Memorial and biographical record of Iowa, Part 77

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

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Mr. Motz was truly loyal to his Govern- ment during the Civil war, purchasing at one time two hundred stand of muskets to arm a couple of companies of militia to suppress lo- cal disturbances. At that time he was Post- master of Guthrie Center, but on the election of President Johnson he resigned. Since 1860 he has been constantly engaged in mercantile pursuits, being now associated with two brothers-in-law named Stover. Besides carry- ing on general merchandising they are also ex- tensively interested in farming, having some 600 acres of fine land, half of which adjoins the town site. Mr. Motz also has land in his own name aside from his company interests. This firm operates two stores in Guthrie Center and one at Wichita, the latter being a general stock of dry goods, groceries, hardware, queens- ware and everything needed to supply the wants of farmer customers.

In Center county, Pennsylvania, in 1846,

Mr. Motz was united in marriage to Miss Cath- erine Stover, who was born in Haynes town- ship, that county, and is four years her hus- band's junior. Six children were born to them, but only three are now living: Montgomery, at home; Grant, who is employed by his father; and Juniata, also at home. Alice died at the age of eighteen years, and two died in child- hood.

Mr. Motz has always been influential in the business and political affairs of the community, and was a zealous worker for the railroad, which was constructed largely by private con- tributions and public taxation. He subscribed $900 besides paying his share of the firm's taxes, which amounted to $2,600. Politically he and his sons are Republican, while relig .. iously himself, wife and son, Grant, hold mem- bership with the Methodist Episcopal Church. The family is both widely and favorably known in the county and is held in the highest regard. Mr. Motz has traveled quite extensively over his native land, visiting the East and also the Pacific coast. The journey to the latter, being a pleasure trip, in 1885, is now recalled as one of the bright spots in his momory. He was accompanied by some neighboring friends, and in the entire excursion traveled over 6, 500 miles, visiting all of the important points of in- terest. He has done much towards advancing the best interests of Guthrie Center as well as the entire county, aiding in every worthy en- terprise, and deserves to be ranked among her popular and representative citizens.

ILLIAM DAYTON McCOLLOM, one of the most popular citizens of Greenfield, who is successfully en- gaged in business as a real-estate, loan and abstract dealer, became a resident of Adair county in 1874. He was born in Wind- sor county, Vermont, September 30, 1856, and is a son of Ezra and Ellen M. (Farwell) Mc- Collom, who were natives of the Green Moun- tain State. The family is of Scotch-Irish origin, and several of its representatives came

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to America in an early day, locating in New Hampshire. The father of our subject was born November 5, 1831, and was a physician and surgeon, practicing his profession in Wind- sor county, Vermont, throughout his entire life. His death occurred there at the age of forty years. His wife, who was born July 9, 1834, is yet living in Windsor county. They had a family of three children, namely: William D., of this sketch; Mary Della, wife of Frank L. Hubbard, of Rochester, Vermont; and Leon Ellwood, who is engaged in the real-estate and rental business in St. Louis, Missouri. The father of this family was a man of superior ability and force of character, self-educated, and paid his own way through the Berkshire Medical College. He was a stanch Repub- lican in politics, and was known to some ex- tent as a campaign speaker. He held mem- bership with the Methodist Episcopal Church, and his wife belongs to the Congregational Church. She has been a second time married, but has no children by the second union.

Mr. McCollom, whose name introduces this sketch, spent his early boyhood days in the county of his nativity, and at the age of fifteen years was deprived of a father's care and coun- sel. He attended the high school of his native town, and at the age of eighteen, in the winter of 1874-5, came to Iowa, living first with an uncle in Jefferson township, Adair county. The first winter after his arrival he taught school, and in March, 1875, went to Fontanelle, which was then the county seat, there securing em- ployment as Deputy County Auditor, a posi- tion which he filled for three years. That year (1875) the county seat was moved to Green- field, and Mr. McCollom became a resident of that city. In 1876 he was appointed Deputy County Surveyor and in 1877 he was elected County Surveyor, filling that position for two years. In 1879 he formed a partnership with John Hetherington, under the firm name of Hetherington & McCollom, and began busi- ness as a dealer in real estate, loans and ab- stracts. The connection between these gen- tlemen continued until the fall of 1888, when

the partnership was dissolved by mutual con- sent. Mr. McCollom then purchased a half- interest in a lumber business and was engaged in the same until - October, 1894, when he once more entered the field of endeavor to which he had formerly given his energies and which now engrosses his attention. He is the best posted man on land and land values in this section of the State. His integrity is above question and his high reputation as a business man places him among the leading citizens of Greenfield. He owns here a pleas- ant residence, besides other valuable property, being half owner of Martin & McCollom's ad- dition to Greenfield.

On the 25th of December, 1877, Mr. Mc- Collom was united in marriage to Miss Myra Peat, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, and a daughter of James Peat, who for some time was a prominent lawyer of Cincinnati, whence he came to Adair county. Four children have been born to our subject and his wife -- Marian C., Howe, Glenn and Fausta.

In his political views Mr. McCollom is a stalwart Democrat, a leader in the councils of his party, but stooping to none of the wiles or questionable ways of modern politicians. With the reins of the city government of Greenfield in hand he has three times efficiently served as Mayor, and has given his active support and co-operation to every enterprise which he be lieved would prove of public benefit to the community. He has been chairman of the Democratic Central Committee and his coun- sel is gladly received by his party.

His social relations connect him with Crus- ade Lodge, No. 386, A. F. & A. M., of which he is now serving his fourth term as Worship- ful Master. He is also Past Worthy Patron of Greenfield Chapter, No. 91, O. E. S .; a mem- ber of St. John's Chapter, No. 73, R. A. M .; and Bethany Commandery, No. 29, K. T .; Greenfield Lodge, No. 375, I. O. O. F .; and Garfield Encampment, No. 110, number him among their members, and he has filled all their various offices. He is also connected with Martha Lodge, No. 37, Daughters of Rebekah;

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was the first Chancellor Commander of Green- field Lodge, No. 199, Knights of Pythias, and belongs to the Rathbone Sisters. Prominent in social, educational and business circles, Mr. McCollom is one of the most popular and es- teemed citizens of Adair county.

RED OSCAR HINKSON .- The pros- perous town of Stuart, Iowa, has a number of able representatives of the legal profession-thoroughgoing, en- terprising, up-to-date men in every respect- and foremost in their ranks is found the gen- tleman whose name heads this sketch, Fred O .. Hinkson. The following facts in regard to his life are of interest in this connection:

Fred O. Hinkson was born in Canaan, New Hampshire, December 17, 1855, son of Farnum and Sabra A. (Bullock) Hinkson, na- tives of that State. The Hinkson family dates back to the sixteenth century in the United States, many generations of the family having been born in New England. Daniel Hinkson, and Cynthia (Miner) Hinkson, the grandfather and grandmother of Fred O. on his father's side, passed their lives and died in New Hamp- shire. Their son Farnum was born in 1815, was reared on a farm and was engaged in ag- ricultural pursuits there until 1869, when he left the Granite State and removed with his family to Iowa, his first location here being in Adair county, where he purchased 120 acres of raw prairie land, improved the same and lived on it until 1880. That year he sold out and purchased twenty acres near Stuart, where he made his home until 1891. May 1, 1891, his wife died, and since then he has lived with his son, Fred O. They were the parents of four children, three of whom are still living, viz .: Rhoannah, wife of Thacher Brown, of Stuart; Mary A., wife of A. T. Gregg, this county; and Fred O .; Georgiannah, the first- born, died in childhood. Their mother was a devoted Christian, a member of the Baptist Church, and was a woman whose many amia-

ble ways endeared her to a large circle of friends.

At the time the Hinksons moved to Iowa the subject of our sketch was just beginning to number his years by the 'teens. He attended the common schools at intervals until he was eighteen, a portion of the time walking three miles night and morning, and later riding horse- back to a school five miles distant. The last named school was at Menlo. At eighteen he was the proud possessor of a teacher's certifi- cate and secured a school. The next nine years he taught and attended school alternately, and in 1882 graduated at Simpson College, in the Latin and scientific courses, having the highest average standing in his class. The last teaching he did was as assistant principal of the Stuart high school in the winter of 1879- 80. In the meantime he had chosen the law for his profession, had devoted his leisure time to its study, and after his graduation at Simp- son College he entered the law department of the State University of Iowa, where he gradu- ated in 1883. As showing his standing in his class here, we state that out of nearly one hun- dred he was one of ten who were selected to deliver orations at commencement time. His first location for the practice of law was at Greenfield, Iowa, where he remained five years, at the end of that time being offered a partner- ship with Charles S. Fogg, of Stuart, and a lawyer of State reputation. He accepted the offer and the partnership continued one year, or until Mr. Fogg's removal to Tacoma, in 1889. Since then Mr. Hinkson has practiced alone. He has a fine law library, gives his whole time and attention to his profession, and practices in all the State courts.

He was married October 1, 1885, to Miss Cora B. Beach, daughter of Dr. David Beach, one of the prominent early physicians of Iowa. They have three children, Annah, Mabel and Nellie.

Politically, Mr. Hinkson is a Republican and a believer in prohibition. While in Green- field he served one term as Mayor of the town, and since coming to Stuart has filled the office

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of City Solicitor. He has a membership in both branches of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and has passed all the chairs in the same, for a number of years having taken an active interest in lodge work. His church association is with the Methodists, where he is a prominent worker, being also a teacher in the Sabbath-school.

EWTON DOLLISON, a prominent farmer of section 29, Belmont town- ship, was born in Noble county, Ohio, June 20, 1840, a son of Andrew and Dorcas (Long) Dollison. They were the par- ents of nine children, viz. : Jasper, a soldier in the Forty-seventh Illinois Infantry, is a farmer of Peoria county, Illinois; Newton, the subject of this sketch; Lucretia Jane, wife of Philip Ehardt, of Wyoming, Stark county, Illinois; Reese, of Burlington Junction, Mis- souri; Susanna, wife of Phillip Graves, of Oklahoma; Thomas; John, of Iowa; James, of Calhoun county, this State; and George, also of Iowa. The father, Andrew Dollison, was a native of Pennsylvania, and removed to Ohio after his marriage. He afterward became a resident of Stark county, Illinois, where he spent the declining years of his life, passing away at the age of sixty-four years. His good Christian wife still survives him and resides with her daughter, Lucretia Jane, in Stark county, aged seventy-six years.

When two years of age Newton Dollison, our subject, removed with his father to Newton county, Ohio, where he received his education. He afterward located in Stark county, Illinois. Mr. Dollison enlisted in defense of his country's flag in August, 1862, at Toulon, that State, entering Company E, One Hundred and Twelfth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and par- ticipated in the battles of Knoxville, Burnt Hickory, Atlanta, Bean Station, Somerset, Richmond and other minor battles and sieges. He was honorably discharged at Chicago, July 7, 1865. In September, 1870, Mr. Dollison came to Belmont township, Warren county,

Iowa, and purchased eighty acres of land on section 29. He was accompanied by his brother Jasper, but owing to his father's death the latter decided to sell his forty-acre tract and return to Illinois, and our subject pur- chased the land. He has added to his place from time to time until he now owns 320 acres of the finest farming land in Warren county, where he has a comfortable home and all the necessary farm improvements. Mr. Dollison began life a poor man, and until the time of his maturity gave his parents his wages. He is essentially a self-made man, and his able efforts inerit deserved recognition. He is a member of Milo Post, No. 275, G. A. R.

Mr. Dollison was married in Stark county, Illinois, to Miss Mary White, a native of that county, and a daughter of John White. To this union have been born twelve children, namely: Emma, wife of Joseph Behler, a farmer of Belmont township; Anna, deceased at the age of thirteen months; Jane, wife of Pierce Hildreth, a farmer of this township; John Andrew, deceased at the age of fifteen years; Eliza, who died at the age of three years; George, Susanna, William, Alice, Lu- cretia and Martha, at home; and Sarah, de- ceased at the age of seven mouths.

J M. FREEL, one of the honored vet- erans of the late war and a worthy rep- resentative of one of the pioneer fam- ilies of Warren county, Iowa, was born in Madison county, Indiana, on the 3 Ist of De- cember, 1846, and is the youngest son of James and Mary Freel, whose family numbered six children, namely: Phœbe, who became the wife of Jackson Barge, of Warren county, died and was laid to rest in the cemetery of Hart- ford, where a inonument has been erected to her memory; Nancy Paulina is the wife of James Parks, an agriculturist of Camp town- ship, Polk county, Iowa; Hester is the wife of Isaiah Parker, a farmer of Madison county, Iowa; William resides in the town of Swan, Warren county; J. M. and Melinda McClin-

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tock are twins, and the latter now resides in the county of her nativity. The mother died at the birth of her youngest child. She was a devout Christian lady and had the love and es- teem of all who knew her. James Freel was afterward married again, his second union being with Miss Louise Moore, by whom he had nine children: Samuel, a resident of Polk county, Iowa; Benona, the popular editor of the Dispatch, published at Pleasantville, Iowa; Albert, who resides in Richland, Warren county; Reason, also of Richland; Corsilla, who died in childhood; Emma, wife of John Parks, a resident of Polk county, Iowa; Ade- line, wife of Samuel Hooper; Maggie, wife of James Brown, of Richland; and Eli, who fol- lows farming in that locality.

In 1849 James Freel left his Indiana home and came to Iowa, locating in Richland town- ship, Warren county, where he has since made his home. He is numbered among the early settlers of this community and is a well known and highly esteemed citizen. His second wife is also living.

The subject of this review was only three years of age when his father came to the Hawkeye State. His boyhood days were spent on the old home farm in Warren county and a few days previous to his seventeenth birthday, in December, 1863, he offered his services to the Government and enlisted in Company B, Thirty-fourth Iowa Infantry. He continued in the service until after the close of the war, and was mustered out at Daven- port, September 16, 1865. He participated in many important engagements and was ever found at his post of duty as a valiant defender of the Union cause and the starry banner.

Returning to his home, Mr. Freel resumed farming, which he has made his life work. On March 29, 1868, he was united in marriage with Miss Martha Jane Sherman, daughter of Warren Sherman, and a native of Clinton county, Ohio. Their marriage has been blessed with four children. C. O., who wedded Miss Mae Sterman, a native of Madison county, Iowa, is now studying in the Keokuk Medical

College and will graduate in the class of 1897. Mary Margaret is the wife of Edson Frush, a farmer of Belmont township, Warren county. James aids in the cultivation of the home farm. Isa Joanna completes the family.

Mr. Freel is one of the most progressive and enterprising agriculturists of Warren coun- ty. In 1875 he purchased his present fine farm, comprising 160 acres of beautiful, undu- lating land. The fields are highly cultivated, there is a fine grove of his own planting and the improvements are such as are found upon a model farm of the nineteenth century. His life has been a busy one, and industry and en- terprise have been the important factors in his success. His political support has been un- swervingly given to the men and measures of the Republican party since casting his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln.

H. NUTTING .- No one is more de- serving of representation in the his- tory of a country than a soldier who went to its defense in the hour of its peril; no one more deserves mention in the record of a community than the pioneers who have opened up the region to civilization and laid the foundation for its future prosperity and progress. Mr. Nutting belongs to both classes and his name is inseparably connected with the development of this section of Iowa. He was born on his father's farm in Franklin county, Massachusetts, on the bank of the Connecticut river, September 30, 1823. His parents, Porter and Anna (Fitts) Nutting, had a family of five children, three sons and two daughters, of whom he was the fourth in order of birth. The others are: Phoebe, widow of Foster Dexter, and a resident of Franklin county, Massachusetts; Polly, widow of L. H. Moore, also of Franklin county; William P., who died in his twenty-fifth year; and Sarah Ann, widow of Paris Childs, of Franklin coun- ty, Massachusetts.

"The Nuttings are descended from an old Puritan family that was established in the

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Colony of Massachusetts in the seventeenth century. Porter Nutting was born in Hamp- den county, Massachusetts, followed farming throughout his life and died in the old Bay State. The paternal grandfather, David Nut- ting, also spent his entire life in Massachusetts, and the family was prominently identified with its early development.

Mr. Nutting of this sketch spent his boy- hood days under the parental roof and acquired his education in the district schools of the neighborhood. In the pretty little city of Pal- mer, Massachusetts, sixteen miles distant from Springfield, he served an apprenticeship as a moulder and then worked as a journeyman for some time, being employed in various places in his native State, as well as in New Haven, Hartford and Middletown, Connecticut, and Cincinnati, Ohio.

While in Worcester, Massachusetts, on the 30th of September, 1846, Mr. Nutting led to the marriage altar Miss Mary Fitts, who was born in that State, and is also descended from an honored Puritan family. Her parents, Robert and Lucy (Bangs) Fitts, were natives of Worcester county, as was the grandfather. There Mrs. Nutting spent her girlhood days, and in the public schools acquired a good edu- cation. She is a lady of superior ability, of culture and refinement and has indeed been to her husband a helpmeet. They came to War- ren county, Iowa, in 1854, and purchased a farm of 320 acres of wild land. On this Mr. Nutting erected a log cabin 17x19 feet, with a clapboard roof and puncheon floor, and then returned to his home in the East. The fol- lowing year, with an ox team, he brought his family to the little home that he had prepared, and they began life in the West in true pio- neer style. Here in 1856 Mrs. Nutting opened a school and many of the now prominent men of the county began their education under her able instruction. Mr. Nutting in his spare hours also aided in this work, for both were deeply interested in the cause of education. They had many hardships and privations to endure in those early days. It was not an

easy task to develop the farm on which not a furrow had been turned or an improvement made when Mr. Nutting located thereon. After a long and hard day's work in the field he would return to his little cabin at night and often his sleep was broken by the howling of wolves, which frequently made depredations on the chicken-yard and sheep-fold. Herds of deer were often seen, but Mr. Nutting would not allow his family to molest those noble ani- mals. The few settlements were widely scat- tered and the praries were covered with grass that frequently grew as high as a man's head.

Mr. Nutting started out in life for himself a poor boy, but by industry and economy suc- ceeded in getting a start in life, and has stead- ily worked his way upward to a position of affluence. To-day he owns about 1,700 acres of valuable land, enclosed in over forty miles of fence. The home is improved with all the accessories of a model farm, a comfortable residence, barns and outbuildings which are models of convenience, and the latest machin- ery. Mr. Nutting also engaged quite exten- sively in stock-raising, but to-day he is living retired, enjoying a rest that he has truly earned and richly deserves.

To Mr. and Mrs. Nutting have been born three children: William P., who owns a fine farm on section 25, Otter township, Warren county; Frank O., who also follows farming, and has a good home with his father; and Sadie L., a young lady of pleasing address and many accomplishments, who resides with her parents.

In politics Mr. Nutting is a Republican, but maintains an independent attitude in local af- fairs. He has served as Trustee of his town- ship, but has never cared for the honors or emoluments of public office. He manifested his loyalty to the Government during the late war by enlisting, September 28, 1864, in Com- pany E, Fourth Iowa Infantry. He was hon- orably discharged in Washington, D. C., May 31, 1865, and participated in the grand review at the national capital. He and his family are members of the Presbyterian Church, of Milo, and are numbered among the most prominent

Smog Evans

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and honored people of Warren county. As a citizen, a soldier, a pioneer and a business man Mr. Nutting deserves the confidence and re- spect of all.

J OHN Z. EVANS .- There can be noth- ing better calculated to stimulate the best endeavors of the young of future generations than a perusal of the life history of the self-made men of the nineteenth century. An analysis of their careers will illus- trate most forcibly to intelligent readers that success in life is attained only through the pos- session and cultivation of fundamentally good principles, among which honesty, perseverance, firmness of purpose and ambition to rise must be foremost, and co-existent with them good judgment of human nature and a ready faculty for grasping the opportunities of the present and of looking intelligently toward those of the future. Such characteristics are possessed by the gentleman whose name begins this re- view, and have brought to him a well merited prosperity.

Mr. Evans, now a coal-mine operator and merchant of Avery, was born August 24, 1854, in southern Wales, and is a son of Christmas and Emily (Edwards) Evans. His father was born December 25, 1829, in southern Wales, where he followed coal-mining until his emi- gration to America in 1863. He located in Pomeroy, Ohio, where he followed coal-mining until 1866, when he became a resident of Ma- haska county, Iowa. A few years later he lo- cated in Avery, where his death occurred, Feb- ruary 6, 1895. His wife, who was born in England, March 27, 1833, is still living, in Avery. They had a large family of children, namely: William M .; John Z .; Henry, who died in childhood; Enoch H .; Christmas, who died in infancy; Thomas L .; Mary A .; Emily, who died in childhood; Charlotte; and one who died in infancy.

When a child of nine years John Z. Evans accompanied his parents on their emigration to

America, and began to earn his own living by working in the coal mines of Pomeroy, Ohio. All that he has, has been acquired through his own efforts. He continued his residence in the Buckeye State until October, 1866, when he came to Iowa. In 1886 he became part owner of the Smoky Hollow Coal Mine, two miles southeast of Avery, and since 1887 has been sole proprietor. Its yield is about 1, 000 tons of lump coal each day, and he is therefore doing an immense business, supplying various railroad companies with coal through Iowa and Nebraska. He has also entered other fields of labor, and now owns considerable property in Monroe county, including two stores, one in Avery and one at the coal mines. He has ac- cumulated considerable property, and is a thoroughgoing business man, intensely practi- cal and energetic.

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Memorial and biographical record of Iowa, Part 77

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