Memorial and biographical record of Iowa, Part 59

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

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RECORD OF IOWA.

Kansas; John, who died in Champaign county, Illinois; Gertie Corliss, a resident of Troy township, Geauga county, Ohio; Anne Bennett, Parkman, Ohio; Reuben D., the subject of our sketch; and Almeron, who was for some time engaged in teaching and died on the old homestead.

Reuben D. Spencer received his early edu- cation in the public schools and later attended Hiram college, General Garfield at the time being one of its professors and A. S. Hayden its president; and for some time he was en- gaged in teaching school in Ohio. Mr. Spencer was married in Geauga county, Sep- tember 23, 1860, by the Rev. D. S. Kenney, to Miss Ursula Maxwell, a lady of education and refinement, who has for thirty-five years been his loving companion and helpmate. She was born in Geauga county, daughter of David and Elizabeth (Spencer) Maxwell, her father a native of Schoharie county, New York, and her mother of Connecticut. David Maxwell was one of the early settlers of Geauga county, was married there, and resided there for a number of years. His death, however, occurred in New York, while on a visit to that State, when he was aged sixty years. His wife, Elizabeth, was a daughter of Henry and Eliza (Chapman) Spencer, natives of Connecticut and pioneers of Geauga county. She died at the age of thirty-four years, and she was a member of the Christian Church. The children of David and Elizabeth Maxwell were seven in number and were as follows : Margaret, Mary, Ursu- la, Hattie, Dayton, Ralza and Alice. Dayton and Ralza were Union soldiers in the late war and both lost their lives in the army, the former being killed at Picket's ınill; the latter, a member of a Michigan regiment, dying of measles. Of David Maxwell we further re- cord that he was an abolitionist and Republic- an, and that he was an honorable and upright man and one of no little prominence in his community.

Returning to the subject of our sketch, Reuben D. Spencer, we find that he continued to reside in his native county until 1861, when

he moved to Champaign county, Illinois, and seven years later continued his way westward and took up his abode on his present farm in Lucas county, Iowa, this land being then all wild prairie. Here he has 126 acres of excel- lent land, well improved and rated with the best farms in the neighborhood. His residence is nicely located on a natural building site and is surrounded with evergreens and other orna- mental trees; and near by are two orchards, and seven acres in grove. We may further say of his orchards and grove that there are no better in this part of the county. His farm is well supplied with water and is adapted for both farming and stock-raising, in both of which Mr. Spencer is engaged.

Mr. and Mrs. Spencer have had two sons, Albert and Frank. Albert is a telegraph oper- ator and resides at Cambria, this State. He married Miss Anna Turner and they have one child, a little son, Frank. The greatest sor- row which has come to Mr. and Mrs. Spencer was in the loss of their second son, Frank, who died at the age of eighteen years. He was a young man of much promise and possessed many good and noble qualities of both heart and mind. While they are not members of any church, Mr. and Mrs. Spencer attend most frequently the Methodist Episcopal church. He is one of the "wheel-horses" of the Re- publican party in his township.

R R. MARTIN .- Next under review comes an old settler of Iowa and a representative farmer of Warren town- ship, Lucas county, a man in whose history is incorporated an honorable war rec- ord, and one who is in every way worthy of consideration. on these pages-R. R. Martin.

Mr. Martin was born in Putnam county, Indiana, April 4, 1839, and is descended from early settlers of the Old Dominion, both his father and grandfather having been born in Virginia. His father, James Martin, was, how- ever, reared in Kentucky, and was there mar- ried to Miss Rachel Moore, like himself, born

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in Virginia and reared in Kentucky. After their marriage tliey removed to Putnam county, Indiana, and settled on a frontier farm, and from there, in 1842, came out west to what was then the Territory of Iowa and located in what is now Henry county, this State. At that time Indians and wild animals were the chief inhabitants here. For many years these venerable pioneers, James and Rachel Martin, resided on the farm on which they then set- tled. She died in Lucas county, in 1880, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Troxel; his death occurred May 28, 1880, when he was aged eighty-four years; and both are buried at Ot- tumwa, Iowa. In politics, he was first a Whig and later a Republican, and his religious creed was that of the "close-communion " Baptists. He and his wife were the parents of twelve children besides the subject of our sketch, their names in order of birth being as follows: William, Polly Ann, John, Thomas, America Jane, Luther, Va Ellen, Fannie, Therse Ann, James, George, R. R. and Sarah. All are de- ceased except four, Mrs. Va Ellen Vestel, of Oregon; James, who served in the late war as a member of the Thirty-sixth Iowa regiment and who is now a resident of Oklahoma; Sa- rah, wife of W. B. Wycoff, of Ottumwa, Iowa; and R. R.

R. R. Martin was a small boy when he came with his parents to Iowa, and on their frontier farm he was reared, and received his education in the log schoolhouse near his home. In 1862 he enlisted in Company H, Thirty-sixth Iowa Infantry, and at once went to the front, where he participated in a number of engagements, and did valiant service. While in the army he had the measles and suffered a relapse, and the disease left him in such a condition that he was disabled for further duty. He was then hon- orably discharged, and returned home. Until 1877 he was engaged in farming in Wapello county. That year he removed to Lucas coun- ty, and in 1882 settled on his present farm, which was for years known as the William S. Holmes farm.

Mr. Martin has been twice married. At

the age of twenty he was married in Wapello county to Miss Mary J. Davis, a native of Illi- nois, a daughter of A. and Electa Davis. Her inother's maiden name was Stearns. This union resulted in the birth of seven children, - A. A., Amanda E. Hodgkinson, Emery J., J. H., America, Belle, and Curtis. Five of this number are still living. Mrs. Mary J. Martin died about twenty-three years ago. February 20, 1879, Mr. Martin was united in marriage to his present companion, Kalista Holmes, daughter of William S. Holmes. William S. Holmes was a native of North Carolina, and was married in Jackson county, Indiana, to Elizabeth Iseminger, a native of Ohio, and in 1854, they removed from Indiana to Iowa, and settled on the farm on which Mr. and Mrs. Martin now reside. At the time of their coming here Mrs. Martin was quite small. Mr. Holmes was a well-known and influential man, and was for many years an Elder in the Christian Church. He was born in 1806, and died Sep- tember 4, 1890, at the age of eighty-four years; his wife, born March 2, 1807, died March 26, 1885, aged seventy-eight. They were the par- ents of seven children, -- Mary Agnes, Daniel, Margaret Ann, Martha, George F., Kalista, . and W. S. By his present wife Mr. Martin has three children,-Ina May, Lizzie B., and Pearl A.

Politically, Mr. Martin is a supporter of the Republican party, with which he has co-oper- ated since he cast his first presidential vote for Mr. Lincoln. He is a member of Iseminger Post, No. 18, G. A. R. In religion he is a Bap- tist, while his wife is identified with the Chris- tian Church.

3 OHN L. CLOWSER. -- The gentleman upon whose life history the biographer is now permitted to touch, belongs to an honored class of men, men who donned the blue when the Union was in dan- ger, and, breaking home ties, went forth to fight or even to die for the old flag. As a vet- eran of that sanguinary struggle which has

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gone down in history as the Civil war, and as a representative farmer of Lucas county, Iowa, as well as one of its old settlers, Mr. John L. Clowser stands out to-day as a fit subject for biographical mention in this work.

He was born in Morgan county, Ohio, December 3, 1841. His father, Henry Clow- ser, also a native of the Buckeye State, was a son of John and Mary Magdalene (Keckley) Clowser, the former a native of Virginia and of German origin and the latter of Virginia birth .. In their old age they came to Iowa to be with their children and lived in Lucas county from 1855 to 1862. Both died in 1862 and are buried in Douglas cemetery. The names of their children, nine in number, are as follows: Peggy, Sarah, Henry, Betsey, Rachel, John, Benjamin, Rebecca and Isaac. Henry Clowser was married in Ohio to Miss Mary Gookin, a native of New Hampshire, born November 16, 1815, daughter of Samuel and Rachel Gookin, also a native of New Hampshire; and in 1853, accompanied by his wife and children, he made the journey by wagon from Ohio to Iowa. In 1855 they took up their abode in Benton township, Lucas county. Here the father died in 1856, at the age of forty-two years, leaving a widow and seven children. Of the latter we record that Rachel, who became Mrs. Owens, is now de- ceased; Sarah resides in this county; Finette is Mrs. Adams, of Appanoose county, Iowa; Mrs. Mary F. King resides in Cedar township, Lucas county, and Benjamin died in Kansas, in 1885. The mother passed away in 1870. Both parents were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and were people who stood high in whatever community they resided.

Coming now to the immediate subject of our sketch, John L. Clowser, we find that he was twelve years old at the time he came with his parents to the then new State of Iowa, and that he was fourteen when they located in Lucas county. Here he grew to manhood; and while his advantages for an education were limited to the public schools, he improved his opportunities and out in the broad school of

experience he has gained a wider range of use- ful information than has many a inan who has had superior advantages and pursued the higher studies. His whole life, with the exception of time spent in the war, has been devoted to agricultural pursuits.

It was on the 9th of August, 1862, in response to President Lincoln's call for 300, - 000 more soldiers, that Mr. Clowser enlisted as a member of Company F, Thirty-sixth Iowa Infantry, and soon thereafter went South to the seat of war. He was first under fire at Yazoo City. Afterward he participated in several engagements, was taken prisoner and held at Tyler, Texas, for ten months, and was then exchanged. At Devall's Bluff, Arkansas, August 25, 1865, he was honorably discharged, and from there returned to his home in Iowa.

Mr. Clowser has resided on his present farm, a tract of 1 30 acres in section 13, Benton township, since 1875. This place is well improved and yields excellent crops. The residence, a story-and-a half cottage, is located on a gentle elevation and has a pretty lawn in front. The barn, 32 x 48 feet in dimensions, has a basement and is convenient as well as commodious. Then there are cribs, granary, feed-lots, orchard and grove,-all in good trim.

April 14, 1870, Mr. Clowser was married in Washington township, this county, to Mrs. Mary Cobb, nee King, widow of James Cobb and the mother of two children,-Florence Childs, of Appanoose county, Iowa, and Ed- ward Cobb, of Benton township, Lucas county. Mrs. Clowser is a native of Indiana, born in Lagrange county and reared in Kosciusko county, same State, daughter of John and Nancy (Hayes) King, natives of Franklin county, Ohio, Mrs. King being a relative of the late ex-President Hayes. Mr. and Mrs. King both died in this county, each at the age of seventy-three years. They had ten chil- dren, viz. : Arius, Sophia, Mrs. Clowser, Joann, Azro, Eveline, Theodore, Indiana, Selden and William. Mr. and Mrs. Clowser have a son and daughter, Harry and Jessie,

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aged twenty-four and twenty years respectively. Jessie was married to William A. McClure February 27, 1895.

Mr. Clowser is a man who keeps himself well posted in public affairs and takes an intel- ligent interest in politics. He is a Republican. He is not, however, a politician in the sense of office-holding, for about the only office he ever filled was that of a member of the School Board. Fraternally, he is identified with the G. A. R., Frank Nolan Post, No. 208; and the I. O. O. F., No. 337; and his religious creed is that of the Lutherans. Mrs. Clowser is an act- ive and interested member of the Relief Corps.

EORGE SEYMOUR REDHEAD, whose life has always been con- nected with the history of Des Moines, is now numbered among the prominent and progressive residents of this his native city. He was born on the 11th of June, 1863, and is a representative of one of the honored pioneer families of Polk county. His parents were Wesley and Anna S. (Sey- mour) Redhead, and he is their eldest son. Under the parental roof he spent the days of his boyhood, began his education in the com- mon schools of this city and afterward attended the high school of Des Moines.

No event of special importance occurred during that period of Mr. Redhead's life. When he entered upon his business career it was as an assistant in his father's office. Sub- sequently he began business for himself as a dealer in coal at the corner of Ninth and Locust streets, carrying on operations there for three years, when he sold out and re- entered his father's coal office, the senior Mr. Redhead being the pioneer coal merchant in this city. Our subject accepted the position of bookkeeper, and continued in charge of this department of the business until his father's death, which occurred on the 9th of January, 1891. He then closed up the affair and since that time has been extensively and successfully engaged in the breeding of Hereford cattle.

Hazel Dell Farm- as his beautiful place is known-adjoins the State Fair Grounds and comprises 500 acres of rich and valuable land, part of which is under cultivation, while a con- siderable extent is used for pasturage. The barns and sheds are large, complete in every appointment and models of convenience. He has a splendid herd of 100 head of Hereford cattle, which includes the noted imported An- cient Briton bull purchased at Leinthal, Lud- low, England, and bred by William Tudge. It was imported by H. H. Clough, of Elyria, Ohio, expressly for the World's Fair of Chi- cago, where he was awarded a number of first and sweepstake prizes. It has also taken first premiums at the State fairs of Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois and Wisconsin, in 1894. He has done much to advance the grade of cattle used in this State and in the West, and has done much toward producing better stock. He is vice- president of the American Hereford Breeders' Association, and in connection with his other business interests is a director of the Iowa National Bank, of Des Moines.

He is an enterprising, progressive business man, possessed of excellent executive ability, sagacity and sound judgment. He has the faculty of seeing the right thing to do and do- ing it at the right time, and in his business career has therefore won prosperity. He is recognized as one of the most prominent stock dealers of the West, and as a citizen is devoted to the welfare and upbuilding of his native county and State. He has always controlled his business and never permitted his business to control him.

July 9, 1895, at San Francisco, Mr. Red- head married Miss Annie Stover Clarke, a native of California.

ILLIAM F. HATCHER, a machinist and foundryman of Chariton, Iowa, is a native of Belmont county, Ohio, born October 27, 1845. His par- ents were Mahlon B. and Nancy (Hatcher) Hatcher, both of whom were natives of Vir-

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ginia but not related. The paternal grand- father was a miller of the Old Dominion and both branches of the family have long been es- tablished in this country. They are a long- lived people, mostly following agricultural pur- suits, are tall of stature and rather above medium size. The father of our subject was an early settler of Belmont county, Ohio, where he opened up a new farm in the midst of the wilderness; his family numbered six sons and three daughters, seven of whom are yet living, namely: Rebecca, now Mrs. Day, of Chari- ton; Joseph, who died in New York city; Sam- uel, a resident of Kansas City; Albert, a mer- chant of Chariton; Joshua Gregg, who died in Chariton in middle life; Mrs. Sarah Close, of Beaver, Pennsylvania; Elijah, who is engaged in general merchandising in Russell, Iowa; Mrs. Ruth Webster, of Vancouver, Washing- ton; and William F.

The last named served an apprenticeship to the machinist business at the roundhouse in Burlington, Iowa, and in 1864 came to Lucas county, where he followed farming for a few years. . He then entered the army as a mem- ber of Company K, Forty-sixth Iowa Infantry, for one hundred days' service, and during most of the time did duty at Memphis, Tennessee. On the expiration of his term he returned to Lucas county and resumed farming, to which he devoted his time and energies until 1870, when he came to Chariton. The following year he purchased his machine shop and later added the foundry and the pump manufactory. The machine department is a general repair shop, and he also does a general foundry busi- ness, casting building columns, general house castings, etc. He manufactures the Hatcher Pump, a brass-lined and brass-cylinder pump, very popular and very serviceable. His shops have been twice destroyed by fire, and as he had no insurance upon them his loss was very heavy, amounting to $3,000 the first time and $1,800 the second; but with characteristic energy he set to work to retrieve his lost pos- sessions and is now doing a good business.

Mr. Hatcher was married in Lucas county,

September 1, .1869, to Miss Mary Evans, a native of Steubenville, Ohio. Two children bless this union. Robert, the elder of whom is now engaged in merchandising in Colfax, Illinois, is married and has one child; and Oliver is employed in his father's shop.

In his political relations Mr. Hatcher is a Republican. He has been engineer of the city fire department for several years. He was also Street Commissioner for two or three years, and has ever been a public-spirited and pro- gressive citizen, who manifests a deep and abid- ing interest in all that pertains to the welfare of the community. Socially he is connected with the Grand Army of the Republic, the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows and the An- cient Order of the United Workmen. His wife and son Oliver are members of the Episcopal Church, and the Hatcher family is one of prominence in the community, the members of the household having many warm friends who esteem them highly. Mr. Hatcher has ever lived the life of an upright, honorable man and naught can be said against him.

W. PLOTTS, who has been identi- fied with this city since its infancy, was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, February 13, 1836, a son of Thomas and Fannie (Crawford) Plotts. Thomas Plotts' father was born in eastern Pennsylvania in 1802, a son of Alexander Plotts, who accompanied his parents to this country and located. in that State. Grand- father Joseph Crawford was born in New Jer- sey, and emigrated to McDonough county, Illinois, in the '30s. He was a tavern-keeper on the old Steubenville pike, between Pitts- burg and Steubenville. The father of our sub- ject moved with his father to Illinois, where he followed farming a few years, and then worked at the carpenter's trade. Although not of a strong constitution, he lived to the re- markable age of eighty-two years. He was a good Christian gentleman, was an old-time Jackson Democrat, and both he and his wife

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were members of the Presbyterian Church of the old school. With George and Harry Craw- ford, their mother and Mr. and Mrs. Hugh McGee, Mr. Plotts organized the church in his locality. The mother of our subject was born in Washington county. She is still living, at the advanced age of eighty-four years, and was born on Washington's birthday.

G. W. Plotts, the subject of this sketch, first worked on his grandfather Crawford's farm. He came to Iowa in 1865, coming by rail to Ottumwa, and thence to Eddyville, where he first met Colonel Warren C. Dungan, with whom he journeyed by stage to Chariton. Mr. Plotts rented land two miles west of the city, from a Mr. Skidmore, and the place is now known as the County Poor Farm. The family next purchased 200 acres on section 8, paying $4 per acre, and erected a residence, 16 x 20 feet, built of native timber excepting the sides, which came from Eddyville. This primitive house still stands on the old home- stead. After coming to this State Mr. Plotts opened a meat market in Russell. Subse- quently he was in partnership with George C. Boggs, now of Des Moines, shipping grain, for about thirteen years, their business extending to Baltimore, Philadelphia, Peoria, Pittsburg and other points. Mr. Boggs also built the gristmill of Russell, which is still standing. Mr. Plotts has been an important factor in the transformation and progress of this section. He advised the sale of thirty acres which was required by the railroad company, and with the help of Mr. Maple secured the purchase of the same, on which the depot now stands and on which a large part of Russell is built. This was accomplished after the agent of the road had exhausted all means in his power.

Mr. Plotts was married April 2, 1873, to Miss Lydia V. Howell, a native of Hardin county, Ohio, and a daughter of Newton Howell. She was called to the spirit world in March, 1890, and was laid at rest in the Rus- sell cemetery. To this union were born four children, namely: Newton W., born in this city August 18, 1875, looks after his father's

interest on the home place; Howard H., born September 18, 1878, is a clerk in his father's store; George E., born December 18, 1880; and Herman L., born October 27, 1883. Mr. Plotts acts with the Democratic party, and his first presidential vote was cast for Stephen A. Douglas, with whom he has shaken hands on numerous occasions. Our subject was a mem- ber of the Board of Supervisors of the town- ship under the old regime. He has never sought political position, preferring to devote his time to his calling.

J H. JACKSON, a farmer of section 10, Lincoln township, Warren county, was born in Washington, Fayette county, Ohio, February 16, 1838, a son of John and Elizabeth (Rouse) Jackson. The father was a native of Cumberland county, Pennsyl- vania. At the age of twenty-seven years he emigrated to Ohio, locating in Fayette county, where he spent the remainder of his life. He was one of the early pioneers of that region, was a farmer by occupation, and was one of the public-spirited and influential men of his day. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. In later life Mr. Jackson became Sheriff of Fayette county, holding that position con- tinuously for seventeen years, and during that time was also engaged in the hotel business at the county seat. He was a life-long Democrat, and a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. His death occurred suddenly, in 1842, in middle life. His wife was also a native of Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, and a daughter of John and Elizabeth Rouse, of that State. They were a family of promi- nence, and their ancestors came to this coun- try from Scotland at an early day, locating in Pennsylvania. Mrs. Rouse lived to the age of eighty-nine years. The ancestry of the Jack- sons is traceable to the old Colonial stock of the New England States.

J. H. Jackson, the subject of this sketch, remained in his native State until sixteen years of age, when he came West with his mother

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and sister, locating in Marion county, Iowa. They purchased a homestead, and Mr. Jackson claimed Marion county as his home until 1880. In August, 1861, he enlisted for service in the late war, entering Company G, Tenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, under Colonel Pursell. They were sent immediately to the front, and from Cape Girardeau went on the Bloomfield expedition after General Price and on to Charleston, Missouri. Under General Pope, they went to New Madrid, and were present at the surrender of Island No. 10, at Tipton- ville, Kentucky, where Mr. Jackson's Di- vision took 2, 500 prisoners. From there they went to Pittsburg Landing, under General Halleck, took part in the Corinth campaign, at the battle of Farrington, where the regiment lost heavily, at the evacuation of Corinth, at the battle of Iuka, and at the battle of Corinth under Rosecrans, where the regiment again met with serious losses. Later they were in the Oxford campaign under Grant, returned to Memphis, Tennessee, went up Yazoo Pass on that campaign, returned to Milliken's Bend, Louisiana, thence to Grand Gulf below Vicks- burg, took part in the Jackson campaign, wit- nessed the evacuation of that city, and on the following day fought in the battle of Champion Hill, where the regiment lost 168 men killed or wounded; his company lost eighteen men. Mr. Jackson was then in the general engage- ments in closing up the lines on Vicksburg, took part in the charge on that city May 19, where the regiment met with a severe loss; but the fighting was continued until June 18, when the brigade was removed to Black River, un- der Sherman, to watch General Johnston. From there they took an ammunition train to Jackson, Mississippi, and returned to Vicks- burg, where they remained until they started on the Chattanooga expedition with Sherman. They participated in the battles of Chatta- nooga and Mission Ridge, the regiment hav- ing lost forty-eight men at the latter engage- ment, went with Sherman to Knoxville, and later to Huntsville. Mr. Jackson then re- enlisted in the veteran service, and subse-

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Memorial and biographical record of Iowa, Part 59

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