USA > Iowa > Buena Vista County > Past and present of Buena Vista County, Iowa > Part 56
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J. P. Eekman was reared on the home farm and under his father's train- ing acquired a good knowledge of the practical methods of farming. When he reached mature years the father gave to him eighty acres of land, situated on section 11, Fairfield township, and here he is engaged in general farming. It is improved with good buildings, inchiding a nice country home, while the land is rich and productive, annually yielding good harvests as a result of the care and labor bestowed upon the fields.
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Mr. Eekman established a home of his own by his marriage on the 27th of June, 1906, to Miss Esther Olson, who was born in Pocahontas county, Iowa. They have become the parents of one child, who died in infancy. Mr. Eckman gives his political support to the republican party, while his religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Swedish Lutheran church. He is a young man of alert and enterprising spirit and he and his estimable wife are prominent in the social circles of their home locality.
P. HENRY JUDGE.
The record of Buena Vista county's successful and honored citizens would be incomplete was their failure to make mention of P. Henry Judge, who at the time of his retirement from business life, was connected with banking interests. Moreover. in all of his varied relations in business, fraternal, social and politi- val cireles he merited the confidenee and esteem of those with whom he eame in contact. He was born in County Mayo. Ireland, near Ballina, January 28, 1843, his parents being John and Mary (Reape) Judge, who were also natives of the Emerald isle. Their family numbered ten children. of whom eight reached adult age, namely: Mary. Patrick Henry, John. James. Annie, Catharine, Martin, Charles and two who died in infancy. The father, crossing the Atlantie to America, settled first in Stanstead township. Stanstead county, Canada, and there engaged in farming, but later removed to Portland. Maine, abont 1860 and was there employed in a hardware store for many years. He died in that eity when more than seventy years of age. His wife survived him for a number of years and removed to the town of Lynn, Massachusetts, where her death occurred when she was about seventy-four years of age.
In his early boyhood P. Henry JJudge left Ireland and with his parents went to England, where he remained when his father and mother crossed the Atlantic, but at the age of ten years he accompanied an unele to Canada and attained his majority in the Dominion. After acquiring his education in the public schools he began clerking in the town of Stanstead and at seventeen years of age went to Coatieook. Canada, where he was employed as a salesman for several years. The fall of 1864 witnessed his arrival in Wisconsin and in April. 1865, he took up his abode in Floyd county. Iowa, where he conducted a dry-goods store and gristmill. Ile followed various other pursuits in that locality, where he lived until the fall of 1875, when he went to Nevada City. ('alifornia, there remaining for a year and a half. In the spring of 1877, however, he returned to Floyd county, and in the spring of 1881 came to Newell, where he secured a position in the bank of Harris & Parker. bater . A. R. Parker purchased Mr. Harris' interest and the bank was known as Parker, Judge & Norton. Mr. Parker retiring, the name was changed to the -Judge & Norton Bank, now the Bank of Newell. Mr. Judge continued in the business for several years until failing health cansed him to retire. The bank was ever condueted along safe, conservative lines and became one of the well established and reliable moneyed institutions of the county.
PATRICK H. JUDGE
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On the 10th of February, 1866, Mr. Judge was married to Miss Della C. Sutton, who was born in Barnston in the Province of Quebec, Canada, and was a daughter of Daniel C. and Cemira (Boynton) Sutton. Her father was also a native of Barnston, Canada. while her mother was born in Coventry, Ver- mont. He brought his family to the United States many years ago, settling first in Iowa, while later he removed to California, but afterward took up his abode in Mitehell county, Kansas, where he died in 1902 at the age of eighty- two years. He was a man of gemine personal worth, and his many good qualities won him the esteem and confidence of those who knew him. His wife still survives him, and is now living in Beloit, Kansas, at the age of eighty-five
years. They were the parents of five children of whom three are now living: Mrs. Judge ; Ellen M., the wife of J. F. Robinson, of Beloit, Kansas; and Greenleaf Boynton Sutton. The paternal grandfather of Mrs. Judge was Joshua Sutton, whose father was an Englishman. He died in middle life, while his wife, who bore the maiden name of Sarah Clifford, passed away when seventy years of age. The maternal grandfather of Mrs. Judge was Samnel Boynton, a nafive of New Hampshire and a farmer by occupation. He died on his farm near Coventry, Vermont, while his wife, Mrs. Clarissa (Gleason) Boynton, reached the Psalmist's alloted span of three score years and ten. Their children were Samuel, Greenleaf, Ira. Clarissa, Elmira, Cemira, Enniee and Ozias.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Judge were born a daughter and son: Myra, who is the wife of Herbert A. Harvey, cashier of the Bank of Newell, mentioned else- where in this volume; and Harold Eugene, a lawyer of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He married Mrs. Susie Rice. The death of Mr. Judge occurred July 23, 1908, when he was sixty-five years of age. While Mr. Judge was not a member, yet he was an earnest supporter of the Congregational church. He was identified with the Masons, taking the degrees of the lodge, chapter and commandery, while he also crossed the sands of the desert with the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. Politically he was a republican and served for two terms as mayor of Newell, giving the city a businesslike and progressive administration characterized by the utmost devotion to duty. Ile was interested in all mat- ters of public import, and his influence was ever found on the side of those interests which are a matter of civic virtue and civic pride. ITis life was guided by high and honorable principles and wherever he was known he was held in high esteem, his salient characteristics being such as gained him the friendship of all those who have due regard for ennobling qualities.
GUST HOLMEN.
Gust Holmen, a successful agrienlturist residing on section 13, Fairfield township, was born in Sweden on the 19th of January, 1861. In 1890, when a young man of twenty-nine years, he emigrated to the United States, eager to take advantage of the broader business opportunities which America offered. Following his arrival in this country he was first employed for nine
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months in the coal mines of Pennsylvania and subsequently spent ten months in the coal mines in the state of Washington. Coming to Iowa, he was like- wise employed in the coal mines in Monroe county until 1897, which year witnessed his arrival in Buena Vista county. Here he first worked as a farm hand for L. E. Larsen and later for his father-in-law. C. A. Eekman, whose daughter, Emily Amanda Johannesen or Eckman, he had wedded in 1897. Mr. Eekman gave the young couple a farm of eighty aeres and they also pur- chased another eighty-acre tract. The property was all unimproved but as the years have passed Mr. Holmen has brought the fields under a high state of cultivation, has erected a commodions and attractive residence and all neces- sary outbuildings. He has likewise purchased an additional tract of eighty aeres, so that his holdings now comprise two hundred and forty acres of rich and productive land, and in the conduet of his general farming interests he has met with a large degree of prosperity.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Holmen have been born three children, namely : Hilda Amelia Sophia, Anna Charlotta Olifvia and Gustave David, all at home. Mr. Holmen is a stalwart republican in his political views. while his religions faith is indicated by his membership in the Swedish Lutheran church. The hope that led him to leave his native land and seek a home in America has been more than realized. He found the opportunities he sought-which, by the way are always open to the ambitious. energetie man-and making the best of these he has steadily worked his way upward. He possesses the resolution, perseverance and reliability so characteristic of his nation, and his name is now enrolled among the best citizens of Buena Vista county.
CLAIR ELDRED RYDER.
Success in life depends largely upon getting into the place for which one is the best adapted. There are so many misfits in human life, that one is really fortunate who discovers the right profession, business or trade which is the proper field to develop the natural tendencies of his mind and purpose of his ambition. There is no question that when Clair Eldred Ryder made a choice of the printer's trade with the ambition to some day become a publisher that he got into the right place. Starting out early in life to acquire a thorough knowledge of the printer's art, he soon proved his adaptation to that pro- Fession. Within less than four years from the time he first entered an office as apprentice he is found employed on a newspaper and very soon is made foreman of the office.
Mr. Ryder was born at Adel. lowa, in 1879, a son of Alonzo John and Rhoda (Black) Ryder, natives of Three Rivers. Michigan, and Princeton, Illinois, respectively. The father was a contractor and died in 1886 aged forty-six years. The mother lives in Hammond, Louisiana.
C. N. Ryder was educated in the public schools and is a graduate of the high school at Adel, lowa. After leaving school he started to learn the printer's trade and worked about four years in Adel. He was then employed
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on the Montezuma Republican and soon afterward became foreman of that office. After a time, desiring to find an opening in a larger place, he went to Des Moines and was soon engaged by the Des Moines Newspaper Union and held cases in that office for several months. He then returned to Adel and accepted the position of foreman in the office where he had learned his trade, remaining there a short time. He next went to Guthrie Center, Iowa, where he was employed for a time us foreman on a local paper, and from there to Manson, Iowa, being foreman on the Manson Journal for about five years and one year on the Sioux City Journal.
In November, 1907, Mr. Ryder came to Sioux Rapids, and in company with George M. Sherman bought ont the Republican Press. The Press has long been established, and under the present management it is increasing in circulation and taking a front rank among the newspapers of the northwest. Mr. Ryder, like his partner, C. E. Sherman, is built on the broad-gange order and both of these gentlemen are fast winning for themselves hosts of friends and the good will of the general public.
JAMES GIVENS MEREDITH.
James Givens Meredith, a prosperons and enterprising farmer and stoek- man residing in Lincoln township, was born in Howell county, Missouri, February 8. 1871. His father, John M. Meredith, a native of Kentucky, removed to Howell county, Missouri, in 1858, and has there sinee resided, de- voting his time and energies to farming and stockraising. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Mary Perkins, was a native of Effingham county, Illinois, and in early girlhood accompanied her parents on their removal to Oregon county. John M. Meredith is a republican in his political views and belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America, while his wife is a devoted member of the Christian church. The record of their children is as follows. James Givens, of this review ; Martha, who is the widow of Benjamin England and makes her home in Howell county, Missouri; W. M., who follows agricul- tural pursuits in the same state; Dilla, deceased; and Thomas F .. who is engaged in farming in Oklahoma.
James Givens Meredith attended the district schools of his native county until eighteen years of age and then returned home to assist his father in the work of the farm. Removing to Hunt county. Texas, he was there engaged in the operation of rented farms for some time and subsequently took up his abode in Piatt county, Illinois. On the 1st of January. 1902. he was united in marriage to Miss Elsie M. Walrath, whose birth occurred in Illinois, September 5. 1885. Unto them have been born three children, name- ly : Velma M .. Vesta P., and Nellie M., all at home.
The year 1902 witnessed Mr. Meredith's arrival in Buena Vista county. lowa, and he has since heen sueeessfully engaged in farming a rich tract of land of three hundred and twenty aeres and in the raising of Poland China hogs. Energetic, enterprising and progressive, he has met with a gratifying
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measure of prosperity in his undertakings and is numbered among the sub- stantial and public-spirited citizens of his community.
Mr. Meredith is a stalwart republican in his political views and while residing in Howell county held the offices of deputy sheriff and constable. He is identified with the Modern Woodmen of America and his wife belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church, in the work of which she is actively and helpfully interested. Both Mr. and Mrs. Meredith are well and favorably known throughout the locality in which they reside and have gained the kindly regard and esteem of all with whom they have been associated.
MRS. MAUDE FUNK.
Mrs. Maude Funk. who is well known as the proprietress of the Newell Ilotel at Newell. Iowa, was born in Marion, Kentucky, January 28. 1875. Her paternal grandfather was a planter and employed a large number of negroes in the cultivation of his land. His son, Dr. Walters W. Rivers, the father of Mrs. Funk, was a native of Louisiana, received his early training in the district schools of that state and was later graduated from a medical college of New Orleans. Subsequently he took up his abode in Kentucky and was there successfully engaged in the practice of his profession until he sneenmbed as a victim of the yellow fever epidemie. passing away in a hospital at Memphis, Tennessee. He had wedded Nannie (Johnson) Cruce, a young lady of eighteen years, who is a native of Marion, Kentucky, and of Scotch-Irish deseent. She was the second in order of birth in her father's family and ob- tained her edneation in a Catholic school. Her father was one of the exten- sive tobacco planters of the Blue Grass state, finding a ready market for his produet at Evansville. He owned about one hundred slaves and when the Emancipation Proclamation set them free, many of them refused to leave his service but continued faithful to their former "master" until the latter's death. He was taken prisoner while serving as a Confederate soldier bul eventually made his escape. Unto Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Rivers were born two children : Fred Rayon : and Maude, of this review. Subsequent to the demise of her first husband Mrs. Rivers, with her two children, removed to Illinois, where she was afterward joined in wedlock to JJohn W. Stephenson, who was also born in Kentucky. Later the family took up their abode in Savannah, Missouri, where Mrs. Stephenson still resides, having now attained the age of fifty-three years. By her second husband she also has two children, Mamie and Duke.
Maude Rivers attended the district schools until twelve years of age and then entered the State Normal University of Illinois. Following her gradua- tion from that institution she was engaged in teaching until the time of her marriage, imparting clearly and readily to others the knowledge which she had acquired. On the 6th of November. 1889. at Carmi, Illinois, she gave her hand in marriage to R. B. Wilson, whose birth occurred in the state of Indiana. By this union there were born three children, namely: Duke
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Welden, who is now playing a musical role in a theatrical company; and Minnie Blanche and Lee Russell, who are attending school in Newell. Mr. Wilson was a very prominent musician and all of his children inherited his talent to a remarkable degree. Following the demise of her first husband Mrs. Wilson was again married, her second union being with Edward N. Funk, who is a native of Indiana and of German parentage. The wedding ceremony was celebrated at Emmetsburg, Iowa, on the 3d of Deeember, 1900. Mr. Funk is employed as a traveling salesman for a house dealing in ladies' furnishings, suits and coats. On leaving Illinois, Mrs. Funk located in Iowa, where she was employed as clerk in a general store operated by her father-in-law. Sub- sequently she removed to Belmond, lowa, where she purchased the Kern Hotel, conducting the same with good success for two years. On the expira- tion of that period she went to Algona, Iowa, and afterward came to Newell, Buena Vista county, Iowa, having for the past two years been the proprietress of the Newell Hotel. A lady of excellent exeentive ability and superior business qualifieations, she has met with gratifying prosperity in her under- takings and has the warm esteem and kindly regard of all with whom she has come in contact. She is a great lover of literature and is a lady of culture and refinement, devoted to the welfare and happiness of her family and to all those principles which work for splendid character development.
CARL A. ECKMAN.
Carl A. Johannesen, known as Carl A. Eekman, was born in Sweden, Angust 26, 1846, and is now an enterprising resident of Albert City. He spent the first twenty-two years of his life in the land of his nativity and then heard and heeded the call of the new world. It was in 1868 that he bade adieu to friends and native country, preparatory to coming to the United States with the hope that its more aggressive business methods and wider business oppor- tunities would afford him a chance to work his way upward. He first located at Rockford, Illinois, where he engaged in chopping wood for four months, for he was empty-handed and faced the necessity of providing for his own support. It was while he was residing in Rockford that he changed his name, assuming the name of a Swedish town, from the fact that there were so many Johannesens at Rockford that he had difficulty in getting his mail. He regarded it as very important that his letters should reach him, for he was then corresponding with his sweetheart in the old country, therefore the change of name, since which time he has been known as Carl A. Eckman. After four months spent at chopping wood he worked on the railroad, and in 1869 came to lowa where he has since made his home.
The northwestern section of the state was then but sparsely settled and much of the land was still in possession of the government. Mr. Eckman therefore embraced his opportunity of seeuring a farm at a low figure, taking up a homestead claim in Buena Vista county, upon which he still resides. It was a traet of land of one hundred and sixty acres which he purchased of
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the original claimant, although not a furrow had been turned nor an improve- ment made upon it. With characteristic energy he began the development of the farm and was one of the first settlers in Fairfield township. His place lies on sections 11 and 12 and is a finely improved property, equipped with all of the accessories and conveniences of a model farm of the twentieth century. As the years passed by he prospered in his undertaking and in the course of time added to his property until he was the owner of six hundred and forty aeres, but he has since greatly reduced his holdings by giving a tract of eighty acres to each of his children. His own place is a productive and valuable one and he derives therefrom a gratifying annual income.
In 1871 Mr. Eckman was married at Fort Dodge to Miss Charlotte Israel, who was born in Sweden, February 19, 1841, and came to this country as the fiancee of Mr. Johannesen to whom she soon gave her hand in marriage. They became the parents of seven children: Hulda, the wife of Lonis E. Larson; Emily, the wife of Gust Holmen; Olivia, who died at the age of six months; August, at home; Mrs. Sophia Dolbeek; J. Pitrus, who follows farming in Buena Vista county; and Emma, who is yet under the parental roof.
Mr. Eekman assisted in organizing the German Lutheran church and was a member of the building committee and church treasurer when both the old and new houses of worship were erected. In his political views Mr. Eckman has always been a stanch republican since taking out his naturalization papers and studies the questions and issues of the day. Hle served for several years as a school director and the cause of education finds in him a warm friend. He withholds his support from no measure that is for the public good, and since becoming one of the first settlers of the township he has been active and influential in promoting its interests along lines of material development and improvement.
LOUIS E. LARSON.
Lonis E. barson, who is successfully engaged in agricultural pursuits on sections 1 and 2. Fairfield township, was born in Sweden, Angust 22, 1862. His father, Andrew Larson, whose birth occurred in 1839, emigrated to the United States in the year 1879. working in the coal mines at Centerville, Iowa, for about nine years. In 1888 he came to Buena Vista county and settled on the farm of one hundred and sixty acres which is now the home of our subject. It was a tract of raw prairie but he resolutely set to work to reclaim the wild land for the purposes of cultivation and eventually developed a highly im- proved and valuable farming property. lle passed away in 1902 in the faith of the Swedish Lutheran church, of which his wife is also a member. The latter, who bore the maiden name of Anna Nelsen, was born in Sweden in 1842 and still survives, making her home with her son, Louis E. She had but one other child, who died in Sweden.
Louis E. Larson acquired his education in the common schools of his native land and has always made his home under the parental roof. On the
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death of his father he came into possession of the old homestead farm and has purchased a tract of one hundred and sixty acres adjoining, so that his holdings now comprise three hundred and twenty aeres of rich and productive land, in the cultivation of which he is meeting with a gratifying and well merited measure of prosperity.
On the 30th of December, 1890, at Marathon, Mr. Larson was united in marriage to Miss Hulda Eckman, a native of this eounty and a daughter of C. A. Johannesen or Eekman. They had four children, namely: Oscar N., at home; Carl A., who died in infaney; Joseph Conrad, who died in infaney; and Elmer T., who died February 15, 1909.
In his political views Mr. Larson is a stalwart republican and is now school director, in which capacity he has served for several years. His religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Swedish Lutheran church, in the work of which he takes an active and helpful interest. He is public- spirited, giving his co-operation to every movement which tends to promote the moral, intellectual and material welfare of his adopted county.
H. E. SWOPE.
II. E. Swope, who has been successfully engaged in merchandising at Marathon since 1900, was born in Maryland on the 11th of October, 1868, his parents being J. II. and Sarah Jane (Bell) Swope, natives of Maryland and Virginia respectively. The year 1871 witnessed their arrival in Polk county, lowa. The father was called to his final rest in 1876 at the comparatively early age of thirty-seven years, but the mother still survives and makes her home in Des Moines,
At the usual age Il. E. Swope became a pupil in the public schools of Des Moines but his advantages in that direction were limited by the necessity of having to contribute to the support of the family. When a young man of eighteen years he became connected with the grain and live stock business in Des Moines and thus continued until his entrance into the field of merchan- dising as proprietor of a general store. In 1900 he came to Marathon, Iowa, where he has since remained as a general merchant, his patronage steadily inereasing by reason of his well selected line of goods. reasonable prices and reliable business methods. 3 He likewise owns a store at Webb and one at Varina, Iowa. His landed holdings include a valuable farm of one hundred and sixty aeres north of Marathon, as well as a tract of land in Wyoming, and he is widely recognized as a most substantial and progressive citizen of this county.
On the 30th of August, 1893, Mr. Swope was united in marriage to Miss Jessie West. Unto our subjeet and his wife have been born two children : Lurene and Adelbert, the latter, however, died at the age of three and one half years and is buried at Marathon.
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