Memorial and biographical record of Iowa, Part 68

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

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The subject of this sketch, the fourth in the above family, passed his youth in Pike county, Illinois, where he attended school only a short time, on account of lack of oppor- tunity; but he has since acquired a large fund of practical information by experience and ob- servation, besides spending considerable time in reading and private study. From Pike county, Illinois, he removed to Macon county, Missouri, where he was engaged in the opera- tion of a sawmill and custom flour-mill from 1856 until 1869. During the war he spent four years in Daviess county, that State, oper- ating Meek's saw and flouring mill and corn- cracker. On the expiration of that period he returned to Macon county, where he resided until 1879, carrying on business as a dealer in groceries. He then came to Bloomfield, where he again established a grocery, which he yet conducts, having at the present time one of the best appointed and equipped stores in this section of the State. His store-room, 42 × 142 feet in dimensions, is well stocked with a large and carefully selected stock of groceries and flour, the latter commodity being received from the Minneapolis, Kansas City and other Mis- souri and Iowa mills. He has long been well

established in trade, being everywhere favor- ably known. on account of his competency and faithfulness.

Mr. Owsley has, in addition to his store, a good residence, surrounded by extensive grounds, which are beautifully ornamented with trees, shrubs and flowers. He has been twice married and his family delight in making their abode a place of hospitality.

Mr. Owsley first wedded Miss Amanda White, of Macon county, Missouri, a daughter of Benjamin White, and a native of Henry county, Iowa. They had three children, but all are now deceased. Mrs. Owsley died in 1865, and in April, 1867, our subject was again married, his second union being with Miss Sytha M. Lester, a native of Illinois and a daughter of John and Sarah S. Lester. Three children have been born of this union, one son and two daughters, namely : Ella, who died January 16, 1876, when about seven years of age; Mable, who died December 9, 1874, at the age of two years; and John R., who was born in Macon county, Missouri, July 12, 1870. He attended the Burlington Busi- ness College and the high school in Bloomfield, Iowa. He was married June 11, 1890, to Miss Mattie Williams, a native of Davis coun- ty, Iowa, and a daughter of Amos Williams. They have two children: Ruth, born No- veinber 28, 1892; and Helen, born June 22, 1894. John R. Owsley is in partnership with his father under the firm style of Owsley & Son, and in business and social circles both hold high positions.

HOMAS HIGHTOWER is numbered among Warren county's pioneers, having been identified with its up- building and development since 1846. When he cast in his lot with the early settlers, locating on section 14, there was not a settle- ment in Otter township. From that time up to the present he has been numbered among the valued citizens of the community, and with pleasure we present the record of his life

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to our readers. He was born in Caswell county, North Carolina, on the 12th of March, 1827, in a primitive log house. His father, Allen S. P. Hightower, was a carpenter by trade, and divided his attention between that business and farming. He married Miss Eliza- beth Hatcher, a Virginian, and to them were born a family of eight children, of whom Thomas is the youngest. All were natives of North Carolina except Allen L., whose birth occurred in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A brief record of this family we herewith give. Gregory, the eldest, died in Missouri; Jane became the wife of Thomas Hodge, of Ran- dolph county, Missouri, but both are now deceased; Allen L. died in Jackson, Tennes- see; Robert M. died in Otter township, War- ren county, in 1888, and was laid to rest in the Hammondsburg cemetery; John died in Henry county, Iowa, in 1843; Frances is the deceased wife of William Dorren, of White Oak township, Warren county, now living in Boone county, Iowa; Mary A. E., living on the old homestead, is the widow of John H. Hobbs, who died in Henry county, Iowa, in 1853; and Thomas completes the family. The father was a soldier in the war of 1812. He removed with his family to east Tennessee when Thomas was a child of five years. While there residing the mother died and Mr. High- tower afterward wedded Miss Kimbo, a native of Tennessee. They became the parents of two children -- Nancy A., now the wife of Mr. Hennis, a farmer of Tennessee; and Joshua Harrison, who was born on the day that Will- iam Henry Harrison was inaugurated as presi- dent of the United States. He is also an agriculturist of his native State.

The paternal grandfather of our subject, Raleigh Hightower, died in Caswell county, North Carolina. Accompanied by two brothers the crossed the Atlantic from the Emerald Isle ---- the place of his nativity-to America. The maternal grandfather, William Hatcher, was born in England, and coming to this country in an early day aided the Colonies in their struggle for independence, valiantly serving for

seven long years. He was afterward granted a pension as a reward for his efficient aid.

The subject of this sketch was reared and educated in Tennessee, and in the spring of 1843 emigrated Westward, accompanied by his brother John and two sisters. They lo- cated in Henry county, but after a short resi- dence there Mr. Hightower removed to Keokuk county in the spring of 1845, and the follow- ing year came to Warren county. In 1867, he wedded Miss Amanda M. Graham, daughter of James C. Graham and a native of Kentucky. Their only child, Francis Monroe, died at the age of eleven months.

In March, 1846, Mr. Hightower secured a squatter's claim and his nearest neighbor at that time was David Laird, who lived in Wash- ington township, three and a half miles dis- tant. The country was wild and unimproved, the greater part of the land being still in its primitive condition. Wolves were frequently seen in the neighborhood, and manifested their presence by occasional depredations in the chicken-house and sheepfold. Mr. Hightower has killed many of these animals. He has also seen as many as fifty deer in this region. He erected a little log cabin sixteen feet square, and his home was shared by R. M. Hightower, who has long since departed this life. Ad- joining was his brother's farm, and the two places are now comprised in the town of Ham- mondsburg. The land at that time, however, was unsurveyed. The farm of our subject was partially covered with light timber and brush and the remaining portion was an unbroken prairie. With characteristic energy he began to clear and improve this, fields were plowed and crops planted, and in course of time abun- dant harvests were gathered. He is an enter- prising, progressive farmer, and through his earnest labors developed one of the best farms of the neighborhood. He also aided in or- ganizing the township, and in platting Ham- mondsburg, and assisted in erecting the first house in the pretty little city of Indianola. When the land came into market he purchased forty acres at the land office in Chariton, and

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subsequently eighty acres in Fairfield. From that time until the present he has been active- ly identified with the upbuilding of the com- munity.

Politically Mr. Hightower is a Democrat, having supported that party since casting his first vote for Zachary Taylor. Few men are more widely known in Warren county, and none are held in higher esteem than Thomas Hightower.

R. PROCTOR, a well-known fariner of Warren county, Iowa, was born in Preble county, Ohio, April 8, 1835, a son of Joseph and Lucy (Norwood) Proctor. They were the parents of five chil- dren, four now living, namely: Harriet, widow of Thomas Strodley and a resident of Des Moines; George N., a farmer near Oskaloosa; Pleasant, of Nebraska; and H. R., the subject of this sketch. The father, Joseph Proctor, was a native of Maine, as was also his father, Page Proctor. The latter emigrated with his family to North Carolina, where he subsequent- ly died. Joseph was early inured to farm life in that State, and upon reaching man's estate he married Lucy Norwood. In 1834 he re- moved with his family to Preble county, Ohio, residing here until his migratory tour to Iowa, where he passed away at the age of seventy- one years.

For about five years H. R. Proctor, the subject of this sketch, conducted a livery and feed stable in Des Moines. After his arrival in Warren county, he lived for a time in Indi- anola before purchasing his fine large farm on section 10. In his political affiliations, Mr. Proctor cast his first vote for Stephen A. Doug- las. He now supports the Populist party and has served his township as Supervisor.

April 4, 1861, our subject was united in marriage to Miss Louisa M. Reed, a native of Indiana. They had five children, -Harriet L., born June 1, 1863, died December 17, 1875; Minnie B., born December 28, 1864, died December 7, 1875; Lillie M., born June

12, 1866, is the wife of Joseph Kessler, a prom- inent farmer of this township; Ada F., born April 21, 1868, is the wife of John W. Low- der, of Omaha; and Viola L., born April 24, 1870, died in March, 1871. The wife and mother died in May, of the latter year, and was laid at rest in Cochran cemetery, White Breast township, Warren county. April 2, 1875, Mr. Proctor married Miss Ada N. Reed, a native of Lake county, Indiana, and a daugh- ter of Thomas Reed. Our subject is still a young man in all the walks of life, and is the picture of health and strength. His wife is a model lady, of pleasing address, and makes all feel at home in her presence. Her parents were early pioneers of Iowa. The family are members of the United Presbyterian Church.

ON. ALLEN BREED, of Perry, Iowa, in whose hands are the reins of city government, is serving his third term as Mayor. No higher tes- timonial of faithful service can be given than continuance in office; and that Mr. Breed has been twice re-elected is an honor of which he may well be proud. His administration of the affairs of the office has greatly benefited the city, for he favors progress and enterprise, co- operating with every interest calculated to prove of public benefit.

He was born in Chenango county, New York, May 15, 1834, and is a son of William Breed, a native of Stonington, Connecticut, born January 20, 1799. The grandfather, Jabish Breed, was born February 24, 1758, and was a son of Allen Breed, born August 29, 1714, and a grandson of John Breed, who was born January 18, 1663. The last named was married April 28, 1686, and died in 1751. He was the son of Allen Breed, born in 1626, and his father Allen, was born in 1601, and died March 17, 1692. He was a native of England, and, tradition states, a prominent merchant of Liverpool. Emigrating to Amer- ica, he located near Lynn, Massachusetts, at a locality which is still known as Breed's End.

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In 1638 when the town lands in that section were divided, he received 200 acres, being prob- ably a stockholder in the company. In 1640 with a party he left for a new home and located what was then called a large plantation (pur- chased through the agent of Lord Sterling) in the western part of Long Island, and gave to the place the name of Southampton, in honor of the town from which they had sailed. They purchased the land of the Indians, after which the Dutch laid claim to that part of the island, but Governor Winthrop declared in favor of the English settlers. The records show that Allen Bread (for so the name was then spelled) sold or traded his interest in this settlement, receiving therefor "hose lott, planting lott and farme." Allen Breed re- turned to Lynn, and in 1656 there married Elizabeth, a daughter of William Knight, who settled in Lynn in 1630. His death occurred in that place at the advanced age of ninety- two years.

The father of our subject was a farmer by occupation, and in his early manhood married Sabra Holmes, who was born near Stoning- ton, Connecticut. They removed to New York, where Mr. Breed engaged in agricultural pursuits, and by their union were born seven children, of whom four are yet living. The father died February 2, 1878, and the mother passed away in Broome county, New York, in 1863. They have one son, Horace, who is now living in Washington, Iowa.

The subject of this review spent the days of his childhood and youth on his father's farm and in attendance at the district schools. On attaining his majority, he left his old home in the East to seek his fortune in the Mississippi valley. He located first in Loda, Illinois, and during his residence there was married, on the 18th of February, 1862, to Miss Maggie Whit- acre, a native of Ohio. After three years spent in Loda, he went to Paxton, Illinois, where he also remained for three years, and there engaged in business on his own account. He dates his arrival in Iowa from 1868, at which time he settled on a farmn of 480 acres

near Iowa City, where in true pioneer style he began life.

His wife was born and reared in Warren county, Ohio, and there obtained her educa- tion. Four years prior to her marriage she came to the West with her brother, Edward Whitacre. Her father was a native of Loudoun county, Virginia, born in 1797, and with his parents went to Ohio in 1805. His wife, Ruthanna Potts, was born in Pennsylvania in 1797, and died in Warren county, Ohio, June II, 1838, in the forty-seventh year of her age. Of her nine children four are living. Mrs. Whitacre was a daughter of Samuel and Mary Potts, early settlers of Ohio, where they lived until well advanced in years. The paternal grandparents of Mrs. Breed were Robert and Patience (McCauley) Whitacre, who belonged to old Virginian families and who, emigrating to Ohio in 1805, spent their remaining days in Warren county.

Mr. Breed, of this review, lived in Illinois for ten years after his marriage and then en- gaged in traveling in the East and South for two years. For four and a half years he was engaged in buying grain at Ainsworth, Iowa, and on the 19th of December, 1884, came to Perry, where he again embarked in grain deal- ing. He is one of the most prominent busi- ness men of the county, and no one has been more active in developing this section and pro- moting its best interests than Allen Breed. He is vice-president of the First National Bank, has been a promoter of many leading business enterprises, and is also the owner of consider- able valuable real estate. Realizing the need of a place where a good class of amusements could be offered to the public, he built the Breed's Opera House, for "all the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players." He is the owner of some real es- tate in Omaha, Nebraska, is a stockholder in the West Chicago Street Car Company, and is the owner of considerable realty near Chicago. He has made all that he possesses through his own industry and well-directed efforts. He had no capital with which to start out on life's

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journey, but by perseverance and diligence has overcome all the difficulties and obstacles which he has encountered and has worked his way upward to a position of affluence. Mr. Breed is pre-eminently a public-spirited man, and is an honored member of the Masonic fraternity, in which he has attained to the thirty-second degree. His wife is a member of the Congre- gational Church. In politics he is a Repub- lican and has three times been elected to the office of Mayor by handsome majorities, a fact which indicates his personal popularity and the confidence and esteem reposed in him by his fellow townsmen.

IMRI WHINERY KELLY, deceased, was numbered among the honored and esteemed residents of De Soto, Iowa. He was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, July 10, 1835, and was the sec- ond in a family of four children, whose par- ents were Isaac and Hannah (Whinery) Kelly. They also were natives of the same State, and the father was born in the same county where our subject's birth occurred. The latter during his boyhood aided in the labors of the farm through the summer months, and in the winter season attended school until seventeen years of age. His father then died and he began work- ing the home farm, being thus employed for four years. Out of his meager earnings in that time he had saved enough to pay for a college education. He was ambitious and resolved as a preparation for his life work to secure a good education.

In consequence, at the age of twenty-one, Mr. Kelly entered Hiram College, of Ohio, but after six months he suffered a very severe at- tack of typhoid fever, and when he had some- what recuperated his physician advised him to go West, which he did. He had now reached the age of twenty-two. He first located in Mercer county, Missouri, where he engaged to teach school, although he was yet so weak that it was with great difficulty that he managed to get along. For some time he had to use a

cane, for the fever left him with rheumatisın. which greatly affected his heart during the lat- ter part of his life.

In 1861 Mr. Kelly became a resident of Dallas county, Iowa, and, after securing a situation as teacher for the following year, re- turned to Ohio, where he spent the winter with his mother. In the spring of 1862 he en- tered upon his school duties, and taught in that locality until the winter of 1868, when he . abandoned the teacher's profession and began the cultivation of his farm of 120 acres, which he had purchased in the spring of 1866. On the 23d of February, 1864, he married Eliza- beth Ann Harper, who had resided in Missouri, and who had for two terms attended a school which her husband taught. Her parents came to Iowa in 1860, and during the first year after Mr. Kelly's arrival here he boarded in their family. In 1866 he built a small three-room house upon his farm, fenced eighty acres of the place, and in 1868 cultivated the entire property. He was very successful in his agri- cultural pursuits and was soon able to add fur- ther improvements to the place, erecting good barns and other necessary outbuildings, divid- ing the place into fields of convenient size, with good fences, and purchasing the latest and best improved machinery. He continued his agricultural pursuits until 1872.

In 1871 there was an uprising in Dallas county against what was called the " ring man- agement" of county affairs. Just at the last, before the time of election, many of the best citizens of the county met together, organized what they called an independent party, and chose Mr. Kelly for the position of County Auditor. A committee of citizens was sent to ask him to make the run. He was found in the field plowing and when informed of the mission of the committee stoutly declined to run, even holding out against their arguments and persuasions until taken into the conven- tion, where he saw that it was really the desire of the people that he should accept the nomi- nation. Devoted to the best interests of his fel- low townsmen and willing to sacrifice his own

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interests to the public welfare, he then ac- cepted, and was elected by an overwhelm- ing majority. In December, 1871, he removed his family to Adel and was twice re elected, thus continuing his residence in that place un- til 1879, when he returned to the farm. He at once began making extensive improvements upon his farm and in 1880 completed his home, which is a fine, modern brick residence that would be a credit to any city. He also built new fences and had the satisfaction of being the owner of 200 acres of as valuable land as could be found in Dallas county. He had pur- chased two forty-acre tracts of land and also ninety acres, situated about two and a half miles north of the home place. At the time of his death he owned 303 acres of valuable land, including. twenty three acres of timber. He engaged quite extensively in stock-raising, feeding all of his grain to his stock. After re- turning from Adel to his farm, he practically retired, superintending the cultivation of the place, but taking little part in the active labors.

In 1888 the rheumatism from which he had long suffered affected his heart, and he was in quite poor health from that time until his death. On the 12th of February, 1892, he went to the barn-yard, intending to clean out a hay rack, and a few minutes later was found by his eldest son, down on his knees lying across the rack. They carried him to the house, but he failed rapidly and passed away at one o'clock in the morning of the following day. His son at once started for medical assistance, a fact which the father did not realize in his semi- unconscious condition, and when they raised him up he said " Where is Ottie?" These were his last words. He never spoke again, and after having borne his suffering patiently and uncomplainingly his spirit took its flight to the better world. When seventeen years of age Mr. Kelly had united with the Christian Church, and was ever one of its faithful and devoted workers and a devout Christian man. He was very modest in disposition and retiring in man- ner, but his true worth was recognized, and no

citizen of this locality had more friends. Peo- ple came from all over the county to attend the funeral and pay their last respects to the man whom they had known and honored, al- though the weather was most inclement. He left to his family the priceless heritage of a good name, and his memory will be cherished by his wife and children while life remains to them.

Orville Anson, the elder son, was born April 27, 1868, and is an equal partner with his mother in the ownership of the stock upon the place. Myrtle Dell, born March 31, 1871, is the wife of Clarence E. Giles, a grain com- missioner of Avoca, Iowa, by whom she has one child, born August 12, 1895. Earl W., born November 12, 1881, completes the fam- ily, which is one of prominence in the com- munity. Mrs. Kelly is a most estimable lady, thoroughly womanly in all her traits of char- acter, and those who know her have for her the warmest regard.

0 AVID BOLYARD .- Living retired in a beautiful home in the town of New Virginia, Iowa, and surrounded with all the comforts that go to make life pleasant in this naturally favored spot, is found the subject of this review, David Bolyard. For three decades he has made his home in Iowa, and by virtue of his long residence here and his high standing in the community it is fitting that his name be given a place in a work of this character.

It was on a farm near the town of Fellows- ville, Preston county, West Virginia, February 28, 1833, that David Bolyard was ushered into this world, he being the sixth born in the fam- ily of eleven children of Henry and Sarah (Shahan) Bolyard. Of this large family- seven sons and four daughters-eight are still living, viz .: Nicholas, Henry, David, Isaac, William Harrison, Elizabeth, Alpheus and Amanda Jane. Elizabeth is the wife of Mr. Ed. Knott, and Amanda Jane is Mrs. Jacob Funk. Henry Bolyard, the father, and his

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father also were natives of Virginia, the latter's parents having crossed the Atlantic and made settlement in the Old Dominion at an early period in the history of this country. Glanc- ing back over the record of the Bolyard family, we find their chief characteristics to be patriot- ismn, honesty and industry. The senior Henry Bolyard was a strong abolitionist and true Union man, and during the dark days of the Rebellion he rendered valiant service in helping to pre- serve the old flag. More than this, he saw with pride his sons march forth to battle in that sanguinary struggle. His son Henry was with Sherman on that memorable march to the sea. Isaac was in the service throughout the entire war. William H. also was in the Union ranks, and David was a meinber of the Home Militia, a company of sharpshooters, and was several times called out. On one occasion he served as guide from Cheat river bridge over the mountain to Roseberg; while the son-in-law, Mr. Knott, also made a record as a true, loyal soldier. Indeed, there were few families more ably represented in the Union army than the one of which we write. Until the organization of the Republican party the father was a stanch Whig, after which he espoused Republican doctrines. After a long and useful life, he quietly passed away, in his eighty-fourth year, and his mortal remains were interred in the old Mountain Meeting House cemetery. His devoted Christian wife, the companion of his joys and sorrows for many years, died at the extreme old age of eighty- nine years, her death occurring within a mile of the birthplace of our subject. She was for many years a member of the Methodist Church.

Born on a farm, David early became familiar with every detail of farm work, and this occupation he has followed through life. In 1865 he came to Iowa and located in War- ren county. Here he devoted his energies to agricultural pursuits until 1891, when he re- tired from the farm, came to New Virginia and built his present delightful home just south of the Methodist Episcopal church. He and his family have long been identified with this

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Memorial and biographical record of Iowa, Part 68

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