Memorial and biographical record of Iowa, Part 46

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

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At the time of his mother's death the sub- ject of our sketch had reached his sixteenth year. He then made his home with his uncle, Phillip Moody, near Cedar Rapids, and en- gaged in farm work. When the nation was in the throes of the sad Rebellion which was to be so fatal to life and which caused so much distress in American homes, young Lichtebar- ger offered his services to his country, enlisting December 29, 1863, under Captain W. W. Smith in Company G, Twenty-fourth Iowa Volunteer Infantry; and thus as a private and not yet nineteen years of age, our young friend

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left his uncle's home to follow the fortunes of the Twenty-fourth regiment, and remained with his command until he was seriously wounded in the chest, within an inch of his heart, a ball piercing his left lung and arm. That was at the battle of Mansfield, April 8, 1864; and on this same sad day he was taken prisoner. He was removed to Mansfield in a temporary structure for the sick and wounded, where he received medical attention. He was paroled, June 20, 1864, and discharged at Davenport, Iowa, in November, 1864, and re- turned to Cedar Rapids and the plow. His health was shattered, however. In December, 1865, he came to Lucas county and in Pleas- ant township purchased a small farm, and here gave his undivided attention to agricultural pursuits for a period of three years. He then removed to Cedar township and on section 3 [ purchased eighty acres. By dint of such work as his broken constitution would allow, he attained moderate success, and continued to reside on this farm until 1894. March 4, 1894, he came to Russell and purchased from William Boyd the pretty little home he now occupies.

November 28, 1867, Mr. Lichtebarger was married to Miss Christena Ann McDowell, a native of Pennsylvania, born in Westmoreland county, December II, 1847. Her parents moved to Lucas county, Iowa, in 1855, and her venerable father still resides on his farm in Cedar township, being now in his eighty-fifth year. Her good Christian mother passed away in 1887 and her remains are interred at Oxford cemetery in Lincoln township, this county.

Politically, our subject supports the Re- publican ticket. He cast his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln. He has never sought official position, preferring rather to give his attention as far as his strength would permit to agricultural pursuits. Socially, he affiliates with his comrades of this section in the Frank Knowlan Post, No. 208, of Russell. Both he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church.

S AXTON L. COLLINS, president of the Citizens' National Bank of Knox- ville, Iowa, and one of the most prominent business men in this section of the State, was born near Mansfield, Rich- land county, Ohio, on the 12th of December, 1830. His father, Isaac Collins, was a native of Massachusetts and a son of Abner Collins, who was born in-the same State, and was of Scoth-Irish extraction. In the old Bay State Isaac Collins was reared to manhood and then removed to Williamsport, Pennsylvania, next to Rochester, New York, then to Ohio, becom- ing one of the earliest settlers of Richland county. There in the midst of the forest he cleared a farm, and throughout his life carried on general farming and stock-raising. He was married three times. He had two chil - dren by his first wife, -William and Marietta. By his second wife he had nine children, --- Caroline, Elizabeth, Emeline, Adgate W., Harriet, Marvin A., Clinton A., Olive A. and Saxton L. By his third wife he had six chil- dren, -Isaac Newton, Seymour F., Hulde A., Charles C., Abbe and Orcy. Our subject's mother was the second wife. Her maiden name was Elizabeth Adgate, and she was a native of Ontario county, New York, and a represent- ative of one of the old families of that part of the State, and of Scotch lineage.

Saxton L. Collins spent his boyhood days in Richland county, began his education in the district schools of the neighborhood, and latter attended a select school in Bellville, Ohio. He remained on the old home farm until his eighteenth year, when he started out to make his own way in the world, securing a clerkship in a general store in New Castle, Coshocton county, Ohio. There he remained for two years, familiarizing himself with the business in principle and in detail, and acquir- ing a knowledge of business methods that has proved of much benefit to him in his own business career.

Believing that the West furnished better opportunities for one who must make his own way in the world, he resolved to try his fortune

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on its broad prairies, and in 1850 arrived in Iowa. After spending the first year in Cedar county he returned to Ohio, where he remained through the winter of 1852, and in the spring carne again to Iowa, this time locating in Knox- ville, where he embarked in general merchan- dising, in partnership with his brother, A. W. Collins, under the firm name of A. W. & S. L. Collins. They conducted the business to- gether until 1855, when a branch store was established at Gosport, Marion county, Iowa, of which our subject took charge.

At length the branch house was closed out and Mr. Collins of this review returned to Knoxville, continuing in business with his brother here until the latter sold his interest, in 1858, to Allen Pearson, and the firm style of Collins & Pearson was assumed. Three years later Mr. Collins purchased his partner's in- terest and carried on business alone for some time. Failing health then caused him to dis- pose of his mercantile interests, and he turned his attention to farming with the hope that the outdoor life would prove beneficial to his health. He purchased a farm adjoining the city of Knoxville, moved his family to the new home, and now engaged in vigorous outdoor exercises such as farm life always brings. During the time he resided upon the farm he aided in splitting and hauling 10,000 rails to fence the place. After several years he returned to Knoxville, and once more became identified with its business interests. In 1871 he was instrumental in organizing the Knoxville Na- tional Bank, and has since been numbered among its stockholders and directors. In 1891 he was one of the principal promoters of the Citizens' National Bank, of Knoxville, and on its organization was made president, a position which he still holds. The other officers are John McMillan, vice-president; and L. S. Col- lins, cashier. This is regarded as one of the solid financial institutions of the county. They do a regular banking business and re- ceive from the public a liberal patronage.

In 1854 Mr. Collins was united in marriage with Miss Lavina M. James, of Knoxville,

Iowa, a daughter of John James. To them were born three children, two of whom reached maturity, namely: Clinton A., cashier of the Citizens' State Bank at Wahoo, Nebraska; and Alice E., who became the wife of Robert Gil- son. Her health failing her she went to Colo- rado, but the change did not prove beneficial as had been hoped and she died, in 1890. Mr. Collins' wife died November 4, 1860, and he was again married in 1864, his second union being with Miss Anna M. Thompson, of Knox- ville. Their children are Lafe S., cashier of the Citizens' National Bank, of Knoxville; Grant; Anna; Leona May; June E .; Hope, who died in 1893; Belle; Scott L. and Joy Cload.

Mr. and Mrs. Collins are prominent mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Mr. Collins having united with that church in 1854, under the pastorate of Rev. John Jay. He has filled many positions in the church, and since 1875 has been Steward and Class-leader. In 1871 he was elected a lay delegate to the General Conference, and has been elected every four years since that time. He also served for fourteen years as Recording Steward and has been a liberal contributor to the church and its various societies. He is now acting as president of the building com- mittee, which has in charge the erection of a new house of worship, to cost between $18,000 and $20,000. This church, when completed, will be one of the finest in this part of the State.

In his political affiliations, Mr. Collins is a Republican, and on that ticket was elected County Commissioner in 1872, but resigned the following year, owing to his pressing business duties, and has since never sought or ' desired public office. Socially he is connected with Knoxville Lodge, No. 90, I. O. O. F.

In his business he has met with a well de- served success, and is now the possessor of considerable property, all of which has been acquired through his own honorable and well directed efforts.

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J OSEPH LYLE LEDLIE, a prominent citizen of Earlham, Madison county, Iowa, and one of the large property owners of this part of the State, is a native of the Emerald Isle and is a self-made man. As such, his life history is both interest- ing and instructive, and we take pleasure in presenting the following biography of him to the readers of this work.

Joseph L. Ledlie was born in county Ar- magh, Ireland, in March, 1848. William Ledlie, his father, was a native of the same place and passed his life and died there. By occupation he was a farmer and miller. Fra- ternally he was a prominent member of the Masonic order in Ireland. He was twice mar- ried, first, to Annabel Lyle, also a native of county Armagh, and after her death to Jane Graham. The children of his first wife were five in number, Joseph L. being the youngest, and by his second wife he had thirteen children, there having been in this number triplets and two pairs of twins-seven children at three births. The subject of our sketch, his sister Elizabeth Copeland, and his brother Thonias are the only representatives of this large fam- ily in America.

It was in 1870 that Joseph L. Ledlie landed in this country. For a number of years pre- vious to this time he was a clerk in a grocery store, beginning this business when quite young, and being for nine years employed by the same man. On landing in America he came direct to Madison county, Iowa, where he secured employment as a farm hand, receiving $20 a month. In 1872 and during the following two years he clerked in a grocery in Des Moines, the next two years and a half he worked on the farm of Richard Roe in Dallas county, and after that he came to Earlham. His first oc- cupation here was as clerk for J. R. Thomson, with whom he remained two years and a half. Then he commenced buying grain for W. J. Leak. He was in the employ of this man two years and a half, and one year bought grain for Mr. Gilchrest, and after this experience in the business engaged in it on his own account,

buying and shipping under his own name for three years. He has also been engaged in a a loan and real-estate business, and to-day is the owner of a large amount of property. He has six houses, which he rents, in Earlham; has thirty acres of land within the city limits, thirty-three acres located a mile and a quarter west of Earlham, 100 acres two miles north of Earlham, and 120 acres in Dallas county. Besides this, he owns property in the city of Des Moines, which he rents. His home in Earlham is one of the attractive places of the town. He paid $1,700 for his property and has placed improvements upon it to the value of $800.

Mr. Ledlie was married in April, 1881, to Nannie King, a native of Ohio, and they have had four children, one of whom died in infancy; the others being William L., Chester K., and Lora E., who died at the age of one year.

In his political views Mr. Ledlie harmon- izes with the Republican party, and he has always taken a deep interest in the affairs of his community. For seven years he served on the Earlham Town Council. Religiously he is a Presbyterian. He is a Trustee of the church and one of its most liberal supporters. A man

. of niany sterling qualities, generous and public- spirited, he has the high esteem of all who know him.

J ACOB SMITH, one of the pioneers of Iowa, dates his arrival in Warren coun- ty in the year 1856 and is familiar with every phase of life in this section from its early settlement on up to the present time. His long identification with the county entitles him to representation in a work of this char- acter, and by many will a sketch of his life be read with interest.

Jacob Smith was born in Darke county, Ohio, in 1837, seventh in the family of four- teen children of James and Savilla (Bixler) Smith, their names in order of birth being as follows: Hester, Ezra, Abraham and Isaac (twins), Philip and Jeremiah (twins), Jacob,

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one that died in infancy, William R., James M., Henry D., Perry A., and the last two died in infancy. James Smith, the father, was born on a Virginia farm, and when a boy fol- lowed his parents to the Western Reserve, . their location being in Darke county, where he received the greater part of his education, and where he was united in marriage to Savilla Bix- ler, a native of Ohio. Some years later he moved to Warren county, Indiana, and in 1856 came by "prairie schooner " to Iowa, crossing the "father of waters " at Burlington, and the Des Moines at Red Rock. Coming on to White Breast township, Warren county, he purchased IIO acres of land on section 20, and here en- gaged in agricultural pursuits, which vocation he followed through life. He died at the home of his son Abraham, and soon after his good wife followed him to the grave. A monument in Cochran cemetery marks their last resting place. She was a member of the United Brethren Church and was a devoted Christian woman.

Jacob Smith was reared chiefly in Indiana and was educated there, and at the time the family removed to Iowa he was in his twentieth year. He was employed in work on his fa- ther's farm in this State at the opening of the Civil war, and in the second year of the war, October 13th, he enlisted for service in the Union ranks, and from Indianola went out as a member of Company D, Thirty-fourth Iowa Infantry. In March of the following year his term of enlistment having expired, he was hon- orably discharged at St. Louis, Missouri, and returned to his home on the farin. Previous to his entering the service he had purchased sixty acres of land on section 8, White Breast town- ship, and this land he owned for about six years, after which he sold out and went to Lincoln county, Kansas. In the latter locality he purchased 240 acres, settled down to farm- ing there, and continued his residence in Lin- coln county until 1880, when he came back to Iowa and located at Lacona, which has since been his home. His business for the past fourteen years has been that of filling the water

tanks for the C. B. & Q. Railroad Company at Lacona and South River, the contracts for this work having been successively awarded him.

Mr. Smith inarried Miss Sarah Wise, a stepdaughter of Chesley Rodgers, and their union has been blessed in the birth of nine children, whose names are as follows: Perry A .; Frances Olive, wife of Henry Miller, a farmer of Belmont township, Warren county, Iowa; James M. ; Rosella, wife of Jacob Shupe, of Lacona; William H .; Ada Myrtle; Mary Isabel; Charles R., and Lillie Belle, who died in infancy.

Like most of the veterans of the Civil war, Mr. Smith is identified with the Grand Army of the Republic. his membership being with Lacona Post, No. 309. He is a Republican.

C. FORMAN .- Among those who have long been identified with the his- tory of Warren county and its up- building and advancement is this gen- tleman, who is now numbered among the rep- resentative agriculturists of this section of the State. He was born in Preston county, West Virginia, July 28, 1847, a son of Joseph and Elizabeth (May) Forman, the sixth in order of birth in their family of seven children. The family was founded in Virginia in Colonial days, and the grandfather of our subject was there born, and made that State his home for some years. Later he removed to Preston county, West Virginia, where he reared his family, and spent the remainder of his life in agricultural pursuits.

Joseph Forman was born in Virginia, and on the old homestead was reared to manhood, receiving the benefits of a common-school edu- cation. He too followed farming as a life work. Shortly after reaching man's estate he married a Miss Bullion, by whom he had one child, Rosanna, who became the wife of James Cyrus Conrad, a soldier of Company C, Thirty- fourth Iowa Infantry. For many years they resided in Warren county, and three sons of

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their family of four children yet survive. For his second wife Joseph Forman wedded Eliza- beth May, also a native of Virginia. He died about 1850, leaving the mother with a family of seven children. Believing that she could better secure a home for them in the West, in the early '50s she emigrated to Iowa in com- pany with a family by the name of Thompson, and for a short time resided in Marion county, removing thence to Monroe county, where she . entered a tract of land. About two years later she determined to come to Warren county, and through her eldest son, James, entered a tract of eighty acres on section 32, Squaw township, the property which is now in the possession of our subject. This was partially covered with timber and underbrush, and was entirely wild and unimproved, not a furrow having been turned upon the place. With the aid of her sons Mrs. Forman transformed this into a rich and valuable farm. She certainly deserves great credit for what she accomplished and for the tender care with which she reared her children. On the 22d of August, 1876, she was called to the home beyond and her re- mains were interred in Liberty cemetery, where a monument has been erected to her memory.

Of the family of seven children only three are now living, -Rebecca, a resident of. Pot- tawatomie county, Kansas; H. C., of this review; and Ruth, widow of James McPher- son, of Indianola, Iowa.

No event of special importance occurred during the childhood and youth of our subject, who was not more than six years of age when the family came to Iowa. He was reared in the county which is still his home, and began his education in the home of his uncle, Will- iam Forman. Mrs. Conrad, his half sister, conducted the school in William Forman's kitchen. He also learned lessons of industry and self-reliance, whereby he has been enabled to make the most of his opportunities through life

On the 22d of December, 1882, Mr. For- man wedded Miss Caroline Flager, a daughter

of Andrew and Margaret (Braucht) Flager. She is numbered among the native daughters of Warren county, and is a cultured and re- fined lady, who has the warm regard of all with whom she has been brought in contact. For several terms she successfully engaged in teaching and has proved to her husband an able helpmeet. Of their marriage has been born one child, -Fred, born May 19, 1886. They also have an adopted daughter, Lelia Lavergne Lucas, who was born April 17, 1890. Her mother died when she was only four months old and since that time she has been tenderly cared for by Mr. and Mrs. For- man.

Our subject now owns a fine · farm of 250 acres, under a high state of cultivation. He has successfully carried on stock-raising for a number of years, and has some fine cattle and hogs. Though his yield of corn last year reached 2, 500 bushels, he will feed it all to his stock. In politics he has been an earnest Republican since casting his first presidential vote for U. S. Grant. He has served as Town- ship Trustee, and was elected Justice of the Peace, but refused to qualify, preferring to give his entire time and attention to his busi- ness interests.

J AMES BERRY, one of the honored veterans of the late war, and a highly respected citizen of Warren county, Iowa, is a native of the neighboring State of Illinois. He was born on the 16th of February, 1839, being one of the six children of James and Sinah (Taylor) Berry. He has descended from one of the pioneer families of the Virginian Colony. His grandfather, Will- iam Berry, was a native of Virginia and one of the early settlers of Illinois, where he died, at an extreme old age.

The father of our subject, James Berry, Sr., was born in the Old Dominion in the year 1809, and on attaining his majority started Westward, thinking to secure a better home in the new country, where there was less compe-

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tition and therefore better opportunity than in the older and more thickly settled States along the Atlantic coast. He took up his residence in Cass county, Illinois, where he spent his remaining days, devoting his time and energies to the occupation of farming, which he made his life work. He was a man highly respected in the community in which he lived, and was a valued citizen, giving his support and co-oper- ation to all enterprises calculated to prove of public benefit. In politics he was a Whig. His death occurred in 1849, at the age of forty years. His wife, who was a native of Ken- tucky, also spent her last days in Illinois. She was a daughter of Peter Taylor, a soldier of the war of 1812, and one of the early settlers of Kentucky. On leaving that State he took up his residence in Illinois, where he remained until called to the home beyond. Of the six children of James and Sinah Berry, five are now living. They are: Milton, of Ashland, Oregon, a soldier of the late war, who went through all the suffering and horror of life in Andersonville prison; Mary A .; Nannie R., the wife of Joseph W .; Wilson, who is County Surveyor of Cass county; and William T., also of Cass county. James, the immediate sub- ject of this review, completes the number of the surviving children.

The gentleman whose name heads this sketch was reared on the old family homestead in his native State, and early aided in all the labors of the farm, which he followed until after the crops were harvested in the autumn, when he would enter the schools of the neigh- borhood, there pursuing his studies through the winter season. Prompted by patriotic im- pulses, he enlisted in his country's service in August, 1862, becoming a member of the One Hundred and Fourteenth Illinois Infantry. He was assigned to duty with Company D, which was commanded by his uncle, Captain B. C. Berry, and the regiment went to the South under the command of Colonel J. W. Judy, who is now president of the Illinois State Agricultural Society. They were ordered to Memphis, Tennessee; subsequently they took

part in the first campaign against Vicksburg, also in the siege against that city, being pres- ent at its surrender. Later the troops marched against General Jo. Johnston, and participated in the battle of Jackson, Mississippi, and other engagements. Returning to Memphis they did patrol duty until the following spring. Mr. Berry participated in a number of other attacks on the enemy and on various raids, and finally his health failed under the terrible strain of the service and he entered upon detached duty, in . which he was engaged during the remainder of his term, or until mustered out, in May, 1865. He was always found at his post, and took an honorable part in suppressing the rebellion and preserving the Union.

Our subject at once returned to his home and his family whom he had left to go to the defense of the stars and stripes and the cause they represented. He was married in Septem- ber, 1860, to Lucy Paschal, a native of Cass county, Illinois, and a daughter of Greene H. and Sarah (Dueber) Paschal, the former a na- tive of Tennessee and the latter of New York. The father died in the prime of life, but the mother now makes her home with Mr. and Mrs. Berry. This worthy couple have a family of seven children, namely : James H., of Yuma, Colorado; Nellie May, who is en- gaged in teaching; Lewis M., at home; Thomas L., a teacher of Cass county, Illinois; Edward R., Emma and Leonard R., at home.

Mr. Berry continued his residence in his native State until 1881, when he came to Iowa, locating in Warren county, where he has since lived. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and is a stalwart Republican in politics, unswerving in his fidelity to the prin- ciples of the party. He is immovable in a cause he believes to be, right, yet his conclu- sions are not hastily reached. His many ex- cellencies of character have gained for him high regard, and he is recognized as one of the valued citizens of White Oak township.

LEWIS M. BERRY, the second son, although one of the younger representatives of business and political interests in this locality, has yet

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won a place of distinction and prominence of which he may be justly proud. He is a lead- ing agriculturist, following progressive meth- ods and advanced ideas, and as the work of the home farm largely devolves upon him he thus relieves his father of many of the cares and responsibilities of business life. He was reared in the faith of the Republican party, and when he had attained man's estate his mature judgment approving its principles, he became one of the earnest workers in Warren county, and is now a recognized leader in its councils in White Oak township. That the people have for him high regard, and give to him their unqualified confidence, is shown by the fact that they have called him to public office, and he is now serving his second term as Assessor of his township. The family is widely and favorably known in this locality, and well deserves mention in this volume.

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Memorial and biographical record of Iowa, Part 46

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