USA > Iowa > Allamakee County > Past and present of Allamakee county, Iowa. A record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Vol. II > Part 22
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John Eckert is the youngest of seven children born to his parents. He was reared at home and in his childhood assisted with the work of his mother's farm, becoming at an early date familiar with the best agricultural methods and with everything connected with the work of the fields. After his marriage he rented the homestead for seven years and then purchased land of his own on section 9. Franklin township, upon which he still resides. He now owns one hundred and seventy acres of fine land, upon which he carries on general farming and stock- raising, both branches of his business being important and profitable. He follows the most modern and progressive methods in the cultivation of his property and that his labors have been practical is indicated by the results he has achieved, owning now one of the best farms in this community.
On the 20th of March, 1900, Mr. Eckert was united in marriage to Miss Edith Roffman and they became the parents of two children : Bernice, born January 2, 1907; and Florence, born June 16, 1910. Mr. Eckert is a stockholder in the Farmers' Shipping Association of Luana and in the Monona State Bank and his ability is widely recognized in business circles. His political allegiance is given to the democratic party and he has rendered his township excellent service as school director although he never seeks public office. His life has been a busy, useful and active one and his success is indicated in the fact of his ownership of one of the valuable farming properties in this community.
MAYHEW W. EATON.
Mayhew W. Eaton, one of the earliest residents of Allamakee county and today one of the most successful business men of Waukon, is extensively engaged in the buying, selling and shipping of live stock. He is interested also in the grain business and connected through investment with many of the most im- portant business and corporate interests of the city, his activities forming valuable elements in the general municipal development. He has resided in Allamakee county since 1857 but was born in Wisconsin, August 1, 1852. His parents were born in Nova Scotia, where they grew to maturity. After their marriage they came to the United States and about the year 1848 settled in Wisconsin, where they resided for a number of years, removing later to Illinois. In that state they made their home in De Kalb county but later returned to Wisconsin, whence in 1857 they moved to Allamakee county, Iowa. Mr. Eaton purchased land in Franklin township and developed there an excellent farming property, upon which he continued to reside until his death, which occurred when he was eighty-three and a half years of age. He had survived his wife a little over nine years.
Mayhew W. Eaton was a boy of five years when he came with his parents to Allamakee county. He was reared upon his father's farm in Franklin township, acquiring his primary education in the district schools and supplementing this by a three term course in the Waukon high school. After he laid aside his books he engaged in teaching during the winter terms, spending his summers working upon the farm, but eventually he left Iowa and went to South Dakota, where he took up a homestead claim of one hundred and sixty acres. Upon that property he spent a part of one year and then returned to Waukon, where he formed a
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partnership in the conduct of a boot and shoe business. During the three years in which he was interested in merchandising he engaged also in the grain and stock business, owning an interest in a grain elevator. He later formed a partner- ship with J. B. Jones, purchasing elevator No. 1 in Waukon, of which the firm is still the proprietor. Mr. Eaton, however, is not personally active in this branch of the business, Mr. Jones supervising the conduct of the elevator and the buying and selling of the grain. Mr. Eaton gives all of his time to his extensive live-stock interests. He has by his energy, industry and success made secure for himself a place of prominence among men of marked ability in Waukon. He is a stock- holder, director and vice president of the Waukon State Bank, an institution with which he has been connected for a number of years.
In 1879 Mr. Eaton married Miss Ella Minert, a native of Allamakee county and a daughter of John Minert, a pioneer in the section. He located in Post township in early times. Mr. and Mrs. Eaton are the parents of seven children : Nellie, the wife of Ray Slitor, who is connected with the Great Northern Rail- road in St. Paul, Minnesota ; Dora, who is an accomplished vocalist and teacher ; Arthur J., who is practicing law in South Dakota and who married Lisle Stewart, daughter of Colonel A. G. Stewart : Guy W., also engaged in the practice of law in Waukon ; Ruth, the wife of Dennis Cota, proprietor of the Cota Theater of Waukon : and Lucile and Marion, who are students in the Waukon high school. Immediately after his marriage Mr. Eaton purchased a residence in the southern part of the city and made his home there for twenty-five years. At the end of that time he sold his property and purchased Judge Granger's residence, which is one of the most attractive in the city.
Politically Mr. Eaton gives his allegiance to the republican party and has been affiliated with it since casting his first vote. For a number of years he served as a member of the city council and was for seven years mayor of Waukon. He served as delegate to both state and county conventions and for ten consecutive years was a member of the board of supervisors, holding the record for length of continuous service in Allamakee county. Fraternally he is connected with the Masonic order, holding membership in the blue lodge, chapter and commandery, and he has served in various important official capacities in the blue lodge and chapter. Mrs. Eaton is a member of the Waukon Methodist Episcopal church and active in church and Sunday school work. A resident of Allamakee county since his childhood, Mr. Eaton is well and favorably known in this part of lowa, where his business activity has effected general business growth and his progressive spirit influenced political standards in an important and beneficial way.
RICHARD COLVIN.
A substantial measure of prosperity is the logical reward of a busy and use- ful life on the part of Richard Colvin, a progressive and enterprising farmer of Franklin township, Allamakee county. He was born in Jo Daviess county, Illinois, on the 12th of June, 1847, a son of William and Margaret ( Markland) Colvin, natives of Pennsylvania and Kentucky respectively. In 1822, in young
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manhood, the father went to Jo Daviess county, Illinois, where he found employ- ment in the lead mines, but later took up farming, which occupation proved his real life work. He was thus engaged until 1849, in which year he went to Cali- fornia and for three years worked in the mines, after which he returned to Illi- nois, spending his remaining days in Jo Daviess county. He was one of the pio- neers of that state and served throughout the Black Hawk war. He died in 1880, surviving his wife for twelve years.
Richard Colvin, the younger of two children born unto his parents, attended the Mount Hope school in Jo Daviess county, Illinois, while at the same time he received thorough practical training under the direction of his father. He early became acquainted with farm work and remained with his father, assisting him in the cultivation of the home farm, until eighteen or nineteen years of age, when he began earning his own livelihood, being employed as a farm hand for some time. At the time of his marriage, however, he went to Decatur county, Iowa, and purchased land. That district was still largely a wilderness and after a residence of one year he returned to his native county, where he was engaged in farming for five years. At the expiration of that period he went to Minnesota and there conducted a mercantile business for a time, after which he sold out and became a landowner, following agricultural pursuits in that state for five years. Upon his return to Illinois he took up his abode on the old homestead, which he cultivated for about thirteen years, and then rented a forty acre tract in Delaware county, which he operated for four years. It was at the end of that time that Mr. Colvin came to Allamakee county, taking up his home in the southern part of Franklin township, where he resided for seven years, after which he bought his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres, located on section 6, this township, to the operation of which he has since given his entire attention. He carries on general farming, and the progressive methods which he follows are meeting with most excellent results. His farm is a well developed and highly improved property, equipped with modern conveniences and indicative in its neat appearance of the thrift, industry and system of its owner.
Mr. Colvin was married, on the 12th of April, 1868, to Miss Sylvia E. Allen, who was born in St. Lawrence county, New York, April 30, 1847. Her parents, George W. and Theresa ( Mitchell) Allen, were natives of St. Lawrence county, New York, and came west in 1855, locating in Jo Daviess county, Illinois. The father, a lifelong farmer, rented land in that state for a time but later purchased property where he resided throughout the remainder of his life. Their daughter Sylvia was the eldest of a family of thirteen children and by her marriage to Mr. Colvin has become the mother of ten children, as follows: Jesse, born October 24, 1870, who is a farmer by occupation and resides two and a half miles north of Postville: Phoebe, born in July, 1873, who now makes her home with her parents ; Lottie M., born December 11, 1874, now the wife of Charles Davis, a farmer of Myron ; Frank, born September 23, 1876, who is engaged in agricultural pursuits on a farm adjoining his father's home ; Bert, born July 26, 1881, resid- ing with his father ; Tillie, born June 6, 1884, who married Benjamin Davis, a farmer who resides south of Waukon; Edward, born May 30, 1889, residing with his brother at Myron ; and three who have passed away.
Mr. Colvin gives his support to the democratic party but aside from casting his vote for its men and measures at the polls is not active in politics, preferring
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to concentrate his energies upon his personal affairs. That he has been successfu' is indicated by the place which he occupies among the substantial and prosperous agriculturists of this district while the respect and regard entertained for him are inspired by his excellent traits of character.
D. D. RONAN.
A native of Allamakee county, having been born in French Creek township on August 15, 1858, D. D. Ronan has become one of the foremost agriculturists of his district and his success is the more commendable as it has been largely brought about by his own efforts. He now owns a highly improved farm of one hundred and sixty acres on section 32 and also one hundred and thirty acres on section 29. He is a son of John and Margaret ( Ring ) Ronan, natives of Ireland, where they were married. They came to the United States in the early '50S and in this country the father first engaged in railroad construction work in New York and Freeport, Illinois. In May, 1858, he came to Allamakee county and settled on one hundred and sixty acres of wild land which he had purchased in May, 1855. There were no improvements made on the place as yet and he built thereon a log house which was later supplanted by a second structure of a similar kind. Subsequently he erected a stone house which still stands, although it suffered at one time heavily through fire, being almost entirely destroyed except the walls, but was rebuilt by our subject. Settling amid pioneer conditions, the parents and children experienced many hardships, but gradually the father succeeded in wresting a valuable farm from the wilderness. He died on this. property at the age of sixty-seven, the mother reaching the advanced age of eighty-seven years. Both were members of the Catholic church and the father was prominent in local public life, having served as school director and justice of the peace. Politically he was a democrat. D. D. Ronan was the fifth of six children. the others being: M. E., of Waukon, Iowa; G. F., of Kansas City ; Charles, who died at the age of two years; James, who passed away at the age of twenty-six; and Johanna, who married Thomas Foley and is also deceased.
D. D. Ronan was reared under the parental roof and educated in the dis- trict school near his father's farm, the Lansing high school and also received les- sons in the private school conducted by Professor J. Laghren in Waukon. Well prepared for the profession, he taught school for twelve terms and also learned telegraphing and the railroad business, but as the father died at about that time, he returned to the home farm in order to take charge of its management. He later bought out the other heirs and now owns the homestead, comprising one hundred and sixty acres, all of which are highly improved. His buildings are substantially and modernly equipped and his farm machinery is of the latest type. His acres yield him rich returns and as the years have passed Mr. Ronan has come to be considered one of the most substantial men of his neighborhood. He also owns one hundred and thirty acres of land on section 29.
Mr. Ronan was united in marriage to Miss Anna Devitt, a daughter of Martin and Mary Devitt. She passed away leaving three children : Anna Grace, Charles
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D. and Mary Irene, all of whom are at home. Subsequently Mr. Ronan married Mary McGahn, a native of Illinois and a daughter of John McGahn, who with his family subsequently came to Allamakee county. Of this union were born two children, Gertrude and James.
Mr. Ronan is one of the most up-to-date agriculturists of Allamakee county and has not only attained individual prosperity but has been instrumental in forming agricultural standards and promoting agricultural growth. Politically he is a republican and is now serving in his second term as county supervisor. He has likewise been a member of the school board for a number of years and for the past twelve years has acted as treasurer of the board. For one year he served in the capacity of justice of the peace. He and his family are devout com- municants of the Roman Catholic church. Mr. Ronan enjoys the full confidence and respect of his friends and neighbors and has made himself effectively felt in the advancement that has taken place in Allamakee county as primitive con- ditions have given way to the onward march of civilization. He has proven himself a good, useful and valuable citizen and his success lies as much in the regard in which he is held by his fellowmen as in his material achievements.
PETER S. NARUM.
Peter S. Narum, who for the past nine years has been postmaster of Waukon, proving reliable, efficient and conscientious in the discharge of his duties, is a native son of Allamakee county, born in Paint Creek township, April 15, 1867. His father, Sven Narum, was a native of Norway, born in 1832, and he remained in that country until he was nineteen years of age. Crossing the Atlantic, he made his way to Iowa and within the same year permanently located in Paint Creek township, Allamakee county. He entered land there, which he cleared, fenced and improved, opening up a farm of one hundred and sixty acres. To this he later added more land and finally owned two hundred acres, highly improved and developed, one of the finest agricultural properties in this section of the state. He married Miss Karen Gaarder, a native of Norway, who came to the United States when she was five years of age and who grew to woman- hood in Wisconsin. After his marriage Mr. Narum erected a comfortable resi- dence upon his farm and steadily carried forward the work of improvement, erecting a barn and the necessary outbuildings. He reared his children upon the homestead and there died in 1889. His wife survived him for some time, passing away in 1896. In their family were nine children, five sons and four daughters, all of whom with one exception still survive.
Peter S. Narum was reared upon his father's farm, which in his childhood he helped to improve and cultivate. He acquired his primary education in the public schools of Paint Creek township and supplemented this by a two years' course in the Decorah high school. After laying aside his books he went to Eldora, where he clerked in the employ of his uncle for two years, at the end of that time purchasing his uncle's interest in the store. He carried on the business alone for two years and then disposed of his interests, returning to Allamakee county. He later came to Waukon and for eight years engaged in
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the hardware business here, his well selected line of goods, his straightforward dealings and his honorable business methods securing him a liberal and repre- sentative patronage. In 1904 he was appointed postmaster of Waukon by Presi- dent Roosevelt and after four years reappointed. In 1912 President Taft again named him for the position, which he has now held for nine years. Since taking office he has accomplished a great deal of constructive work, improving the man- agement of the department and putting its affairs upon a businesslike basis. In 1904 there were three rural routes out of Waukon and there are now five, with the probability of two more in the near future. Its expansion is due to a great extent to Mr. Narum's energy and well directed labors and is in itself a suffi- cient proof of his efficiency in office. He was one of the promoters of the Peoples National Bank, in which he is now a stockholder and director, and he is otherwise identified with important business interests here.
On the 9th of September, 1897, Mr. Narum married, in Waukon, Miss Lena Anderson, who was born in Paint Creek township, Allamakee county. She was educated in her native section and for some years previous to her marriage engaged in teaching music. Her father, Thomas Anderson, was born in Norway and crossed the Atlantic to America in early times, making his first location in Wisconsin. About the year 1848 he came to Allamakee county and was one of the first settlers in Paint Creek township. He turned his attention to farming, acquiring in the course of his life four hundred acres of valuable land, which he developed and improved for many years, dying upon his homestead in 1912, at the advanced age of ninety-one years. He was one of the best known and most highly respected citizens of Paint Creek township and one of Allamakee county's honored pioneers. Mr. and Mrs. Narum reside in a comfortable, modern resi- dence in Waukon and have made their home the center of a charming social circle. They are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church of Waukon.
Politically Mr. Narum gives his allegiance to the republican party and served for one term as a member of the Waukon town council. He is a public-spirited and progressive citizen, giving his cooperation to every movement which tends to promote the intellectual, moral or material welfare of the city and county, and by reason of his many sterling qualities of character has won the regard and esteem of all with whom he has been brought in contact.
WILLIAM M. LAWSON.
The life record of William M. Lawson is not only written in the terms of success but also in the terms of enterprise and honor, for while he has attained prosperity, becoming one of the substantial farmers of Franklin township, he has also won for himself an excellent reputation as a man of high principles. His entire life has been passed in Allamakee county, for his birth occurred in Frank- lin township October 27, 1857. His parents, John D. and Sarah (Chambers) Lawson, were natives of Michigan but were married in Illinois. The father's parents passing away in Michigan when he was a mere boy, he later went to Illinois to live with a brother, with whom he made his home for some time.
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Subsequently he engaged in farming on his own account in that state and was there married. He then came to Allamakee county, Iowa, and was numbered among the very first pioneer settlers. Purchasing a tract of land in the northwest corner of Franklin township he there made his home for many years, clearing and developing the land and converting it into a productive farm. Later he crossed the line into Post township, where he made his home until his retirement from active life, when he went to live with a daughter, in whose home he passed away March 14, 1913, when eighty-seven years of age. His wife had passed away March 11, 1911, when about seventy years of age. In their family were eight children, of whom the subject of this review was the fourth in order of birth.
William M. Lawson, whose name introduces this review, attended district school in Franklin township in the acquirement of his education, but his oppor- tunities in this direction were limited for at the very early age of ten years he put aside his text-books and began working out as a farm hand. In the mean- time, however, he lived with his parents, and continued to make the old home farm his place of residence until he had attained the age of twenty-five years, when he was married and took up farming on his own account, renting a farm in the southeastern part of Franklin township, which he continued to operate for two years. Being desirous of engaging independently in agricultural pursuits he then purchased forty acres of undeveloped land which formed the nucleus of his present fine farm, which he immediately set about clearing and improving. From the very first his efforts were most successful, and as he prospered in his undertaking he bought more land, adding to his original purchase until today he is the owner of one hundred and ninety-two acres of rich and arable land located on section 7, Franklin township. This farm Mr. Lawson has highly im- proved, introducing upon it all of the modern equipment and accessories for facilitating farm labor, and it is today one of the valuable and desirable farming properties of the district. He engages in general farming and stock-raising, and is a stockholder in the farmers' store at Postville, in the Postville Creamery and the Farmers Shipping Association.
On April 2, 1883, Mr. Lawson was united in marriage to Miss Bertha Roff- man, who was born in Germany in 1860, a daughter of John and Minnie Roffman, who came to America in that year. They located first in Michigan but later, in 1866, came to Iowa, taking up their home on a farm in Post township, adjoin- ing Franklin township. There the father passed his remaining days, his death occurring August 10, 1883. He is survived by his widow, who now makes her home in Franklin township with a daughter, Mrs. Van Garder. Mr. and Mrs. Lawson have become the parents of nine children, as follows: Fred and Elmer, twins, born January 4, 1884, of whom the former married the daughter of William Harris, of whom mention is made elsewhere in this volume, and who reside in Post township, while the latter makes his home with his father; Zelma, born March 1, 1886, who married Fred Segrist, a farmer of Franklin township; Sher- man, born June 17, 1888, a carpenter by trade, residing at home; Frank, born on the 27th of January, 1893, who married Ruby Joan Hammel, and resides in Jefferson township; John, born October 6, 1895, living with his father ; Vera. born April 25, 1897, and Leonard, November 27, 1900, attending school at Evergreen schoolhouse : and Alta, bort July 25, 1903, who is also pursuing her education.
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Mr. Lawson gives his support to the republican party, but aside from serving as a member of the school board he has never held, nor desired to hold, public office. He is a member of the Woodmen and is active in the affairs of that order. Beginning the battle of life at the tender age of ten years, he early developed those virtues of self-reliance, self-control and persistence which conduce to sound judgment and lead to ultimate victory and today he stands as one of the substan- tial, progressive and desirable citizens of Allamakce county, within whose borders his entire life has been spent and among whose citizens he numbers many warm friends.
JOHN M. DOWLING.
Among the few remaining veterans of the Civil war and early settlers of Allamakee county is John M. Dowling, residing on section 10, French Creek township. A native of Somersetshire, England, he was born February 4, 1836, and when a young man emigrated with his brother to America, coming in 1859 to Allamakee county, where he purchased a tract of eighty acres of wild land. However, when the demand for troops became insistent he patriotically offered his services to his country and on October 10, 1861, enlisted at Lansing, Iowa, in Company B, Twelfth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. He discharged his duties faith- fully and distinguished himself for bravery and courage, and during his enlistment was promoted to the rank of corporal. The rendezvous of the company was at Dubuque, Iowa, and from there they proceeded to St. Louis, where the winter was spent. The following are some of the engagements in which Mr. Dowling participated : Fort Henry, Fort Donelson and the battle of Shiloh, after which he was taken prisoner and underwent the hardships of incarceration from April 6th until October, when he was discharged and again joined his company. He then took part in the sanguine battles of Nashville, Spanish Fort and Tupelo (Miss.), at which latter place he received a gunshot wound in the thigh, as a result of which he spent two or three months in a hospital at Memphis, Tennessee. During the battle of Tupelo the man on his right was killed and his comrade on the left had his teeth shot out, while he himself was left on the battlefield to die or to be taken prisoner, when one of his comrades insisted on taking him with him and carried him from the field. This man was Adam Decker, who still resides in Allamakee county. Frank Hancock, a brother of the well known editor, was also in his company and Dr. Earle of Waukon was his first captain. After serving for three years Mr. Dowling was veteranized and continued in service until January, 1866, when he was mustered out with honorable discharge at Memphis, Tennessee.
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