USA > Iowa > Buena Vista County > Past and present of Buena Vista County, Iowa > Part 48
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Unto Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher have been born three children: Burton F., Edna C. and Ruby Dorothea. In his political views Mr. Fletcher is a repub- lican and while residing in Carroll county, Illinois, served as town clerk for a number of years and as tax collector for three years. While living in Mill- edgeville he also acted for some years as a member of the village board, ever discharging his official duties in prompt and capable manner. He is affiliated with the Knights of the Globe and the Fraternal Insurance Order, and his wife is a member of the Catholic church. They are well known and highly esteemed throughout the community as people of genuine personal worth and upright lives and the circle of their friends is almost coextensive with the circle of their acquaintances.
LEWIS P. DIERWECHTER.
Lewis P. Dierwechter, a successful farmer and stock-raiser residing on section 15, Washington township, was born in Schuykill county. Pennsylvania. June 26. 1864. ITis father. Jacob Dierwechter, a native of Germany, was there reared and on emigrating to the new world located in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, where he wedded Miss Mary Clappier. He was a stonemason and plasterer by trade and made his home in the Keystone state until called to his final rest in 1892. His wife, however, still survives him. Their family numbered nine children, five sons and four daughters.
Lewis P. Dierwechter remained in the county of his nativity until four- teen years of age, attending the common schools in the acquirement of an education. In 1878 he removed to La Salle county, Illinois, where for several years he worked by the month as a farm hand. For two years prior to his marriage he lived in Kansas, and on the 19th of April, 1893, in Mendota, IHli- nois, he wedded Miss Elizabeth Betz, a native of Bureau county, Illinois, and
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of German parentage. Subsequently he was engaged in the operation of a rented farm in La Salle county for a number of years. In 1900 he came to Buena Vista county and purchased his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres on seetion 15, Washington township, taking up his abode thercon on the 1st of March, 1901. He at once began to develop and improve the property. added to and remodeled the residence, built a good barn and all necessary outbuildings for the shelter of grain and stock, and likewise set ont an orchard. There are two miles of woven-wire and barbed-wire fencing and the place is also well tiled. In addition to the work of general farming he also raises and feeds stoek, fattening steers and hogs on an extensive scale. Ilis farm is situated within three miles of Storm Lake and is well kept and highly improved property, for he follows the most advanced methods of agri- enlture and uses the latest improved machinery to facilitate the work of the fields. Moreover, he has ever maintained a reputation for striet integrity and unfaltering honesty in all business matters, his word being as good as any bond ever solemnized by signature or seal.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Dierwechter have been born two sons. Arthur A. and Earl II. Dierwechter. They also lost two children in infaney. In his politi- ral views Mr. Dierwechter is independent but has no desire for the honors or emoluments of office, preferring to devote his time and energies to his private business interests. Ile has. however, served as a member of the school board. the cause of education finding in him a stalwart champion. Fraternally he is connected with the Modern Woodmen, the Mystic Workers and the Frater- nal Insurance Order, while his religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Methodist Episcopal church at Storm Lake, with which his wife is also identified. They are well known and highly esteemed in Storm Lake and this part of the county, having over displayed those traits of character which in every land and clime win admiration and respect.
W. C. NEWCOMB.
W. C. Newcomb, who is one of the most extensive stock-raisers and feeders of Buena Vista county, owns a line farm of two hundred and forty aeres on section 20, Elk township. Mr. Newcomb was born in Poweshiek county, September 14, 1860, a son of Joseph Newcomb, a native of England, who emi- grated to the new world when a young man and was married in Poweshick county to Miss Esther Cassiday, a native of Ohio. The father served in the Civil war and was present at the siege and surrender of Vieksburg. He died while at the front, passing away at JJefferson Barracks, St. Louis, in 1863. His wife survived for a long period and died in Buena Vista county in 1904. She became the mother of four children, but two died in childhood, the sister of our subject being Rosetta. the wife of J. F. Haight, a resident of Brooke township.
W. C. Newcomb was but three years of age when he lost his father and he was reared on the home farm by his mother and pursued his studies in the
W. C. NEWCOMB
MRS. ESTHER NEWCOMB
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common schools. When he attained mature years he took charge of the home farm for his mother and established a home of his own by his marriage in Brooke township, April 21, 1886, to Miss Luln F. Goodrich, a daughter of P. C. Goodrich, of Storm Lake.
Following their marriage Mr. Newcomb continued to operate the home- stead farm, which he has since purchased and greatly improved. He also owns three hundred and sixty acres in Brooke township. In connection with farming he is extensively engaged in raising and feeding stock. In 1898 he left the farm and removed to Alta, where he engaged in buying and shipping stock for nine years, one year shipping one hundred and five earloads of cat- tle and some horses, handling a number of earloads of western horses. In March, 1907, he returned to the farm and has since been engaged in raising stock, giving the greater part of his time to this branch of business, and he is meeting with a very gratifying sneeess, for his long experience in this line has made him an excellent judge of the value of stock.
Mr. and Mrs. Newcomb have become the parents of five children. of whom three are living: Fae E., who is engaged in teaching in the Mapleton high school ; Lillian F .. a young lady at home; and William Craig, a little lad of three years. Joseph Dale died at the age of a year and a half, while Marida May died at the age of six years.
Politically Mr. Neweomb has been a republican since age conferred upon him the right to vote and aside from filling the office of road supervisor and serving on the school board he has filled no public office. Mr. Newcomb is a member of the Odd Fellows lodge at Alta, and his daughter Fae is a member of the Rebekah lodge, in which she is serving as an officer. Mr. Newcomb possesses the enterprising spirit of the west and in his chosen field of labor has won distinction in Buena Vista county, being numbered among the most extensive stock-dealers of this part of the state.
CHARLES W. MOORE.
Among those who are engaged in the real-estate business in Storm Lake, none are more enterprising, active or diligent, than Charles W. Moore, whose efforts have constituted the source of substantial development in this eity, while at the same time they have contributed to his individual success. He was born in Wellsburg, West Virginia, March 13, 1841, and in both the pater- nal and maternal lines comes of Irish and Welsh ancestry. His parents were Robert and Eliza J. (Wells) Moore, the former a native of West Virginia and the latter of Brooke county, West Virginia. The father devoted his time and energies to the ocenpation of farming and to the tanning business while still in the south, but in 1853 removed westward to Illinois, settling in McLean county, where he devoted his time and attention to the tilling of the soil. Both he and his wife were members of the Disciples church, and they reared a family of eight children, of whom Charles Moore was the oldest. In his political views Robert Moore was a whig until the dissolution of that
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party, when he joined the ranks of the new republican party and continued to march under its banners until his demise. He died December 4, 1883, at the age of seventy years. while his wife passed away in 1894, at the age of seventy-two years.
No event occurred to vary the routine of farm life for Charles W. Moore in his boyhood and youth. He attended the country schools and afterward became a student in the State Normal at Normal, Illinois. He devoted thir- teen years of his life to the profession of teaching, being connected at different times with the district and graded schools, his ability as an educator being clearly evidenced in the interest and enthusiasm which he awakened in his pupils. In 1877 he came to Iowa and has since made his home in Storm Lake. Here he became a clerk in the postoffice under S. W. Young, while later he was principal of the schools of this city for a year. He was then again in the postoffice for another year and in 1882 he became connected with the commercial interests of the city. opening a general store in connection with W. F. Foster. under the firm style of Foster & Moore. For about three years he conducted business along that line and. from January. 1885. until 1889, was engaged in the insurance business. He next resumed teaching in the rural schools and later was again in the postoffice for a year and a half. In November. 1891, he was elected to the position of county treasurer, in which capacity he served for four years and on the expiration of that period he opened an insurance and real-estate office, which he has since maintained. being well known in this connection in Storm Lake. He has a good elientage in both departments and has handled mueh property in this city, at the same time annually writing a large amount of insurance. He has also filled the position of justice of the peace for the past eight years and his decisions are characterized by the utmost impartiality.
Mr. Moore was a young man at the time of the Civil war but his patriot- ism was no less pronounced than that of many a veteran of twice his years. On the 20th of August. 1861. he enlisted at Bloomington, Illinois. as a private of Company G. Thirty-third Illinois Volunteer Infantry, with which he served for a little more than three years, taking part in many hotly contested battles. including the engagements at Fort Gibson, Champion Ilill, Black River, the siege of Vicksburg and the siege of Fort Esperanza. Texas. Ile was wounded at Vicksburg by a gunshot in the left shoulder and spent about four months in the hospital before he was able to rejoin his command. He has been equally loyal to his country in days of peace and is widely known as a public- spirited citizen. He maintains pleasant relations with his old army com- rades through his membership in E. D. Baker Post, No. 80, and he delights in recalling the events which occurred upon the battle-fields in the south.
On the 30th of November, 1871. Mr. Moore was married to Miss Emma A. Dean, who was born in Tremont, Illinois, March 6, 1843. They became the parents of two children, but both died in infancy. Mr. Moore is a con- sistent member of the Christian church and his wife is a member of the Universalist church and Woman's Relief Corps. Mr. Moore gives his politi- val allegiance to the republican party and he cast his first ballot for Abraham Lincoln in 1864. Upon that ticket he has been elected to a number of local
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offices. He is now serving for the ninth year as city assessor, for the past four years has been a trustee of Storm Lake township and is now serving his twenty-fifth year as secretary of the school board. The various interests which constitute a part of our municipal organization finds in him a worthy champion and at all times he labors earnestly and effectively to promote the material, intellectual, social, political and moral progress of his adopted city. Few men of the community have a wider acquaintance and none have more friends than does Charles W. Moore.
KNUD C. BODHOLT.
Knud C. Bodholt is an energetic and progressive farmer of Newell township, deriving a good annual income from a farm of one hundred and sixty-four aeres situated on seetion 7. The place is neat and attractive in its appearance and the improvements on the property are in keeping with the ideas of a model farm of the twentieth century.
Mr. Bodholt was born in North Schleswig, Germany, June 24, 1857, a son of Clans and Karen (Johansen) Bodholt, who were likewise of the same country. The father was a blacksmith and farmer and lived a useful and industrions life, remaining a resident of his native land until called to the home beyond. He was one of a family of three sons, the others being Nels and Christ Bodholt, and their parents, spending their entire lives in Schles- wig, died there when well advanced in years. The death of Claus Bodholt oceurred in 1906, when he was about eighty years of age. He had for sev- eral years survived his wife, who died at the age of seventy. She was a daughter of Peter and Maria Johansen. the former a tailor by trade. He died in Schleswig when more than eighty years of age, while his wife was more than seventy years at the time of her death. Their family numbered five children. including Mrs. Bodholt, who by her marriage became the mother of three sons and three daughters: Metta ; Peter; Maria, the wife of the editor of the Danish newspaper, at Cedar Falls. Iowa; Knud C .; Annie, the wife of Ilannah Gran, and llans, who died at the age of eighteen years.
Knud C. Bodholt was reared in Schleswig, which was then a part of Den- mark but is now a province of Germany. He acquired his education in the publie schools there and also attended an agricultural college near Copen- hagen, where he studied agriculture, becoming familiar not only with the practical side of the question but also with the business in its scientific phase. According to the laws of his native land, he also joined the regular army and passed through the military school. In 1879 he came to America, for the reports which he heard concerning the business conditions in the new world led him to believe that he might more rapidly acquire a competence on this side of the Atlantic. Accordingly he located near Cedar Falls, lowa, where he lived for twelve or thirteen years, being there engaged in the occupation of farming. In 1892 he arrived in Buena Vista county, having the previous year purchased one hundred and sixty-four acres of good land. which he has
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since cultivated. The farm is now well improved. being equipped with all the conveniences and accessories of model farm property. The buildings are kept in good repair and the place is divided into fields of convenient size, by fences that never show an indication of dilapidation. The spirit of industry, which has always characterized Mr. Bodholt, is manifest in every department of the farm.
On the 10th of October, 1884, Mr. Bodholt was married to Hannah Nelson, a daughter of Christopher and Mathina (Nelson) Hanson. Mrs. Bodholt was born in Moen, Denmark. Her parents came to this country and settled in Indianapolis, where her father died in 1891, at the age of seventy-five years. while his wife passed away in 1906, at the age of eighty-four years. They were the parents of five children, Karen, Kersten, Austine, Bolstine and Hannah. The last named becoming Mrs. Bodholt and unto her marriage were born seven children : Mathina, the wife of George Nicholaisen, of Cedar Falls, Iowa, and they have two children. Ernest and Victor; Clarence, who is an auctioneer; Carrie, Amanda. Hans, Adelia and Albert are all yet at home. The parents hold membership in the Lutheran church and are well known in the community as people of genuine worth, their many good qualities gaining for them the esteem. confidence and good will of all who know them. Mr. Bodholt may justly be called a self-made man for he well deserves all the praise the term implies. He had few advantages in his youth, but he possessed what is worth more than capital-energy and a resohite will. With these qualities he came to the new world. resolved to win success and as the years have passed he has worked on with the result that he has prospered, owing all to his good management and unfaltering diligence. In all his busines affairs he has been strictly reliable and his example as a trustworthy energetie busi- ness man is one which may well be followed.
MANLY W. HARTSHORN.
After many years of active connection with the agricultural interests of Buena Vista county, Manly W. Hartshorn is now living retired in Marathon. He was born in Boone county, Ilinois, March 4, 1844, a son of William H. and Charlotte (Eastman ) Hartshorn, the former of German descent. Both the paternal and maternal great-grandfathers served in the Revolutionary war. His mother was a daughter of Jeremiah Eastman. The father of our subject was born in New Hampshire, January 4. 1814, and made his home in the east until about 1840, when he came west and located in Boone county, Illinois. After a brief period there spent, he removed with his family to Beloit. Wisconsin, in 1847, locating on a farm ten miles from Beloit. In 1852 he took up his abode in Green county, Wisconsin, living there for two years, subsequent to which time he spent two years in lowa county, Wiscon- sin. He then took up his abode in Steele county, Minnesota, but in 1863 returned once more to Illinois, locating in Sandwich, De Kalb county. In 1876 he came to Buena Vista county and became identified with its agricul-
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tural interests, continuing to follow farming throughout his remaining days. Both the parents are now deceased, the mother passing away in June, 1882, when seventy-five years of age, while the father, surviving for a few years, died November 25, 1891, when seventy-seven years of age. Their family numbered four children, of whom our subject is the eldest, the others being : Frederick G., who lives in Poland township, Buena Vista county; Harvey, who died in infancy ; and Clara C., who lives in Decatur county, Iowa.
Mr. Hartshorn accompanied his parents on their various removals through the northern states and acquired his education in the schools of the localities in which he lived. He remained under the parental roof until he attained his majority and in the spring of 1865 enlisted for service in the Civil war. He joined the army at Sandwich, Illinois, becoming a member of the One Hundred and Fifty-sixth Regiment of Illinois Infantry. He was mustered out at Memphis, Tennessee, having made a most creditable military record. He then returned to his home in Illinois and remained in that state until 1876. when he came to Buena Vista county and purchased land in Poland township at five dollars per acre. He developed and improved a good farm and was engaged in general farming until 1895, in which year he took up his abode in Marathon and engaged in the implement business, giving his attention to the same during the years of 1898 and 1899. Ile then disposed of his stock of goods and since that time has lived retired in a pleasant home in Marathon. Ilis business was ever conducted with the most straightfor- ward and honorable methods and thus his success is well merited.
Mr. Hartshorn was married in November. 1866. to Miss Catherine Rogers, a daughter of David K. and Margaret (Yerdon) Rogers, both of whom were natives of New York, the former a son of David Rogers, likewise a native of the Empire state. The parents removed to the west in 1840, settling in Ken- dall county, Ilinois, where they spent the remainder of their lives. The father, who was born December 5, 1819, died January 3, 1897, when seventy- eight years of age, while the mother, who was born February 12, 1816, died March 28, 1891, at the age of seventy-five years. Their family mimbered nine children, as follows: Mary E., who was born April 24. 1843, and died May 3. 1901; Sarah JJ., who was born November 14, 1844, and lives in Sand- Wich, Illinois; Catherine, who was born November 10, 1846, and is now the wife of Manly W. Hartshorn; Isabelle, who was born August 17. 1850. and resides in lowa Falls, lowa ; John E., who was born August 11, 1852, and lives in Sandwich, Illinois; Ophelia, who was born December 2. 1855, and resides in Lawrence. Kansas; Owen D., who was born JJuly 14, 1858, and departed this life in 1865: Menzo, who was born August 26, 1860, and lives on the old homestead fårm near Sandwich, Illinois; and David Henry, who died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Rogers also adopted a son, David Henry Thomas, who died in youth.
Mr. and Mrs. Hartshorn have become the parents of six children, namely : William O .. who was born May 20, 1868, wedded Miss Belle Olney and lives in Marathon; John F., who was born November 1, 1870, was married January 19, 1893. to Miss Clara Dingman and lives on the homestead farm; Nellie, who was born February 5, 1873, and died in infancy; Clara B., who was born May
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4, 1877, and is at home: Katie O., who was born March 18, 1882. and is also under the parental roof ; and Mary J., who was born July 9, 1889, and is also at home.
Mr. Hartshorn has given stalwart support to the republican party sinee age conferred upon him the right of franchise. IIe holds membership rela- tions with the Reorganized Church of the Latter Day Saints, while he keeps in touch with his old army comrades through his membership in James Miller Post, No. 503, G. A. R. His success has come as the result of his own labor and now, having passed the sixty-fourth milestone on life's journey, he is enjoying a well merited rest. ITis residence in the county covers nearly a third of a century and therefore he has intimate knowledge of its history and of events which have left their impress upon its annals.
SWAN PETERSON.
The Scandinavian country has furnished to northwestern Iowa an intelli- gent and progressive citizenship. Many of the sons of Norway and Sweden have come to this part of the country, and with characteristic thrift and per- severance have labored to achieve snecess, their efforts resulting in the develop- ment of Buena Vista county along lines of modern improvement.
Mr. Peterson, now living in Alta, was for twenty-five years a resident of Cherokee county, and for twenty-two years of that time there owned and operated a farm of four hundred acres. He was born in Sweden, May 24, 1844, and the days of his boyhood and youth were quietly passed there. He was abont twenty-two years of age when in January, 1866. he married Sophia Erickson, a native of Sweden. They began their domestic life upon a farm in that country and two children were born unto them ere their emi- gration to the new world in 1869. Others of their nationality had settled in the middle west and to the Mississippi valley they made their way, establishing their home upon a farm in Stark county, Illinois, where they lived for eight
years. Mr. Peterson worked out by the month a part of the time and then rented land, but thinking that he might more easily acquire a farm of his own in the less thiekly populated district of northwestern Iowa he took up his abode in Buena Vista county in 1876 and there rented land for a year. On the expiration of that period he purchased a Farm across the boundary line in Cherokee county, becoming the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of raw and undeveloped prairie. He located there in 1878 and at once began the development of the place, turning the sod. planting his crops and in due course of time gathering rich harvests. He later bought two hundred and forty acres near by and improved this property, on which he built a good resi- dence. Ile also put up a substantial building on his first farm and on both places provided ample shelter for grain and stock, in good barns, sheds and other outbuildings. Ile likewise set out orchards and other fruit and con- verted his places into modern farm properties, equipped with all of the accessories known to the progressive agriculturist. He also bought a half
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section of land in Buena Vista county, which he improved but later he sold that property. In addition to tilling the fields he also raised and fed stoek and was quite successful in that work. In 1900 he removed to Alta, where he purchased a good residence property. He also traded for a grocery store and conducted business in that line for seven months, when he sold out.
Mr. and Mrs. Peterson were the parents of the following children : Charles, who was born in Sweden, is now married and follows farming in Cherokee county. Jennie is the wife of N. Winneberg, of Ida county, Iowa. Oscar is a farmer of Silver township. Cherokee county ; Vietor is operating the home farm; Lanra is the wife of Oscar Cattong, a farmer of Cherokee county ; Ernest follows general agricultural pursuits near Galva, Iowa ; Ida and Emma are at home. They also lost two children in early childhood.
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