Memorial and biographical record of Iowa, Part 70

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

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RECORD OF IOWA.

origin. The great-grandfathers of our subject were born in Ireland.

At the time John W. Thompson removed with his family to Iowa his son Homer was seven years of age, and on their frontier farm young Homer spent his boyhood days, at first attending the district school and later the Win- terset high school. After leaving the high school he was for a time a student at Simpson College, Indianola, Iowa, and finally he re- turned to Ohio and entered the Ohio Wesleyan University, at Delaware, where he completed a course and graduated in 1876. Immediately following his graduation he taught school for a while in Ohio. Returning to Win- terset, he read law and taught school at intervals, for two years being principal of the Earlham school, and after this became inter- ested in the Madisonian, in the publication of which he -was associated with the Hon. Henry J. B. Cummings and Henry Wallace. In 1888 he and Mr. Albert Strong bought out Colonel Cummings' and Mr. Wallace's interests, and they have since continued the publication of this paper. Until April, 1895, it was issued weekly, but since that date has been published twice a week. The Madisonian is a six-column quarto, Republican in politics, and neatly and well printed, and has a good circulation. This paper is entitled to distinction as being the oldest in the county, having been established in 1856 by James Iler. At that time it was called the Iowa Pilot, and was some time later changed to its present style.

Mr. Thompson was married in 1885 to Miss Jessie Grosscup, a native of Ohio, who came with her parents to Madison county, Iowa, about 1876.

3 ACOB A. REED, deceased, was for many years an honored resident of Warren county, Iowa. Indeed, there were few men here who were better known or more highly respected than he. Un- assuming in manner, industrious and honest,

and patriotic through and through, he truly merited the high esteem in which he was held.

When this country was in the throes of an awful rebellion and volunteers were called upon to go out in protection of the old flag, he was among those who donned the blue and marched to the front, going out as a member of Company K, One Hundred and Second Illi- nois Volunteer Infantry, he having enlisted at Aledo, Mercer county, Illinois. His bravery in action soon won for him promotion to the rank of Corporal. Stricken with disease, he was an invalid for nearly a year, this time being spent in hospital at Jeffersonville, Indiana. Later he followed Sherman to the sea, and his regiment was the first that crossed the Savan- nah river. On this march his wisdom and good judgment became manifest. Notwith- standing repeated efforts of the command to construct substantial pontoon bridges, their efforts were futile until Mr. Reed through in- formation obtained from reliable sources point- ed out a spot where material was obtainable and a place suitable to construct the bridge. The army crossed over in safety, though the credit only in part came to Mr. Reed. He felt, how- ever, that he was only doing his duty, and had not another mentioned this incident of his life it would have failed of record. He came through the war unscathed as far as powder and ball were concerned, but he never was a well man afterward-that is, not equal to the arduous duties of farm life. He was honor- ably discharged from his command June 6, 1865, at New Washington. The grandfather of Mr. Reed served in the war of 1812, and an odd coincidence is that grandfather and grand- son fought on the same ground and camped in the same field! The grandfather was named Jacob Reed. He was born, reared and mar- ried in South Carolina, and partially brought up his family there. From the South he re- moved to Indiana at an early period in its his- tory, and in the Hoosier State his son Hardin also settled and lived for many years. Hardin Reed was the father of Jacob A., the subject of this sketch. The latter was born in Rush

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county, Indiana, January 9, 1831. The Reeds are of Welsh and Scotch origin.

In the year 1867 Jacob A. Reed caine to Iowa and made settlement in Warren county, purchasing at that time a farm on section 20 of Virginia township, which place continued to be his home for many years. Soon the people of the community learned his true worth and appreciated him for it. His journey to this State was made with a two-horse wagon, and on this trip his little son Frank, then seven years of age, rode horseback from Mercer county, Illinois, to Warren county, Iowa. In the fall of that same year Mr. Reed's father-in- law, James Turner, joined him here.

November 28, 1857, was consummated the marriage of Mr. Jacob A. Reed and Miss Char- lotte Turner. Mrs. Reed was born in Lanca- shire, England, the only daughter of James and Sarah (Greenwood) Turner, poor but re- spected people. Her father, with the hope of bettering his condition financially, came to America, landing at South Amboy, on the New Jersey coast, after having been storm-tossed on the deep for six long weeks, and from there directing his course to Massachusetts. In the various towns in that State he worked for three years before he could save enough money to send back to England to his wife and daughter and have them join him in America. Their voyage also was a dangerous and difficult one and wa's six weeks in being accomplished, but finally the family was united at Boston Dock. Mrs. Reed was then a child, and in the schools of Lowell and other Massachusetts towns and cities where they lived she obtained a good ed- ucation. She is a lady of pleasing address, has a ·pretty home in New Virginia, and her genial hospitality is one of her well-known characteristics. In the management of his farming operations and as a financier, her hus- band was a success. In 1890 he retired from the farm, moved to the home his widow now occupies, and ere he had been here long death called him to his last home. He died January 23, 1891, and is buried in the New Virginia cemetery. James Turner, Mrs. Reed's father,

made his home in Des Moines for some time after coming to Iowa. His life was one of toil, but before his death he was enabled to re- tire on a comfortable competency.

The children of Mr. and Mrs. Reed are seven in number, namely: Frank, a resident of Ida Grove, Ida county, Iowa; Alice Ervin, Warren county; Edd, who owns and occupies the home farm; Elsie, wife of Dr. R. M. Fee, of New Virginia; Scott, who resides in Ida county, Iowa; and Chett and Fannie, who re- main with their mother in New Virginia.

Of Mr. Reed it remains to be said that he was a Republican in his political affiliations and that he was an enthusiastic worker in party ranks, but never sought official prefer- ment. While in Illinois, where he resided for a time, he helped to organize the Republican party. During the year he was an invalid and at Jeffersonville, as above stated, he went over to Louisville and was initiated into the mys- teries of Freemasonry, in which order he re- mained a member in good standing up to the time of his death. At his open grave the Masonic brothers gathered round, the solemn occasion being rendered all the more impres- sive by their beautiful ceremony. He affiliated with the Baptist Church, while Mrs. Reed is an Episcopalian.

H. STACY, an honored veteran of the late war and a pioneer settler of Warren county, has made his home in Squaw township since 1858. He is a native of Washington county, Ohio, born December 17, 1844, and is descended from good old Revolutionary stock. His great- grandfather, Colonel William Stacy, aided the Colonies in their struggle for independence, and from the Government received a grant of land in Washington county, Ohio, where he developed a farm and spent his remaining days. The grandfather of our subject was Captain Joseph Stacy, who won his title in the militia. He, too, spent the greater part of his life in Washington county, on the old

S. Penrose.

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RECORD OF IOWA.

family homestead which was granted the Rev- olutionary ancestor and which is still in pos- session of the family.

The father of our subject, Gideon Stacy,. was born thereon in the year 1824, and on leaving the place of his nativity removed to Wyandot county, Ohio, where he continued for eleven years. In 1857 he resolved to seek a home and fortune beyond the Mississippi and chose Warren county, Iowa, as the scene of his future labors. Making his way to Liberty township, he entered 120 acres of land on sec- tion 34, and began the development of a farm. The timber cut from his place was taken to the Reid mill, sawed into lumber, kiln-dried at Liberty, and used in the erection of a house, 18 x 24 feet, in the fall of 1857. The family went through all the experiences and hard- ships of pioneer life, and aided in opening up this region to civilization. Mr. Stacy was united in marriage with Miss Asenath H. Hayes, who was born in New York, in 1825. For many years they traveled life's journey to- gether, and were faithful and consistent mem- bers of the Presbyterian Church. The former passed away in March, 1875, and the latter in August, 1893. They were laid to rest in Liberty cemetery, of Clarke county, Iowa, where a monument marks their place of interment. In their family were six children, four sons and two daughters, of whom our subject is the second. The eldest, Edward P., enlisted, in Clarke county (being credited to Warren county), in Company B, Eighteenth Iowa In- fantry, and rendezvoused at Clinton, and con- tinued at the front until July, 1865, when he was honorably discharged at Little Rock, Ar- kansas. He received his pay at Davenport and then returned to his home, being a resi- dent farmer of Squaw township, Warren county. Wesley H. and Eugene S. are both agriculturists of Squaw township. Lucy died at the age of fourteen years and Sarah at the age of six. The father of this family was an old-line Whig until the organization of the Republican party, when he became one of its stanch supporters, although he was never an 28

office-seeker. There were only six Republican votes cast in Squaw township when he first supported the men and measures of that party.

The subject of this review, through the days of his youth, aided in the arduous task of de- veloping the new farm on the frontier. To transform wild land into rich fields is no easy labor; but the father and sons worked together and in due course of time the prairie was made to bloom and blossom as the rose. In the winter time he pursued his studies in a log school-house, where there was an attendance of not more than twenty pupils. He enlisted in Company B, Eighteenth Iowa Infantry, in December, 1863, for when the safety of his country was imperiled he could not remain quietly at home. Accordingly he enlisted at Indianola, and went at once to the front, where he participated in the engagements at Moscow, Prairie De Ann, Poison Springs and Jenkins' Ferry. He was wounded at Poison Springs, April 18, 1864, in the right fore-arm, the ball passing completely through that member and entirely shattering one bone. For five months he was unfit for duty, and has never fully re- covered from the injury. He was discharged with his regiment at the close of the war, and when his services were no longer needed re- turned to his home.

In connection with his brothers, Mr. Stacy operates three tracts of land of 160, 120 and 80 acres, and is a progressive agriculturist. He has ever been a stanch Republican in poli- tics, and has served as Justice of the Peace and Constable. Socially he is connected with the Indianola Post, Grand Army of the Republic, and the cause of education finds in him a warm friend.

ON. EMLEN G. PENROSE occupies a high position in business, political and social circles. He ranks among those representative men of Iowa who have gained high position solely through their own efforts. He is a typical Western man, possessed of the enterprise and progressive

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spirit so characteristic of this section of the country, and his straightforward course, his adherence to the right and his energetic busi- ness career and honorable political record, have gained him the high esteem of all. To-day he is a member of the State Senate from the district comprising Benton and Tama counties, and is the oldest hardware merchant of the city of Tama.

Mr. Penrose was born in Chesterfield, Mor- gan county, Ohio, August 22, 1844, and is de- scended from a family whose founders crossed the Atlantic with William Penn, on his second voyage to America. They located in the Penn- sylvania Colony, and were members of the So- ciety of Friends. The grandfather of our sub- ject, Thomas Penrose, removed to Ohio about 1830, locating near Pennsville in Morgan coun- ty, where he purchased a farm that he operated until his death, at the age of seventy-five years.

Thomas Penrose, father of our subject, was born in Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, in 1805, and went with his parents to the Buckeye State, where he was reared on a farm that he aided in clearing and improving. He there married Maria Clendennen, a native of Belmont county, Ohio. He then turned his attention to merchandising, which he followed in Morgan county, conducting a general store. In 1860 he removed to Keokuk county, Iowa, where he carried on agricultural pursuits until his retirement to private life. He died in West Branch, Iowa, at the age of seventy-five, and his wife, surviving him three years, passed away at the same age. They were the parents of six sons and a daughter, all of whom reached years of maturity, namely: Clarkson T., a re- tired merchant of West Branch, Iowa; Os- born, a farmer of Butler county, Kansas; Isaac C., who is connected with an irrigating company and lives at Idlewild, California; William, a resident of West Branch, Iowa; James, who followed merchandising in that place until his death; Emlen G., of this re- view; Hannah, wife of John T. Emmons, a resident of West Branch, Iowa.

Mr. Penrose, our subject, attended the

common schools of Ohio, and after becoming a resident of this State spent a short time in the Iowa State University. He also engaged in teaching school in Keokuk county, but was mostly engaged in farm labor during his early days. He aided in breaking prairie, in oper- ating a thresher, and for one year farmed land in his own interest. Coming to Tama in 1868, he entered the employ of a firm dealing in lumber and farm implements. In 1870 he purchased a hardware business at Grand Junc- tion, Iowa, which he conducted for three years, when he returned to Tama and bought a similar establishment here. For a short time he was associated with a partner. but soon became sole proprietor, and has since carried on a general hardware business, having the largest stock in the county. His trade is very extensive, and has been secured by hon- orable dealing and courteous treatment. For about six years he was also a partner in a grocery establishment; and he erected the broom factory, which he conducted for three years. He has indeed been prominently con- nected with the business interests of Tama, and has largely promoted its commercial activity, and thereby the material welfare of the community.

In 1870 Mr. Penrose was united in mar- riage to Miss Jennie C. Stoddard, a daughter of Joel Stoddard, who was formerly a farmer of Indiana but subsequently removed to Tama. The lady was born in the Hoosier State and came with her parents to this place. Mr. and Mrs. Penrose now have one son, Frank B., who was born in July, 1871, graduated from the Tama high school, and attended Western College and Cornell College. He is now as- sociated with his father in business.

Mr. Penrose is a stalwart Republican and a recognized leader, being an able counselor in his party. His fellow townsmen, appreciating his worth and ability, have frequently called upon him to serve in public office. He was first a member of the City Council of Tama, which position he filled for several years. In 1878 he was elected Mayor of the city, and is

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now serving his third term in that office. He was for some years a member of the School Board, and in 1893 was elected State Senator for a four-years term. The district the previ- ous year gave a Democratic majority of 868, but Mr. Penrose won the election by 99 votes, thus running very largely ahead of his ticket, a fact which indicates his great personal popu- larity and the trust reposed in him. That this confidence has never been misplaced is prima facic to all who know Mr. Penrose's character. He was made chairman of the. committee on commerce and is a member of other important committees, while his efforts toward wise legis- lation has gained him the strong approval of his party.

Socially, Mr. Penrose is a Knight Templar Mason, and Past Master of Hiram Lodge, No. 203, A. F. & A. M. He also belongs to the Knights of Pythias fraternity, and is president of the Twin City Athletic Association. His business has proved a profitable one, and he now owns, besides his hardware stock, his busi- ness block and other town property, two im- proved farms in Tama county, and 480 acres of land in Nebraska. He has made his own way in life, entirely unaided by capital or in- fluential friends, and his success is therefore well deserved. He takes a deep interest in the welfare of the community and everything per- taining to its upbuilding, and justly ranks among Iowa's valued citizens.

S AMUEL MILLS HIGHTOWER, one

of the representative farmers and highly respected citizens of Madison township, Madison county, Iowa, dates his birth in Jefferson county, East Ten- nessee, November 10, 1838.

John Hightower, his father, was born either in Tennessee or one of the Carolinas-it is not known which -- and was by occupation a farmer. Grandfather Allen Hightower was a native of South Carolina. The mother of our subject, nee Rachel Mills, was born in east Tennessee, daughter of Samuel Mills, of Caro-

lina, and a member of a Quaker family. It was in east Tennessee that John and Rachel Hightower were married. They continued to reside there until 1843, when they moved to Henry county, Iowa, where they made settle- inent and where he died shortly afterward. She subsequently became the wife of Stephen Hockett, and in 1865 they moved from Henry to Dallas county, where she is still living, now in her eighty-first year. She is the mother of two sons and one daughter. The daughter, Elizabeth, is deceased, and the son, Joseph, is a resident of Dallas county.

Samuel M., the eldest of these three, was five years old at the time the family removed to Henry county, Iowa, and in the district schools of the latter county he received his education. At about the age of eighteen years he began working out by the month, and was employed in this way until the time of his marriage, in 1863. After that event he settled 011 a farm in Henry county, continued there two years, and in 1865 became a resident of Madison county, where he has ever since re- sided. His farm here comprises 160 acres, its location being on section 7 of Madison town- ship. While he is engaged in general farming, he makes a specialty of feeding stock and fre- quently makes shipments to distant markets, and at times he has also bought and sold stock.

Mr. Hightower was married in Henry county, Iowa, January 29, 1863, to Elizabeth Smith, a native of Ohio, reared partly in that State and partly in Henry county, Iowa. They are the parents of three daughters and one son, viz .: Clara, wife of S. E. Thompson, of Earlham, Iowa; Leona, wife of T. Williams, a farmer, of Madison county; Alice, at home; and Clyde, also at home and assisting in the farm work. .

Mr. Hightower is Republican in his polit- ical views, and has been ever since he cast his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln. He was a Justice of the Peace for a number of years, and at this writing is serving as Town- ship Trustee. He and his family are members of the Friends' Church.

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J B. FELTON, who has for over forty years maintained his residence on sec- tion 27, Virginia township, Warren county, Iowa, was a small boy when he came with his parents from the East and made settlement on the broad prairie here. Both as a pioneer and worthy citizen is he en- titled to some specific consideration on the pages of this volume.

J. B. Felton is a native of the Old Domin- ion. He was born in Taylor county, Virginia, February 17, 1845, son of John and Margaret (Woodring) Felton, he being the tenth born in their family of thirteen children-six sons and seven daughters-and one of the ten that at- tained maturity. Seven of this number sur-

vive, namely: Abraham, Salida, Colorado; Matilda Strock, of New Virginia, Iowa; W. H., a veteran of the Civil war and now a resi- dent of New Virginia; Mrs. Susan Jane Flem- ing; J. B .; Zachariah, New Virginia; and Mrs. Sarah Jones, Malvern, Iowa.

It was in the year 1854 that the Felton family left their old home in Virginia and came out to Iowa, landing in Warren county on the IIth of November. Here the father, John Felton, erected the first log house in what is now New Virginia. He owned land both in and near the town; and in honor of his old home in the East he named the township Vir- ginia and the town New Virginia. He was born January 31, 1804, and died March 20, 1881, and his remains rest in the cemetery near the town he named and of which he was an honored pioneer. His good wife was one among the first white women to cast their lot on the prairie of Virginia township. She was born July 21, 1808, and died September 20, 1895. Hers was a beautiful Christian character. She had the esteem and love of all who knew her, and her death, after an illness of about seven months, was a sad blow to her family and the entire community. From her fourteenth year she was a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Mr. J. B. Felton grew up on his father's frontier farm. When the Civil war broke out

he was yet only a boy in his 'teens, but before its close he entered the Union ranks and proved himself to be a valiant soldier. It was January 4, 1864, that he enlisted as a member of Company K, Thirty-fourth Iowa Regiment, as a recruit of Warren county; was on Red river, at Fort Morgan, Fort Gaines and Fort Blakely; and was honorably discharged at Houston, Texas, August 15. 1865.

He is married and has a family of five chil- dren, three sons and two daughters, viz .: Pearle, Earle, Carl, Estelle, Blanche, and Al- ma Voss. Mrs. Felton was formerly Miss Rhoda Jones. She is a native of Noble county, Ohio, and a daughter of the Rev. John H. Jones.

0 AVID F. EDWARDS, deceased, was for many years one of the well-known and highly respected citizens of War- ren county, Iowa. It was on the 5th of October, 1869, that he landed in Virginia township, this county, and on section 2 he pur- chased 120 acres of land, at that time only slightly improved. The little house which had been built before his arrival, and which now forms a portion of the family residence, was then the only one for miles around. The tract which Mr. Edwards bought was chiefly prairie. A few acres had been plowed, but the greater part of it was in its primitive state. The work of bringing the land under cultivation and making a comfortable home at once engaged his atten- tion, and, as the years passed by, his earnest efforts were rewarded with fair success. Years before his death he and his family were nicely situated, and he left them in confortable cir- cumstances.

David F. Edwards was born in Barren county, Kentucky, April 24, 1822. His fore- fathers were among the early settlers of the " Old Dominion." William Edwards, his grandfather, removed from Virginia to Ken- tucky at an early period in the history of the latter State, there reared his family, and late in life removed to Monroe county, Illinois,

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RECORD OF IOWA.

where he died at a ripe old age. His son, John, the father of David F., was born in Virginia, grew to manhood and married in Kentucky, and lived there for a number of years after- ward, and then he, too, went to Illinois, his location being in Warren county. At the time John Edwards removed to Illinois his son Da- vid was in his twentieth year and went to Mon- roe county and lived with his grandfather, William Edwards, about two years. The latter was there married, June 30, 1849, to Miss Martha S. Reynolds, a native of Kentucky who had accompanied her parents to Warren coun- ty, Illinois, when she was twelve years of age. Their marriage was consummated at a neighbor's house, the Rev. Alexander Davidson, a Chris- tian minister, performing the ceremony which made them husband and wife. Of this union were born children as follows: Sarah C., born March 30, 1850, died October 8, 1852; Will- iam, born February 9, 1852; Warren C., born December 29, 1854, is a resident of Warren county, Iowa; Celestia, born October 28, 1857, died October 9, 1859; Harris and Harriet, twins, born November 26, 1860, both died in October, 1862,-Harriet on the 16th and Har- ris on the 26th; U. S. Grant, born May 27, 1863, is at the old homestead and has charge of the farming operations; and David S., born October 8, 1866. After an active and useful life the father, David F. Edwards, passed away June 17, 1889. He was in many respects a true pioneer, was public-spirited and always ready to give his support to any enterprise or movement which he believed would advance the interests of the community, and especially was interested in having good schools. He served most acceptably as Township Trustee. Politically he was a Republican.

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Memorial and biographical record of Iowa, Part 70

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