USA > Iowa > Allamakee County > Past and present of Allamakee county, Iowa. A record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Vol. II > Part 54
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seer. The Bryson family removed to Wisconsin in 1849, but afterward returned to the east, residing in New York state for one year. In 1850 they settled in Iowa, the father taking up a tract of wild land in Paint Creek township, Allama- kee county, where with the assistance of his son James S. he broke the first sod in that section. John S. Bryson was married June II, 1865, to Miss Tilde O. Rema, a native of Norway, who came to America, settling in Paint Creek town- ship, Allamakee county, Iowa, about the same year that the Bryson family made their permanent location here. Mr. Bryson became a well known and repre- sentative farmer of Paint Creek township and was active also in public affairs, holding various positions of trust and honor. Mr. and Mrs. Pederson are the parents of six children, Ruth, John A., Alice L., Rolf B., Alfred and Lester.
Mr. Pederson is very prominent in local fraternal circles, holding membership in the Masonic order. He belongs to the blue lodge and chapter at Waukon and is a member of McGregor Commandery, K. T. He is a charter member of the Waterville lodge of the Modern Woodmen of America and he and his wife be- long to the Order of the Eastern Star. A resident of Allamakee county almost continuously since 1881, he has become well and favorably known here and in business and social life has won a large circle of friends.
HUGH MCCABE.
Hugh McCabe has been a resident of Allamakee county since 1848 and has, therefore, witnessed its entire growth and development, for few settlements had been made within its borders at the time of his arrival and all the evidences of frontier life were to be seen, while the hardships and trials incident to pioneer existence were to be met. Mr. McCabe was at that time only a child, but even then bore his share in the general burden and through many active, honorable and worthy years since that time has worked his way upward to success. His record may well serve as a source of inspiration and encouragement, showing what may be accomplished by energy and determination, intelligently directed, for it has been by his own efforts that he has gained the prominent position which he now occupies as a substantial agriculturist of this county.
Hugh MeCabe was born in County Armagh, Ireland, in March, 1839, and when he was still a child crossed the Atlantic with his uncle, who was first mate on the ship Abbie Blanchard, sailing between Liverpool and New York. Mr. McCabe spent a few years in the latter city and then came west to Iowa, settling in Allamakee county in 1848. He remained, however, only a few months, later taking a steamer down the Mississippi to St. Louis, where for three months he worked in the employ of Pat McCann. Returning to Allamakee county, he worked upon a farm for three years, earning one hundred dollars per year. He also drove stage for some time but abandoned bothi occupations at the out- break of the Civil war, when he enlisted in the Union army, joining Company B, Twelfth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, under Captain Earle. The regiment was sent to St. Louis, where it drilled for a time, and then was transferred to the seat of war, participating in the battles of Fort Henry, Fort Donelson and Shiloh. In the latter engagement Mr. McCabe was taken prisoner and held for six
HUGH MCCABE
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months and eleven days, first in Macon, Georgia, and afterward in the famous Libby prison, from which he was paroled and sent to Benton Barracks at St. Louis. Having secured a thirty day furlough, he returned to Waukon and spent some time recuperating and visiting his old friends, later returning to Benton Barracks, where his company was reorganized and sent south to Vicksburg. Mr. McCabe there worked on a canal and with his comrades fought his way to Jackson, Mississippi, where he took part in the battle of that city and also in the engage- ment at Black River Bridge. Under General Sherman his regiment participated in the Vicksburg campaign and siege and was present at the fall of the city. It was later sent down the river to New Orleans and Mobile and thence to Spanish Fort. In 1864 Mr. McCabe took part in the battle of Tupelo, Mississippi, and was there wounded by a piece of shell but not disabled. He served until the close of the war and was mustered out at Memphis, Tennessee, afterward returning north, where he received his honorable discharge at Davenport, Iowa, in January, 1866. In that year he returned to Waukon and, on April 2, married Miss Lydia Alice Gates, a native of Ohio, born in Butler county, near Cincin- nati. She is a daughter of Samuel and Mary Ann (Montgomery) Gates, who moved from Ohio to Indiana, where they resided in St. Joseph county. They after- ward moved to South Bend and then to Iowa, driving through with two ox teams and settling in Allamakee county in 1857.
Mr. and Mrs. McCabe began their domestic life on a forty acre tract of wild land, which Mr. McCabe proceeded to break, fence and improve. He built upon it a cabin, in which they made their home until he traded the farm for a one hundred and twenty acre tract, slightly improved. He fenced this property, added to it more land and now owns two hundred acres, constituting one of the finest farms in this section of the state. At one time he held title to over three hundred acres. Thoroughout the years he has steadily carried forward the work of development, building a fine residence, a good barn and substantial out- buildings and installing all the machinery and equipment necessary to the con- duct of a model agricultural enterprise. His success is the more creditable to him because it has been attained entirely through his own labors, for he came to America a poor boy, penniless and without friends, and he has made each year of his activity since that time a period in his advancement until today he is one of the most substantial and representative citizens of the county, which he has aided in upbuilding.
Mr. and Mrs. McCabe became the parents of six children, four of whom are still living. Mary Ellen grew to maturity and married Ed Howe. She passed away leaving three sons. Lizzie lives at home. Alice, who is deceased, was the wife of Cornelius Sullivan. John Emmett is married and makes his home upon his farm. Katherine lives at home. Thomas Henry also resides upon the home farm. The family are members of the Roman Catholic church.
Few men in Allamakee county are more widely known than Mr. McCabe, who is numbered among the original settlers in this section of the state. In his youth he helped to build the first log cabin in Waukon for Scott Shattuck, who gave forty acres for the town site. For sixty-five years he has lived in the county and is one of the few who have so long witnessed its growth and development. Throughout a great portion of this period he has made his home on the farm which is yet his place of residence, but he has not confined his attention and efforts
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to it alone, although he has made it a valuable property. From time to time he has given hearty cooperation to many movements for the public good and has been one of the greatest of the forces which have transformed the county from a wilderness and reclaimed the region for purposes of civilization.
ERIC THOMPSON.
Eric Thompson, who owns eighty acres of valuable land on section 30, Paint Creek township, and is numbered among the active and successful farmers of his locality, was born in Norway on the 15th of February, 1855, and is a step- son of Thomas Guttornson, of whom extended mention is made elsewhere in this work in connection with the life of George Thompson. His own father was A. Aslakson. Eric Thompson was still a child when his parents settled in Allamakee county, and here he was reared on a farm in Paint Creek township, acquiring his education in the district schools. At the early age of sixteen he began his inde- pendent career, working first as a farm laborer and later engaging in agricul- tural pursuits upon rented land. About the year 1903 he purchased eighty acres on section 30, Paint Creek township. This was partially improved, being pro- vided with a good residence but poor outbuildings, and Mr. Thompson has stead- ily carried forward the work of development. He has improved the buildings and added to them, erecting a new granary, and he contemplates the erection of a new barn within the next twelve months. He carries on general farming and stock-raising and has met with a gratifying measure of success.
In Allamakee county, Mr. Thompson was united in marriage to Miss Ellen Haas, a native of Norway and a daughter of Ole Haas, who died in that country. Mrs. Thompson came to the United States when she was twenty-five years of age. She and her husband have two children, Oscar and Mamie, both of whom reside at home.
The parents are members of the Lutheran church and Mr. Thompson gives his political allegiance to the republican party. He is, however, not active as an office-seeker, preferring to devote his entire time to his business interests, which are all carefully conducted and therefore profitable.
WILLIAM R. DUTTON.
William R. Dutton is a representative of journalistic interests in Allamakee county as owner and publisher of the Waukon Standard. His birth occurred in Belmont county, Ohio, in 1858, and in that state he followed the profession of school teaching for a period of eight years, while subsequently he became identi- fied with the newspaper business. He took an active part in politics and held a number of important offices. For two years he served as a chief in the census bu- reau at Washington. In 1901, leaving Ohio, he took up his abode in Oklahoma and acted as postmaster at Anadarko for two years, while his wife held a similar position at Foraker, Oklahoma, for seven years. Mr. Dutton also served in the
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third and fourth legislatures of Oklahoma as state senator and in the latter was chosen as the republican candidate for the position of president pro tempore. He was the recognized leader of the minority party. In July, 1913, he purchased the Waukon Standard from John H. DeWild and on the fourth day of the following month assumed charge of the Journal, in the publication of which he has already demonstrated his able and progressive methods. He is a capable and experienced newspaper man and also enjoys an enviable reputation as a public speaker of force and power. Senator Dutton is a valuable addition to Waukon's citizenship and well merits recognition among the leading and representative residents of this county.
O. T. CONWAY.
Among the native sons of Allamakee county who have won success and prom- inence in agricultural pursuits, carrying forward the work of development which their fathers began in pioneer times is O. T. Conway, owner of five hundred acres of land on section 29, Paint Creek township, a fine property which has been the family homestead for many years. Upon this farm his birth occurred, his par- ents being James and Rose (Gordon) Conway, natives of County Roscommon, Ireland. The father was born July 17, 1820. The parents were married in 1843 and in the same year emigrated to the United States, settling in Baltimore, Maryland, where they resided until 1847. They then removed to Cincinnati, Ohio, and the father obtained employment as a deck hand on a boat on the lower Mississippi river. He was afterward promoted to the position of second mate and acted in that capacity during the terrible epidemic of cholera in 1849. He was at that time on the Red river, and he was often obliged to go ashore between stations in order to bury the dead. These were mostly negroes and Mr. Con- way often placed ten in the same grave. He severed his connection with river navigation in 1850 and brought his family to Dubuque, Iowa, he himself coming to Allamakee county and locating one hundred and sixty acres of wild land on section 29, Paint Creek township. In December of the same year his family joined him and all who were old enough aided in the clearing, development and improvement of the homestead. For four years Mr. Conway spent only the win- ter months on his farm, while during the summer he worked on the upper Mis- sissippi river but eventually took up a permanent residence upon the property. He was one of the first settlers in Paint Creek township and endured all the hardships and trials of pioneer existence, evolving out of the wild and unim- proved tract an excellent and productive farm. The years brought him prom- inence, success and substantial fortune, and he gradually extended the field of his activities to include participation in local political life. He became well known in the ranks of the democratic party and held various important township offices, as well as that of county sheriff. He died upon his homestead in 1895 and was survived by his wife until 1904. To them were born ten children, five of whom are still living, as follows: Mary, the wife of John McErlane, of Paint Creek township; D. B., who resides in Seward, Nebraska; W. P., of York, Nebraska ; Rose, the wife of P. Maloney, of Jefferson township ; and O. T.,
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of this review. The deceased members of this family are J. J., who died at Sibley, Iowa; J. F., who passed away in Gurshen, Nebraska; Ellen, the de- ceased wife of James Carroll, of Milbank, North Dakota ; and two who died in childhood.
O. T. Conway was reared upon the family homestead and acquired his educa- tion in the district schools of Paint Creek township. At an early age he began assisting with the work of the farm and before he was twenty-one was a prac- tical and able agriculturist. After the death of his father he came into posses- sion of the homestead and there he has since carried on general farming and stock-raising, success following his well directed and progressive labors. He married Miss Emma Adams, a native of Clayton county, Iowa, and they have one daughter. Rose Ellen. Mr. Conway is numbered among the substantial and representative farmers of this part of Iowa and among Allamakee county's most progressive and successful native sons. His record is an added credit to a name that has been held in high honor and esteem since pioneer times.
JOHN JACOBSON.
The pioneer history of Allamakee county contains the record of no more able and deservedly successful man than John Jacobson, who came to Paint Creek township in 1851 and for many years has been prominently connected with its agricultural progress. He has developed here three fine farms and is today the owner of a valuable and productive property of one hundred and twenty acres, upon which he has resided for a number of years.
HIe was born in Norway on the 7th of November, 1843, and is a son of Tron and Hendricka Jacobson, also natives of that country. The parents emigrated to the United States in 1850 and after spending the winter in Rock county, Wisconsin, came in the spring of 1851 to Allamakee county, Iowa, making the journey in a covered wagon drawn by ox teams. The father preempted eighty acres of land in Paint Creek township, but this was taken away from him by a man from Indiana who proved an earlier claim. Mr. Jacobson afterward acquired another eighty acres of land and turned his attention to its improve- ment and devolpment, building upon it a log house, which was his home until his death in 1908, when he was ninety-five years of age. He had long survived his wife, her death having occurred in 1880. Both were members of the Lutheran church and the father was a stanch republican in politics. He took an active interest in the development of the section to which he came as a pioneer. In his family were ten children, two of whom died in childhood. The others are : Mrs. A. N. Nelson, of Lansing; Mrs. I. A. Johnson, of Lafayette township; Mrs. Ole Berke, who resides in Paint Creek township; Mrs. Ed Erickson, of Lansing: Martin, who resides upon the old homestead; John, of this review ; Nettie, who lives in Waterville, Iowa ; and Hans, who resided in Lafayette town- ship until his death, which recently occurred.
John Jacobson was eight years of age when he came to Allamakee county with his parents and he was reared in a frontier region, his childhood being spent amid the hard conditions of pioneer life. Before he was twenty-one he
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was a practical and able farmer, having learned the best agricultural methods through his experience upon his father's farm, and at the age of twenty-seven he began his independent career, settling upon one hundred and twenty acres of land which he purchased from his father. Five years later he bought one hundred and eighty acres near Waterville and upon this he resided until 1901, when he removed to his present property of one hundred and twenty acres. This is a well improved and valuable tract of land, reflecting everywhere the care and supervision of its owner, who is a progressive and able agriculturist and a far-sighted and discriminating business man.
Mr. Jacobson married Miss Wagot Solverson, a native of Norway, and they became the parents of nine children: T. S. Buringrud, who lives at Bucyrus, North Dakota, and who has adopted what is called the farm name of the family ; Adolph, also of North Dakota; Sander, of Waterville, Iowa ; Ingeman, also of Waterville ; Otto and Selma, who live at home; and Henry, Manuel and Richard, who have passed away. The surviving members of the family are devout adherents of the Lutheran church.
Mr. Jacobson gives his allegiance to the republican party and is interested in everything pertaining to community growth and welfare. He has resided in Paint Creek township since 1851 and is one of the few remaining citizens who have so long witnessed its growth and development. By his able work in the improvement of his three farms he has made substantial contributions to its progress and by his honorable, upright and straightforward life has won the confidence and esteem of the people among whom he has so long lived and labored.
JOHN SCOTT BRYSON.
In pioneer times the Bryson family was founded in Iowa and ever since the name has stood as a synonym for integrity, honesty and steadfastness of pur- pose combined with a determination and energy which always result in success. From 1851 until his death John Scott Bryson remained an active and honored citizen of Paint Creek township and through the years of an active and honor- able business career he commanded the respect and enjoyed the confidence and good-will of all with whom he came in contact. His work formed an important element in the development and upbuilding of this section of the state, his life measured up to the full standard of upright manhood in all things and his death deprived Allamakee county of one of the earliest and greatest of her pioneers.
John Scott Bryson was born in Dundee, Scotland, June 13, 1831, and was a son of James Bryson and a grandson of Alexander M. Bryson, natives of Redgorton, Braehead, Perthshire, Scotland, the former born August 26, 1802. The family is of ancient origin and its history is definite as far back as 1700. When James Bryson, the father of our subject, was seven years of age he was left an orphan and dependent upon his own resources. As a boy he herded cattle and sheep in Perthshire, later becoming errand boy for a fashionable lady and still later 'obtaining employment in the linen and woolen mills of his native country. On the Ist of March, 1824, he married Miss Margaret Scott and in April, 1835,
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the family emigrated to America, settling in Canada on the St. Clair river. There the father took up two hundred acres of dense timber land and after enduring great hardships and privations founded a home, in which they con- tinued to reside until 1840, when they removed to the United States, settling in Thompsonville, Connecticut, where the father and children obtained employ- ment in the factory of the Thompsonville Carpet Company. After nine years they removed to Rock county, Wisconsin, but a year later went to Auburn, New York, where they again worked in a factory. In April, 1850, the family again started west and in May of the same year landed from a horse ferryboat on the west side of the Mississippi river at McGregor's Landing, Iowa, a state which had been their objective point for several years. On the 11th of May, 1851, they settled in what is now Paint Creek township, Allamakee county, the father taking up land on sections 17 and 18 and developing there a profitable and pro- ductive farm. This property he sold in 1866 and removed to Elgin, Illinois, but after one year returned to Paint Creek township, continuing to reside here until his death. The mother died on the Ist of September, 1873, and the father passed away at the home of his son, John Scott, November 30, 1889. Both the Brysons and Scotts were representatives of old Scotch families and for genera- tions were all church members and good Christian people.
John S. Bryson was twenty years of age when he came with the family to Allamakee county and amid pioneer conditions then prevailing he spent his early manhood, assisting in clearing, improving and developing a new farm and beginning a career in this state which, always intimately connected with the interests of this section, has been one of the greatest individual forces in its upbuilding. Working together, he and his brother each secured good farmis, the subject of this review acquiring one hundred and sixty acres on section 17, where his widow and children now reside. Upon this property he carried on the work of improvement for many years, developing it from a raw tract into a productive farm, and he continued to reside upon it until his death, which occurred on the Ist of July, 1905. Each year of his life witnessed his increasing success, for he understood farming in principle and detail and worked earnestly and steadfastly in the cultivation of his holdings, prosperity steadily attending his well directed labors. He became known as one of the prosperous and sub- stantial farmers of the county but he was not interested in wealth as an end in itself. He was more especially interested in the development of his township, where he built the first mill and aided in the establishment of other equally necessary institutions, and his cooperation could always be counted upon to further projects and movements for community advancement. Until 1894 he made all the reports to the Iowa Agricultural Society and for the agricultural department at Washington from the time it was organized until 1900. For twenty years he helped settle estates as guardian, trustee, administrator and executor, accomplishing a great deal of important work and bringing to a final settlement over twenty-six large estates. He was never known to take advan- tage of the interests of his fellowmen in any business transaction and he had great respect and sympathy for those in distress or trouble.
A man of excellent moral character, Mr. Bryson was an earnest worker in the cause of temperance and, having taken the pledge himself when he was twelve years of age, faithfully kept it until his death. He remained almost continu-
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ously upon his farm but in 1892 made a trip to the Pacific coast, visiting relatives there and returning in the following year by way of Winnipeg, Canada. Before his death he published a book of one hundred and seventy-five pages containing the history of the Bryson, Scott and allied families, spending many years and no small amount of money in collecting the material for the volume, which was widely circulated among his friends and relatives. For a man of limited educa- tion and no other experience in that kind of work this was a very able effort and is highly prized by those who own a copy as a valuable contribution to Allamakee county's history.
On the 11th of January, 1865, Mr. Bryson married Miss Tilda C. Rema, who came to this county with her parents in 1851, and they reared a family.
Mr. Bryson was an active religious worker, helping to organize the Sabbath school in Paint Creek township and acting as superintendent and class leader for a number of years. He gave his political allegiance to the republican party and was an unsuccessful candidate for the state legislature, consenting to make the race merely to help the ticket, knowing that the democratic majority was too large to overcome. However, he held various other positions of trust and responsibility, never seeking to evade the obligations of citizenship and serving with credit and distinction as township clerk and secretary of the school board. He was public-spirited and loyal in all matters of citizenship, taking a deep interest in the advancement and progress of the section to which he came as a pioneer, and thus it was that in his passing Allamakee county lost one of its most representative and valued citizens.
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