Center, of which church he is a member. He is known for his sterling qualities, his fearless loyalty to his honest convictions and for his straightforward career in business. He is widely known and has a large circle of warm friends.

ARTIN O'MALLEY was for many years one of the prominent and rep- resentative agriculturists of Dallas county, Iowa, but is now practically living a retired life at his beautiful home in Bouton, where he is surrounded by many warm friends and acquaintances.

He is a native of the Emerald Isle, born in county Mayo, on the 10th of November, 1834, and is a son of John and Ann (Dolan) O'Malley, whose births occurred in the same county. The parents, on coming to the New World in 1864, located in Iowa, and in Dallas county the father died at the very advanced age of ninety years, and the mother at the age of seventy years.

To agricultural pursuits our subject has de- voted his entire life, having been reared to that occupation. At the age of twenty-two years he wedded Julia Basquill, who was also born in county Mayo, Ireland, and is a daughter of John and Bridget (Carrigan) Basquill, who spent their entire lives there. Mrs. O'Malley is one of a family of seven children, all but one of whom are still living. After his marriage our subject still continued to carry on farming in his native land until 1863, when he came to the United States, leaving Westport, Ireland, for Liverpool, where he took passage for New York. He came direct to Clinton county, Iowa, where he arrived without funds, and was obliged to borrow $5 in order to obtain some working clothes and other necessaries, but by persistent energy and untiring perseverance he

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has worked his way upward until he now ranks among the prominent and well-to-do agricul- turists of Dallas county. After a four-years residence in Clinton county, he arrived in Dallas county, in 1867, where he purchased forty acres of land, on which he built a small frame shanty, 12x24 feet. For five years that dwelling served as his home, when he erected a more commodious structure, and there con- tinued to reside until 1894, since which time he has lived in his beautiful home in Bouton, where he is surrounded by all the comforts and many of the luxuries of life. To his original tract of forty acres, Mr. O'Malley added from time to time until he now owns 700 acres of as fine land as is to be found anywhere in the State.

No citizen of the community stands higher in the estimation of his fellow men than does our subject, who with his son John takes an active part in public affairs. At the age of twenty-one the latter was elected Township Assessor, in which office he served for six years, and is now filling the position of Postmaster of Bouton, where he conducts a large store in connection with buying grain. The other chil- dren of the family are Mary; Eliza, who is married and has one child; James, who is mar- ried and has one child; Bernard, who is mar- ried and has one child; and George and Julia, who are still at their parental home. The family are very prominent in social circles and have the confidence and high regard of all who know them.

ISS CARRIE E. ALLEN is one of the most intelligent and cultured ladies of Lucas county, and is now serving as Superintendent of Schools, a position to which merit justly en- titles her. She makes her home in Chariton and has spent the greater part of her life in this county, her birthplace being in Cedar township. She is the oldest of the twelve children of Tandy and Joanna (Van Nice) Al-

len. Her father was a native of Kentucky, and during his boyhood removed with his par- ents to Putnam county, Indiana, where his early life was passed. In 1854, when twenty- two years of age, he emigrated westward, locating in Lucas county, Iowa, upon a farm in Cedar township. He is therefore numbered among its pioneer settlers, and his uncle, Doug- las Allen, was one of the first to locate within the borders of Lucas county. Tandy Allen took up a tract of land front the Government and spent the years of his active business life in clearing, developing and improving it, and as a result of his labors became the owner of one of the finest farms in this section of the State.

In the year 1856 was celebrated his mar- riage to Joanna Van Nice, a native of Hen- dricks county, Indiana, and a daughter of Peter C. and Sarah A. (Smith) Van Nice, whose an- cestors came to this country from Germany and France. For many years Mr. Allen was one of the most active, progressive and public- spirited men of Cedar township, especially interested in the cause of education and every- thing that was calculated for its promotion. In the fall of 1894 he removed to Chariton, where he still resides. The family circle, which numbers parents and twelve children, still remains unbroken by the hand of death.

Robert Allen, the grandfather, was a native of Virginia but resided in Kentucky some years. He was united in marriage with Miss Mary Al- lison, and subsequently removed to Indiana, where both he and his wife spent their remain- ing days.

Miss Allen, whose name begins this record, spent her childhood days in her parents' home. Her father provided her with excellent educa- tional privileges and her keen mind was soon manifest by the position she occupied in her classes, being always at the head. At the age of sixteen years she began teaching, and though young to enter upon this work her abili- ties eminently fitted her for the profession, which she continuously followed excepting two years spent in a normal school, until 1889,

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when she was called to fill the position of County Superintendent of Schools of Lucas county, for a period of two years. Having been twice re-elected to this important posi- tion she is now serving her sixth year in that capacity. In the discharge of the duties de- volving upon her she has won golden opinions on all sides, and the highest commendation is unreservedly given her. She has been most successful in her work in raising the standard of the schools of Lucas county, and she re- tires from the office she has so acceptably filled carrying with her the best wishes and cordial approval of hundreds of people for the able, broadminded and progressive manner in which she has fulfilled her arduous duties for the past six years. She deserves a foremost place among the educators of the State, and in the history of her native county she well deserves mention.

HARLES J. COONEY, M. D., who is successfully engaged in the practice of medicine at Westgate, Iowa, is one of the youngest members of the profession, but has demonstrated his skill and ability by the excellent results which follow his efforts. He was born January 16, 1872, in Middlefield township, Buchanan county, and is a son of Patrick and Nora (Anglum) Cooney, natives of the Emerald Isle. The mother was born in September, 1835. Patrick Cooney was born March 16, 1822, and when a child lost his father, but his mother lived to the ripe old age of eighty-nine years, passing away in Buchanan county, in 1890, in the home of her son Patrick. He was a child of only eight years when he started out in life for himself, and since that time has made his own way in the world, so that whatever success he has achieved is due entirely to his own efforts.

Believing that he might better his finan- cial condition in the New World, he sailed for America in 1847, and for a time engaged in work on the railroad, being employed at blast-

ing and tunneling in the States of New York, Vermont, Pennsylvania and Ohio. He then came down the Ohio river and up the Missis- sippi to Dubuque, Iowa, and since that year- 1857-has made his home in this State. He purchased a farm in Middlefield township, Buchanan county, and has since carried on agricultural pursuits, in which he has met with a success that is well merited. He has accu- mulated considerable property, but the greater part of his land he has now divided among his children.

Patrick Cooney was married in 1851, in Ohio, the lady of his choice being Miss Nora Anglum, by whom he has ten children: Sarah, who is associated with her brother John, the second in order of birth, in carrying on a hotel in Winthrop, Iowa; Maggie, who is also in the hotel; Lawrence J., a farmer of Buchanan county; Michael F., who also farms in the same county; Mary, wife of Thomas McCann, a liveryman of Coggon, Linn county, Iowa, by whom she has four children: Joe, Gene- vieve, Aaron and Earl; Susie E., who was ed- ucated in the high school in Manchester, Iowa; Charles J., and Anna N., who were graduated at the Winthrop high school in 1894, and is now successfully engaged in teaching. All the children have been provided with good ed- ucational privileges and thereby fitted for life's practical duties. The parents and children are members of the Catholic Church. In pol- itics Mr. Cooney was a Democrat from the time of casting his first presidential vote for James Buchanan until 1884, since which time he has supported the Republican party.

Dr. Cooney acquired his literary education in the public schools, was graduated at the high school of Winthrop in the class of 1892, and then entered the State University at Iowa City, at which he was graduated on the com- pletion of the medical course in 1895, with the degree of M. D. In May he went to Jessup, established an office, and succeeded in build- ing up a good practice, but later removed to Westgate, Fayette county, where he is now established in practice, having the qualifica-

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tions and ability that will win for him still greater successes in the future.

His political support is given the Repub- lican party. 1

3 OSEPH R. SUMMERSON, one of the leading general farmers and stock-rais- ers of Dallas township, Dallas county, Iowa, is a native of the Keystone State, born in Clinton county, on the 19th of August, 1838, and is a son of Francis and Lucinda (Stout) Summerson. The father's birth oc- curred in Clinton county in 1810, and in Penn- sylvania he carried on both farming and lum- bering. He emigrated to Illinois in 1852, and in Knox county, that State, passed away.

In the usual manner of farmer boys Joseph R. Summerson spent his boyhood and youth, and with his father removed to Illinois. In the district schools he acquired his education, and under the parental roof remained until his en- listment for service in the Union army during the Civil war. On the Ist of September, 1861, he became a member of Company I, Eighth Missouri Infantry, under Captain Hugh L. Neill. . After three years of meritorious service he was discharged at Eastport, Georgia, seven miles from Atlanta. He was in all the engage- ments and skirmishes in which his regiment participated, being never absent from duty with the exception of about three weeks, when he was ill with the measles at Paducah, Ky. He now holds a membership in Redfield Post, G. A. R., at Perry, Iowa.

On the close of the war Mr. Summerson located in Knox county, Illinois. He was mar- ried in March, 1866, to Miss Mary S. Truman, who is a native of Ohio, and a daughter of Thomas and Catherine (Tedrow) Truman, both of whom died in Coles county, Illinois. By her marriage she has become the mother of seven children, viz .: Luella, now the wife of William Topping (by whom she has a son); Alice H., John T., Albert W., Frances M., Henrietta M., and Joseph L. V. The children

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Memorial and biographical record of Iowa, Part 170

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