USA > Iowa > Appanoose County > Past and present of Appanoose County, Iowa : a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Vol. II > Part 13
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William H. Brown was reared and educated in Missouri and when seventeen years of age began earning his living as a farm hand, in which capacity he was employed for two years. He was then married and began his domestic life upon a rented farm in Appanoose county, to which he had removed in 1872. He carried on general agricultural pursuits here for twelve years and then removed to Mystic, where he began mining coal, continuing in that business for about five years. Later he served a four years' apprenticeship at the carpenter's trade, at which he afterward worked for about three years, when he returned to the mines, this time as a pit carpenter. He was thus engaged at Rathbun for four years, after which he removed to Centerville in 1900 and entered into his present business connection.
Mr. Brown was married on the ist of December, 1873, to Miss Louisa J. O'Neil, a daughter of George W. and Corellia Ann ( Potteroff) O'Neil. The father, who followed farming in Appanoose county during the greater part of his life. died in 1907. while the mother passed away in 1890. To Mr. and Mrs. Brown have been born seven children: John F., who was born February 19, 1875, and is engaged in farming in South Dakota: Mona A., born November 24, 1876: Lyda A., born March 22, 1878: Laura E., born May 15, 1881 ; George W .. born March 23, 1883: Thomas C., born in September. 1884: and Mary, born August 11. 1887. The wife and mother passed away in 1889 after a two years' illness and on the 14th of January, 1893. Mr. Brown was again married. his second union being with Miss Mary L. Melntyre, a daughter of Alfred and Eliza- beth E. (Gillespie ) Mcintyre, natives of Indiana. The father was a farmer by occupation and at an carly period in the development of Monroc county, Iowa, east in his lot with its pioneer settlers and there he cultivated a farm until 1866, when he came to Appanoose county, purchasing forty acres of land which he began to develop and improve, giving his attention to its cultivation since. Most of the time he has also rented other land. He is living on the farm, at the age of eighty years, and his wife is seventy- nine years of age. By the second marriage of Mr. Brown there were two children: Edith I., who was born August 17. 1895: and Ernest C ..
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who was born September 2, 1898, and lived only twelve days. Mrs. Brown is a native of Monroe county, Iowa, born November 3, 1860. . The family residence, a comfortable home at No. 904 West State street, is proverbial for its warm-hearted hospitality and good cheer. Mr. Brown served as road commissioner of Lincoln township and while at Rathbun was for four years a member of the school board. He has always been actively interested in matters relating to the public welfare and gives hearty and helpful aid to many movements for the general good. Politi- cally he is a democrat, and his religious faith is that of the Methodist church. To his profession he is always loyal and his has been an hon- orable, upright life, commending him to the good-will of all who know him.
SAMUEL P. HAYS.
Farming and bookkeeping occupied the attention of Samuel P. Hays during his active business life and his was a well-earned success gained through honorable methods and unfaltering enterprise. He was one of the worthy citizens that the Keystone state furnished to Iowa, for his birth occurred near Paris, Pennsylvania, January 31, 1844, his parents being Davis and Martha (Campbell) Hays, both of whom were natives of Vir- ginia. In the schools of his native city the son pursued his education until necessity forced him to make his own way in the world owing to his father's failure in business, leaving the family in straitened circumstances, so that he had to provide for his own support. He attended school in the winter months, eagerly availing himself of the opportunity to acquire an education and worked out in the summer seasons. When nineteen years of age he went to California, where for seven years he worked in the gold mines. He traveled by the water route to the Pacific coast and after a long journey sought success in the gold fields. He met with a gratifying measure of prosperity, earning the money that enabled him eventually to purchase his land in Appanoose county. For seven years he continued upon the coast and then returned to his native state. In 1876 he came to lowa, where he invested his savings in land. becoming owner of one hundred and forty acres in Appanoose county. two and a half miles east of Centerville. Upon that place he resided until 1894, when he took up his abode in the county seat. He had carefully tilled and cul- tivated his fields, making the place very productive and to his original holdings he had added until within the boundaries of his farm were com-
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prised two hundred and twenty acres of land. On his removal to the city he rented the farm and thus materially added to his income. On taking up his abode in Centerville he accepted the position of bookkeeper in the Wells & Bradley Mills, there continuing until 1902. The remain- ing three years of his life were spent in quiet retirement and he passed away on the 19th of April, 1905.
Mr. Hays was devoted to the welfare and happiness of his family and found his greatest pleasure in ministering to their comfort. In Octo- ber, 1876, he wedded Wilhelmina Campbell. a daughter of Alexander and Martha Campbell, both of whom were natives of Virginia. The father made farming his life work and in the '6os arrived in Appanoose county. łowa, purchasing land a mile and a half east of Centerville. There he and his wife lived until called to the home beyond and were numbered among the worthy and highly respected farming people of the community. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Hays was celebrated in Chariton, lowa. and to them were born two children, Martha and Mary, the latter at home with her mother. The elder daughter is the wife of John L. Wilson, a nurseryman and lumber dealer of Centerville and they have two chil- dren : Mabel, six years of age, attending Central school ; and Samuel Hays Wilson, five years of age.
Mr. Hays voted with the republican party and was ever loyal to its teachings and its purposes, feeling that its platform contained the best elements of good government. In early life he was a member of the United Presbyterian church and later became a member of the Presby- terian church at Centerville, to which his widow now belongs. In both he served as elder. He lived an honorable, upright. Christian life, at all times consistent, his actions being ever guided by his Christian belief. So high were his ideals and motives and so honorable his actions that he con- manded the regard and confidence of all who knew him and no resident of Centerville was more justly honored and esteemed.
JAMES WILCOX.
Jamies Wilcox is actively and successfully identified with the business interests of Unionville as proprietor of a large livery stable and is justly accounted one of the leading business men of the town. He is a native son of fowa, born at Pella, Marion county, September 12. 1865. his par- ents being John and Sarah ( Masters) Wilcox. the former a native of New York and the latter of Ohio. The father of our subject was left
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an orphan at an early age and was reared by a family in New York. In Indiana his marriage occurred and afterward he removed to Illinois, where for a number of years he engaged in farming. He came to Iowa in the early '6os, locating on land in Marion county, and from there went to Missouri, where he remained until his death, which occurred on the 14th of August, 1893. The mother of our subject makes her home with her son Philip, who is a well known farmer in Appanoose county.
James Wilcox acquired his education in the public schools of Prince- ton, Missouri. He remained at home until he was twenty-one years of age, at which time he began his independent career, renting a farm which he improved and developed for a number of years. Later. however, he purchased fifty acres of land in Union township and moved upon his property which some time afterward he sold and moved into Unionville, having determined to devote his time to business pursuits. He spent about twelve years dealing in timber but in 1910 purchased the livery stable belonging to Frank Neff and this enterprise he has since conducted, his energy and ability being rewarded by a patronage which is constantly increasing in volume and importance.
In 1887 Mr. Wilcox was united in marriage to Miss Delithia May Edison, a daughter of Jacob and Margaret (Cooper) Edison. both natives of Quincy, Illinois, and of English ancestry. The father was a success- ful farmer and an honored veteran of the Civil war. His marriage occurred in Illinois and afterward he moved with his wife to Mercer county, Missouri, and from there to Grundy county, Kansas, Mrs. JJacob Edison passed away in the latter state and after her death her husband returned to Mercer county, where he is still residing. He was later united in marriage to Miss Mary A. Bryant, who passed away, and in 1911 his third marriage occurred. Mr. and Mrs. Wilcox have become the parents of six children: Roy, who was born in December. 1887. and who is engaged in farming in Appanoose county; Bertha, who was born May 13. 1889, teaching in this county: James Ray, born April 20, 1892: Ralph E., whose birth occurred on the 29th of September. 1894. and who graduated from the Unionville high school in 1912: Nina Gretchen, who was born January 1, 1901, and who is attending school ; and Greta Mar- garet, born August 25, 1911.
Mr. Wilcox gives a stanch allegiance to the republican party and has held various township offices, and for several years was a member of the school board. However, he never seeks political preferment. although he is a most loyal and public-spirited citizen, giving active and hearty support to public measures in which he believes. He belongs to Yeomen lodge of Unionville, and with his wife attends the Methodist Episcopal
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church. His salient characteristics are such as have gained him the regard and good-will of all with whom he has been associated through either business or social relations and he is justly entitled to a foremost place among the successful and representative men of Unionville.
JOSEPH W. CALVERT.
Joseph W. Calvert has devoted much of his life to railway service and for eighteen years has been station agent at Mystic where he is regarded as a courteous and obliging official. He was born in Darlington, Lafay- ette county, Wisconsin, December 13, 1858, and is a son of John and Lavinia (Chicken) Calvert. The father was a native of Durham county, England, born March 28, 1822, and the mother's birth occurred in Devonshire, England, in 1829. Crossing the Atlantic John Cal- vert became a resident of Galena, Illinois, when twenty-three years of age. At New Diggings, Lafayette county, Wisconsin, he formed the acquaintance of Lavinia Chicken who when sixteen years of age came to the United States with her parents with Chicago as their destination. They went from that city to Shullsburg, Wisconsin, and in the latter city the acquaintance was formed which resulted in marriage at Galena, IHi- nois, on the 4th of July, 1847. Mr. Calvert was first employed in a tannery at Galena, Illinois, spending a year in the service of the father of U. S. Grant. He afterward worked in the lead mines during the early development of mining interests at New Diggings. In his prospecting he was successful and through his efforts in the Galena fields he accumu- lated enough to purchase a farm in Willow Springs township, Lafayette county, Wisconsin. He made his home upon that place until the death of his wife in 1902, after which he removed to the city of Darlington. Wisconsin, where he spent his remaining days, passing away January 7. . 1909. After he ceased his work in the mines his attention was given exclusively to the development and improvement of a farm in a new country. This necessitated his meeting many hardships and privations but he prospered in his undertaking with the result that his place became one of the valuable farm properties of the county. He was actively interested in the political situation of the state and aided in the election of Dewey as the first governor. He held to an independent course in polities, having supported candidates whom he thought best qualified for office whether they were affiliated with the democratic or republican party. He held membership in the Episcopal church and was one of its earnest
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workers, unfaltering in his efforts to promote its growth and extend its influence. Unto him and his wife were born eight children: Sarah A., living in Darlington, Wisconsin; John H., of Whitewater, Wisconsin; Robert C., of Lucerne, Missouri; Hannah A., who died at the age of five years; Joseph W., of this review; Mrs. Ella E. Tighe, a widow living in Darlington, Wisconsin; Fremont A., who is oceupying the old home- stead near Darlington; and Prudence E., the wife of William Godfrey, a prosperous farmer living near Darlington.
Joseph W. Calvert remained with his parents until seventeen years of age, spending his youth in the usual manner of farm lads, his summer months being devoted to the work of the fields and the winter seasons to the acquirement of an education in the district school. Desirous, how- ever, of enjoying better educational opportunities he was for three years, between the ages of seventeen and twenty years, a student in the State Normal School at Platteville, Wisconsin. He spent the next eighteen months in traveling through the west and in pioneering in Colorado. At length, however, he returned to Wisconsin, where he took up railroading as an employe of the Mineral Point Railroad Company. He acted as clerk to the general superintendent, George W. Cobb, until the road was sold to the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad Company in 1879. He has since been with the latter corporation which he has represented as agent and assistant traveling auditor. He has filled the position of agent for the past thirty years, spending four years of that time at Sey- monr, two years at Chillicothe, Missouri, and short periods at Braymer, Lawson and Liberty, Missouri. He came to Mystic eighteen years ago and as station agent in this place he has rendered very satisfactory service to the public as well as to the company. To the patrons of the road he is always courteous and pleasant, while to the corporation he represents he is ever loyal.
On the 30th of May, 1886, in Onawa, Iowa, Mr. Calvert was married to Miss Elizabeth B. Clemmer, who was born in Monroc, Green county. Wisconsin, in 1867, a daughter of Dr. J. N. Clemmer. The eight children of this marriage are: Mabel Elizabeth, residing at Faith, South Dakota: Hazel May, who is the wife of Earl E. Jones, of Lucerne. Missouri : John William, a brakeman with the Great Northern Railroad Company, living at Havre. Montana; Blanch A., student in the Centerville high school; Daniel Webster, also in school: Sarah Marie: Major Clemmer : and Reta.
Mr. Calvert has been a lifelong republiean and a most active worker in support of the party. For the past four years he has been chairman of the republican county central committee and at different times and in
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different places he has capably filled various local offices. He was mayor of Braymer, township trustee at Seymour and has held other local posi- tions. In fact he has always been an earnest worker in behalf of civic interests, seeking ever to promote reform and progress and to secure the practical adoption of high ideals. He is prominent in the Masonic fra- ternity and has been honored with most of the offices in the local organiza- tion with which he is connected. He now holds membership with Walnut Lodge, No. 588, A. F. & A. M., has taken the chapter degree at Seymour and is a member of St. John's Commandery at Centerville and Kaaba Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Davenport. He is a member of the Elks Lodge, No. 347, at Ottumwa, lowa, and he filled all the chairs in the subordinate lodge of the Knights of Pythias but is not affiliated there- with at the present time. He was captain of the Uniformed Rank at Liberty, Missouri, for two years, and has been very active in the different fraternal organizations with which he was or is connected. He believes thoroughly in the beneficent principles which underlie these organizations and exemplifies in his life the spirit of mutual helpfulness and brotherly kindness.
WILLIAM I. MORRISON.
William I. Morrison is a leading merchant of Appanoose county, con- ducting a furniture and hardware business in Unionville, where he carries a large stock and has a well appointed store. This county numbers him among her native sons, his birth having occurred in Udell township, Jan- uary 3, 1873. His parents were Irvin Andrew and Amanda ( Noland) Morrison, of whom mention is made on another page of this work. Spend- ing his youthful days under the parental roof, William I. Morrison pursued a public school education, which was continued until he had mastered the branches of learning taught in the Unionville high school. His early experiences were those which come to the farm boy and after he had put aside his text-books he assisted his father in the work of further developing and improving the old home place up to the time of his mar- riage. He then began farming on his own account and when he had saved a sufficient sum from his earnings he purchased eighty acres, his wife having the same amount, making one hundred and sixty acres of land on section 22, Union township. This he carefully and systematically cultivated and success further attended his labors, so that in 1909 he was enabled to purchase an additional tract of one hundred and twenty acres
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situated on section 3, Udell township, from William Bray. To that farm he removed and still makes his home there. At a later date he sold eighty acres of his first farm, but he still owns two hundred acres of rich and valuable land in this county and his home place is a well improved property which he operates himself. On the ist of June, 1911, in part- nership with his brother-in-law, John Moore, he purchased the under- taking, furniture and hardware business of J. R. Stewart, formerly the property of A. T. Bishop. As one of the owners of this store, Mr. Morri- son is accounted one of the leading merchants of Unionville. They carry a large and well selected line of goods, their prices are reasonable and their business methods honorable and straightforward. In 1907 Mr. Morrison went to Stanley county, South Dakota, where he homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land, and after making all payments upon this place he gave it in trade as part payment upon his store. He is an energetic, enterprising business man, carefully utilizing his opportunities, and his keen discernment and sound judgment are important features in his success.
Mr. Morrison was united in marriage August 22, 1895, to Miss Essie B. Voorhees, a daughter of Richard D. and Maggie (Middleton) Voorhees, who were natives of New Jersey and Ohio respectively. The father was a farmer by occupation but at the time of the Civil war put aside all business and personal considerations to aid in the struggle for the preserva- tion of the Union. Both he and his wife removed to Illinois with their respective parents during childhood and were there reared and married. In the late '6os they came to Appanoose county and Mr. Voorhees began farming in Udell township, owning at the time of his death two hundred acres of productive and well improved land. He remained upon this farm until his death in February, 1905, after which his widow took up her abode in Unionville, where she is now living. Their daughter, Mrs. Morrison, was born in Appanoose county, June 21. 1871. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Morrison has been blessed with seven children. as follows: Byrl M., who completed the course of study in the Centerville high school in 1911 ; Merrill B., Sunbeam, Enid, Richard and James. all of whom are attending school; and Wayne.
Mr. Morrison votes with the democratic party and. keeping well in- formed on the questions and issues of the day, is able to support his position by intelligent argument. He served as township trustee of Union township for about five years and for several years was a member of the school board. His official duties have always been promptly and capably performed and he is interested in the welfare and upbuilding of township and county. He and his wife are members of the United Brethren church
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and their lives are in harmony with their professions. Mr. Morrison is accounted one of the enterprising business men of his community, care- fully and capably directing his interests and activities with the result that success is now his. in substantial and desirable measure.
HOWARD F. McDONALD.
Howard F. McDonald, a man of strong and forceful individuality, has at an early age worked his way upward to an important place in busi- ness circles of Centerville and each step in his career has brought him a broader outlook and wider opportunities. He has carefully noted and used his advantages for progress and is today one of the successful men of his part of the county, being engaged in the shoe business and otherwise in- fluentially associated with the general business life of his community. He is a native of Appanoose county, having been born in Walnut town- ship, April 6. 18So. His parents are George W. and Sarah A. (Long) McDonald, the former a native of Indiana and the latter of Missouri. The father of our subject came to Iowa with his parents when he was still a child, settling in Appanoose county in 1853. He grew to maturity in that section and was educated in the public schools, engaging in farm- ing after laying aside his books. He first rented a forty acre tract and was so successful in its development and cultivation that he was later able to buy the property, which he improved until 1900. From time to time he bought more land and added it to his original tract, his holdings finally comprising six hundred and sixty acres. This farm he developed until his retirement in 1900. when he moved to Centerville, where he has resided since that time. He owns a great deal of town property, holding the title to five residences in the town limits.
In the acquirement of an education Howard F. McDonald attended the public schools of Walnut township and was graduated from the Center- ville high school. After this he began his active business career. securing employment in a wholesale grocery conducted by T. R. Riggs and he continued in this position for some months. Later he was employed in the shoe store conducted by R. A. McKee and retained this connection for two years. In November, 1903, he accepted a posi- tion with the First National Bank as collector and his ability, energy and industry soon gained him advancement to the position of assistant cashier. During this time he was also secretary of the Citizens Coal Company. In 1908 he resigned his position with the First National Bank and accepted
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his former position in the shoe store operated by R. A. Mckee. He did able work as a salesman until September 16, 1910, when he purchased the shoe business formerly conducted by T. L. Greenleaf, which he has managed since that time. He carries a large and well assorted stock, the lines of which are kept up-to-date and complete, and he enjoys a large patronage. In business affairs he has been found practical as well as progressive, and his energy and determination have enabled him to over- come all obstacles and difficulties in his path. He owns a beautiful mod- ern home in North Ninth street in Centerville and has valuable property holdings in Boise City, Idaho. He is also connected with some of the most important business enterprises in Centerville, being a stockholder in the Mutual Telephone Company and also in the Centerville Gypsum Company.
On May 30, 1910, Mr. McDonald married Miss Myra M. Simpson, a daughter of Andy M. and Hattie (Powers) Simpson. The father came to Iowa in pioneer times and operated a farm in Washington county until 1906. when he came to Appanoose county and purchased two hundred and forty acres which he is developing and improving. Mr. and Mrs. McDonald are the parents of one child, Marion B., who is now sixteen months old.
Fraternally Mr. McDonald belongs to the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. His religious views are in accord with those of the Christian church, and politically he adheres to the democratic party. In business he is progressive, carrying forward to successful completion whatever he undertakes and utilizing the opportunities that are presented for progress, and he has thus gained a creditable position in business circles and the honor, respect and esteem of his many friends.
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