USA > Iowa > Buena Vista County > Past and present of Buena Vista County, Iowa > Part 26
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DR. B. B. BRIDGE
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in 1844. Mr. and Mrs. Smith were the grandparents of Dr. Bridge of this review. Their daughter, Mahala Ann. born May 22, 1850, was married September 17, 1869, to Andrew Bridge. Of this marriage there were born six children : buey Amerilla Celestine, born July 21. 1870, is now the wife of Andrew Howie, a resident of Ontario. Barton Brower is the next of the family ; Fergus Ross, born December 2, 1878, is a resident of. Utica, New York. Edna Florence Pearl, born October 21, 1881, is now deceased. Olive Edith Mabel. born February 18. 1884, is at home. Ilarold Gordon Salem, born January 11. 1891, is a baker by trade now living at Kingston, Ontario.
Dr. Bridge was educated at Queen's University in Ontario and after a thorough course was graduated from the medical department with the class of 1900. Hle took honors in all of his studies, manifesting especial aptitude in their mastery and receiving a gold medal-one of the two medals awarded in the medical and surgery department. This is the highest honor that any student can attain and but one medal can be awarded to an individual student.
In the year of his graduation Dr. Bridge came to Albert City, where he opened an office and has since been engaged in practice. His labors are effective forces in checking the ravages of disease. He has studied broadly and has comprehensive knowledge of the principles of medicine and surgery, keeping in constant touch with the advancement that is being made by the profession.
On the 25th of December, 1899, Dr. Bridge was married at Battersea Ontario, to Miss Carrie Mayhew. a daughter of Lucas and Martha Mayhew. but the former is now deceased. Unto Dr. and Mrs. Bridge have been born two sons, Floyd Curson and Barton Lloyd.
Dr. Bridge is serving as president of the public school board and the canse of education finds in him a stalwart friend. Ile gives his political support to the republican party and is interested in all that pertains to the welfare and progress of the community, being a cooperant factor in many measures for the public good. In his profession he has made substantial progress. If the minister is austere we think it is because he is engaged in the contemplation of things which are beyond our ken; if the lawyer is brusk and erabbed we are apt to regard it as a mark of genius: but we demand of the physician a genial nature and a cordial spirit that will promote a spirit of hopefulness. Dr. Bridge is lacking in none of the requirements of a sue- cessful physician, and he is doing good work for mankind, publie confidence in his ability being attested by the liberal patronage that is now accorded him.
WARNER C. KINNE.
On the list of Buena Vista county's honored dead appears the name of Warner C. Kinne, who for many years was one of its leading and influential residents. Ile left the impress of his individuality for good upon the public life of Storm Lake and was closely connected with the upbuilding and develop- ment of the city in various ways. Moreover, in all life's relations he stood foresquare to every wind that blows and when he passed away in 1904, he left
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behind the memory of an active, honorable and upright life, which may well serve as a source of inspiration and encouragement to those who knew him.
Mr. Kinne was born in La Salle county. Illinois, in 1840, and was of Scotch ancestry. His parents were Eli M. and Maria (Heath) Kinne and were also natives of Illinois, but at an early day removed to Wisconsin. Spend- ing his boyhood and youth in his parents' home W. C. Kinne was afforded the educational advantages offered by the common schools and also by an acad- emy. Prior to his removal to Iowa he engaged in teaching school and also devoted some time to farming. Hle arrived in this state in 1872, settling on a farm in Maple Valley township, Buena Vista county, where he seeured a tract of railroad land. Not a furrow had been turned nor an improvement made, but with characteristic energy he began its development. devoting the two succeeding years to the work of the fields. Thinking he saw a more advantageous business opening, however. he removed to Storm Lake in 1874. and became identified with the city during the carly era of its progress and upbuilding. Ile purchased a general stock of goods of W. HI. MeCune and thus founded the establishment, which is today the oldest and most important mercantile enterprise of the city. With the exception of about two years. he was continuously connected therewith up to the time of his death. IIe erected the first store building of any importance in Storm Lake, its location being at the southwest corner of Lake avenue and Fifth streets. From time to time he enlarged his facilities to meet the growing demands of his trade and in 1900 he erected an addition to his original storeroom, which had a frontage of twenty-five feet and when the new part was completed there was a total frontage of the double stores of fifty feet with a depth of one hundred feet. He was careful in the selection of his goods, studied the trade, the market, and . the demands of his patrons, and by unfaltering enterprise and unassailable business methods gained the success which made him one of the substantial There was not a single esoterie phase in his citizens of the community.
career. He based his business principles and actions upon the rules which govern unabating industry and strict unswerving integrity and the same qual- ities characterized him in the other relations of life. Few men of the county enjoyed a wider acquaintance or had in larger measure the good will and con- fidence of those with whom they were brought in contact. He left to his family the priceless heritage of an unblemished name as well as the substantial benefits which accrued from his business enterprise.
On the 26th of January, 1862, Mr. Kinne was married to Miss Rowena K. Underwood, who was born in Uster county. New York, April 24, 1843, a daughter of Benjamin F. and Eliza Jane (De Lamater) Underwood, of New York. They have become the parents of three sons : Eli F .. born in lowa county, Wisconsin. March 8. 1863, was a student in the high school at Avoca. Wisconsin, and the State University of Wisconsin, at Madison. He afterward engaged in the drug business at Avora for a number of years and in 1895 came to Storm Lake. Ile had been reared by his grandparents in Wisconsin and did not come to lowa at the time of his parents' removal. but when he arrived in Storm Lake he joined his father in his mercantile enterprises here and is today a partner in the Kinne store and a worthy successor of his father
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in the conduct of a business which has assumed extensive proportions. In 1897 he was married to Miss Ida M. Pelton, of Storm Lake, who has been actively connected with the store not only since her marriage but for ten years previous. She is a daughter of Ira C. and Mary E. Pelton, who were pioneer residents of Mitchell county, Iowa. Warner K., the second son, was born in Wisconsin, married Marie Nelson and died in July, 1907. at the age of forty- two years. Roy U., born in Storm Lake in 1879 married Alice M. Bell, of Marion, Iowa, in 1904, and they have one child, Catherine Rowena. The widow and surviving sons and daughters-in-law now constitute the firm of W. C. Kinne Company, incorporated. successors of the father in a general mer- cantile store. They now carry a stock valued at thirty-five thousand dollars, and their annual sales have reached a large figure. The concern is the oldest establishment of the kind in Buena Vista and well merits the liberal patronage accorded it by reason of the straightforward business poliey which has ever been maintained in connection with the affairs of the house.
Mrs. Kinne survives her husband and is well known in Storm Lake, where she has long made her home. She holds membership in the Presbyterian church and has ever been prominent in the social circles of the city. Mr. Kinne gave his political allegiance to the republican party, while fraternally he was connected with the Masons and Odd Fellows and exemplified in his life the beneficent principles upon which those orders rest. By the consensus of public opinion, he was accounted one of the foremost citizens of Buent Vista county, his life record constituting an integral chapter in the history of Storm Lake.
RICHARD OLNEY.
A well improved and highly cultivated traet of one hundred and sixty acres, situated a mile and a half north of Marathon, in Poland township, is the home of Richard Olney, who is numbered among the substantial citizens of Buena Vista county. The family was founded in the new world by Thomas Olney, who was born in Hertfordshire, England, and who arrived in Salem, Massachusetts, April 2, 1635, on the ship Planter. He was appointed a sur- veyor in January, 1636, and was granted forty acres of land at Jeffrey Creek, now known as Manchester, near Salem. He soon became associated with the followers of Roger Williams, who advocated peculiar views on political and religious matters, and for that reason was excluded from the colony March 12, 1638. Prior to this time, however, in company with Roger Williams, Mr. Olney had visited Narragansett Bay in quest of a place of abode. where they might live outside the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts colony, and arecord- ingly formed a new settlement at the head of the bay, which they named Providenee, in grateful remembrance of their deliverance from their enemies. They, with others, thus became the original thirteen proprietors of Providence. having purchased their rights from the Indians. Thomas Olney became a
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prominent factor in the life of the colony and was one of the founders of the First Baptist church in Providence.
Richard Olney, a direct descendant of Thomas Olney. was born in Warren county, Pennsylvania, November 1, 1844, a son of Stephen and Alice (Good- rieh) Olney. both of whom were natives of the Empire state. The family came to Buena Vista county in 1869 and settled on the northwest quarter of seetion 10. Poland township. Richard is the oldest of three children, the others being: Dr. Stephen Olney, who is mentioned elsewhere in this work ; and Julia G., deceased. The mother died at the age of sixty-five years. while the father still survives at the extreme old age of ninety years, making his home with his son, Richard.
Richard Olney was a youth of fifteen years when he began learning the printer's trade at Warren, Pennsylvania. He was engaged in this business for ten years. or until 1867. when he entered the service of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company as station agent at Struthers, Ohio. He was later appointed postmaster and also had charge of a store at this place. In 1877, making his way to Iowa, he invested his funds in farm land. which he bought from eastern speculators, paying for the same from a dollar and a quarter to twenty dollars per acre. This traet comprised one hundred and sixty aeres, which he improved and placed under a high state of cultivation. After a residence of five years on the farm he removed to Marathon and entered the service of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Company as telegraph operator. He was also appointed postmaster at this place and likewise conducted a real-estate business. In 1885 he established the first bank at this place, called the Mara- thon Bank. but now known as the First National Bank. In 1888 he removed to the Indian Territory and was employed at Goodland, by the St. Louis & San Francisco Railway Company. In 1889. however, he returned to Marathon and after a year organized a cooperative store, condneted by a stock company consisting of about three hundred families. This concern conducted business under the name of The Farmers Supply Company and for twelve years Mr. Olney acted as its efficient manager. Through his executive ability and eare- ful management the concern enjoyed unbounded success. an investment of less than nine hundred dollars bringing to the stockholders a net profit of over sixteen thousand dollars. At the end of twelve years Mr. Olney resigned his position therewith and once more resumed farming. being thus engaged for three years, when he was elected secretary and manager of the Farmers Grain Company of Marathon. After one and a half years he once more returned to his farm. where he has since made his home. This tract comprises one hundred and sixty acres, situated on section 10, Poland township, and is one of the fine farms of this section of Buena Vista county.
Mr. Olney possesses considerable literary ability and in 1872 was editor and publisher of the Youngstown Weekly Courier at Youngstown, Ohio. Whatever he undertakes is carried forward to successful completion as is indi- cated by the important enterprises with which he has been connected and which have met with such deserving success.
Mr. Olney was married August 1. 1868. to Miss Mary E. Henry, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Henry, natives of Ohio and Pennsylvania, respee-
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tively. Of the family of nine children born unto Mr. and Mrs. Olney, six of the number still survive, namely: William II., who resides at Poland, Ohio; Mary E., the wife of William Donaldson, a resident of Clay county, Iowa; Richard II., who is engaged in merchandising in Marathon ; Leslie J., at home; Norris G., who is with his brother Richard in the store; and Florine F., at home.
Independent in his political views and affiliations, Mr. Olney is a public- spirited citizen and ever works toward high ideals, being a man of practice rather than of theory. For several years he has served as county surveyor and in many other ways has contributed toward the general advancement and improvement of Buena Vista county. A gentleman of culture, a fine scholar and still a student from habit : a man towering high above his fellows, all ree- ognizing his superior ability and worth of character and ever ready to pay dleference to his excellent qualities, he is yet modest and retiring. Vanity is not one of his characteristics.
FRED C. FOLEY, M. D.
Fred C. Foley, who followed his preliminary professional labors as a teacher in the schoolroom by a careful preparation for the practice of medi- cine, is now a leading and successful physician and surgeon of Newell. his ability being demonstrated in the excellent results which follow his profes- sional labors. He was born in Arlington, Iowa, December 29, 1868, and is a son of Thomas and Jeannette (Hall) Foley. both of whom are natives of Illinois. The former was a son of Thomas Foley, a native of Canada and a tailor by trade, who lived near the city of Prescott. There he spent his entire life. passing away at the age of seventy-five years. His widow is still living at the very advanced age of ninety-five years, and possesses in a remarkable degree all of her faculties. She makes her home in Clayton, New York, and is greatly esteemed in that locality. Their family numbered seven sons : Thomas, James, John, William, Joseph, Frank and Bernard.
The maternal grandfather of our subject was a native of Scotland, and followed the occupation of farming as a lifework. He was married in his native land and on emigrating from Scotland he and his wife settled in Can- ada, but later removed to Illinois, becoming pioneer residents of that state. They took up their abode near Rockford, where Mr. Hall followed farming until his labors were ended in death when he was yet in the prime of life. His widow survived to the age of eighty-five years. They were the parents of five sons and seven daughters: William. James, John. Lovejoy. Thomas, Ellen. Kate and Martha (twins), Sarah. Agnes, Jeannette and Margaret.
Thomas Foley, father of Dr. Foley, is a contraetor and builder living in Rockford, Illinois. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist church and are people of the highest respectability. Their family numbered two sons and a daughter, the brother of our subject being Dr. Clarence L.
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Foley, a practicing dentist of Rockford. Illinois; and Ma Belle, also living in Rockford.
Dr. Foley was reared to manhood in New Milford, Illinois, and after attending the publie schools there until he had mastered the elementary branches of English learning he became a student in Rockford. Later he engaged in teaching for several years, but thinking to find other professional labors more congenial and profitable he matrienlated in Rush Medical College of Chicago, where he completed the full course by graduation with the elass of 1894. In that year he came to Newell, where he has since remained and in his praetiee has met with gratifying suceess. He is very careful in the diagnosis of his eases, and while never hasty in discarding the old and time- tried methods of practice, whose value has been proven, he yet keeps in touch with all the progressive ideas of the profession, and utilizes every method which his judgment sanctions as of worth in his work of restoring health and checking the ravages of disease. As he has prospered in his undertakings he has made judicious investment in property.
On the 26th of June, 1895, Dr. Foley was married to Miss Lena Redfield. a daughter of John and Eldona (Gilbert) Redfield. They became parents of a daughter who was named Eldona, for her maternal grandmother. The mother died in 1899, and Dr. Foley has since married Miss Caddie Mankey, a daughter of James and Lizzie Mankey. ITer death occurred in 1903, and Dr. Foley wedded Miss Fern Fay Ashley, of Des Moines.
Dr. and Mrs. Foley attend the Congregational church and occupy a prom- inent place in the social circles of the city. Ile belongs to the Masonie and the Odd Fellows lodges and gives his political allegiance to the democratic party, but while he is interested in all that pertains to public progress and cooperates in various measures for the public good. his attention is chicfly given to his professional duties and he keeps in touch with the advancement of the medical fraternity through his membership in the Buena Vista County Medical Society; the Sioux Valley Medical Society; the Iowa State Medical Society, and the American Medical Association.
JUDGE ARTHUR D. BAILIE.
The legal profession demands not only a high order of ability but a rare combination of talent, learning, taet, patience and industry. The successful lawyer and the competent judge must be a man of well balanced intelleet. thoroughly familiar with the law and practice. of comprehensive general information. possessed of an analytical mind and the self-control that will enable him to lose his individuality, his personal feelings, his prejudices and his peculiarities of disposition in the dignity, impartiality and equity of the office to which life, property. right and liberty must look for protection. Possessing these qualities Judge Arthur D. Bailie justly merits the high honor which was conferred upon him by his elevation to the district bench and that he has
A. D. BAILIE
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proved an able and competent judge is indicated by the fact that he is now serving for the third term.
Judge Bailie was born in Mason, Illinois. July 1, 1857. His father, Andrew Bailie, is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, and still resides at Mason, Illinois. He is of Scotch ancestry and a son of Robert Bailie, who was a farmer by oecupa- tion. Andrew Bailie, however, put aside the work of the fields and became a contractor and builder. He removed from Ohio to Illinois about 1853 or 1854. settling in Effingham county, where he worked at his trade. He became pros- perous and was identified with many of the important building operations of that loeality. At the time of the Civil war, however, he put aside all business and personal considerations and enlisted in defense of the Union canse, joining Company E of the Fifty-first Illinois Volunteer Infantry, in which he served for more than three years. He enlisted at Mason and saw much active service at the front. Ile still carries a bullet in his right arm, having been wounded in the battle of Stone River. His injuries necessitated his remaining in the hos- pital for some time, after which he rejoined his regiment. Later he was captured and was incarcerated in Libby prison for three months, after which he was exchanged and returned to his regiment. His life has been one of activity and honor, winning for him the unqualified respect and confidence of his fellow citizens. His political allegiance has been given to the republican party since its organization and he has filled a number of local offices. Fra- ternally he is connected with the Masonic lodge, while his religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he is a trustee. He married Miss Sarah Winterringer, who was born in Knox county, Ohio, and was of Dutch descent. She. too, was a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal church and died in that faith February 2, 1894. They were the parents of four children, of whom one died in infancy. The daughters are: Eva. the wife of Charles Sisson, now agent for the Illinois Central Railroad Company at Mason, Illinois; and Gertrude, who is also living in Mason.
Judge Bailie, the only son of the family, obtained his education in the public schools of Mason and at Normal, Illinois. He also attended a private school for a limited period and later became a teacher in the district schools of his native state. Ile regarded this, however, merely as an initial step to other professional labor and began reading law in the office of Wood Brothers, attorneys of Effingham, Illinois, with whom he remained for three years. He was admitted to the bar at Mount Vernon, Ilinois, in July, 1881. and in October of that year entered upon active practice at Storm Lake, Iowa, continuing a leading member of the bar until elected to the bench of the district court. He was first appointed to the position by Governor Leslie M. Shaw to fill a vacancy and on the 26th of June, 1908, was renominated for a third term. His decisions indicate strong mentality, careful analysis, a thorough knowledge of the law and an unbiased judgment, and these qualities combined with the readiness with which he grasps the points in an argument make him one of the most capable jurists that has sat upon the distriet bench in Iowa.
On the 9th of November, 1882, Judge Bailie was united in marriage to Miss May Mills, who was born in Charleston, Ilinois, March 26, 1859. Their second child died in infancy and they now have a daughter. Ethelyn, and a
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son, Robert. The parents are members of the Presbyterian church, in which Judge Bailie is serving as a trustee. lle also belongs to the Masonic and Knights of Pythias fraternities and in the former has attained the Knight Templar degree. His political allegiance is given to the republican party and he served for several terms as mayor of Storm Lake, giving to the city a busi- nesslike and progressive administration. He also filled the office of county attorney and was formerly active in the work of the party, serving for some time as chairman of the county central committee but since his eleetion to the bench he has withdrawn from participation in political work, allowing nothing to interfere with the capable and unbiased performance of his duty. He stands as one of the eminent members of the bar in his section of the state and is no less honored for his personal worth than his professional acquirements.
ELIAS L. O'BANION.
Elias I. O'Banion, with a creditable official and business record, may well be classed with the representative citizens of Storm Lake. He was born in Kentucky in 1848, a son of John P. and Ruth (Turner) O'Banion, who were likewise natives of the Blue Grass state. The father is of English lineage and in early life was a lumberman and miller but in later years turned his attention to general agricultural pursuits and won substantial success in his farming operations. Ilis political allegiance has long been given to the democratie party and he is a devoted member of the Christian church. He now lives near Decatur, Illinois, at the age of eighty-two years, but his wife passed away in 1895 when sixty-three years of age. She, too, was a member of the Christian church and was of English descent. The ancestors of our subject in both paternal and maternal lines came from England and settled in Virginia during an early period in its colonization, while later they went to Kentneky. They were in sympathy with the attempt of the colonies to throw off the yoke of British oppression in 1776 and representatives of both families served in the Continental army.
Elias L. O'Banion is the oldest of a family of nine children, eight of whom reached adult age. He was a pupil in the public schools of Illinois after the removal of the family from Kentucky to that state in the year 1857. Ile was reared upon the home farm in Menard county and followed general agricul- tural pursuits continuously until 1891, manifesting a spirit of enterprise and diligence in all of his farm work. He came to Iowa in 1878 and settled in Maple Valley township upon a farm which he rented. As soon as his indus- try and economy brought him sufficient capital he purchased land in Washington township and there carried on general farming until 1891, when he came to Storm Lake and for five years successfully conducted a meat mar- ket. His fellow townsmen, recognizing his worth and ability, called him to office in 1897, when he was elected sheriff. On his retirement from that posi- tion he turned his attention to the real-estate business, in which he is still engaged, and since 1905 he has also engaged in the sale of threshing machines
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