USA > Iowa > Calhoun County > Past and present of Calhoun County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress, and achievement, Volume II > Part 26
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Mr. Wiekland was united in marriage to Miss Mary K. Johnson. who was born at Vertergoland, Sweden, in 1843, a daughter of John' and Mary Swanson, who were also natives of Sweden, where the father followed the occupation of farming. Mrs. Wiekland came to the United States in 1873 and was of great help to her husband in gain- ing a start in Illinois and in establishing and developing a new home in Iowa. Unto them were born nine children, of whom four died in infancy, the others being: Ida, who became the wife of Carl Berg-
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strom, and died, leaving a daughter, who is now living with her Grand- father Wickland: Annie, who married Charles Dexter, of Montezuma, lowa: Matilda. the wife of N. W. T. Peterson, a farmer of Monte- zuma: Hilma, the wife of John Ericson, a farmer of Montana; and Emma, who married August Nelson, a farmer of Calhoun county.
Mr. Wiekland has always been interested in the moral as well as the material development of his community and helped to organize the first Swedish Lutheran church of his neighborhood. His political allegiance is given to the republican party, but while he does not seek nor desire public office he is interested in all that pertains to the wel- fare of the community and cooperates in many movements for the general good.
J. W. HARTINGER.
J. W. Hartinger, editor of The Index, published at Farnhamville, was born April 21, 1874, in Hardin county, Iowa, and was there reared and educated. He attended the public schools and afterward worked for his father upon the home farm until 1891, when, at the age of seventeen years, he entered upon an apprenticeship to the printer's trade in the office of The Star, at Union, Iowa, completing his apprenticeship on The Citizen at Iowa Falls. Still later he took a position as a reporter at Sheldon, Iowa, where he remained for fifteen months and on the expiration of that period he went to Inwood, lowa, where he managed the Herald for eight years. All through the time from the beginning of his apprenticeship he had been gaining in knowledge and experience and felt that he was qualified to take charge of a paper of his own. He then purchased the New Hartford Review at New Hartford, Iowa, which he managed for about six months and then sold. At that time he came to Calhoun county, arriving on the 10th of February, 1914, and purchased the plant which he now owns, becoming editor of The Index, which he has made a popular paper, liberally patronized in both its circulation and advertising depart- ments.
On the 30th of July, 1895, Mr. Hartinger was joined in wedlock to Miss Mary O. Triem, a daughter of the Rev. Clinton J. W. Triem, of Union, Hardin county, Iowa. They have one son, Newell Dwight. Politically Mr. Hartinger is a republican and has held the office of town clerk. He is known in lodge circles as a Knight of Pythias and as an Odd Fellow, while his religious faith connects him with the Vol. II-17
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Methodist church. He is a man of strong purpose guided by ideals that are creditable and by rules of condnet which will bear the closest investigation and serutiny. Through the columns of his paper he advocates progress along many lines and his efforts have had direct bearing upon the welfare of the district in which he lives.
LOUIS E. ESLICK, M. D.
Since the summer of 1894 Dr. Louis E. Esliek has been engaged in the practice of medicine in Rockwell City, and he now enjoys a lucrative praetiee, and has gained a reputation that classes him among the successful physicians of Calhoun county. He was born in Dakota territory, July 19, 1868, a son of John D. and Lucinda (Cline) Eslick. His father served in the regular army for a number of years, and emigrated to the new world in early life. He is now a successful farmer, residing near Dayton, Iowa. He served in the Civil war and attained official rank. He is a democrat in politics and his religions faith is indicated by his membership in the United Brethren church. In his family were nine children, of whom seven survive.
Dr. Louis E. Esliek pursued his studies in the common schools and subsequently attended a seminary during the year 1888. In 1889 he entered upon his medical studies and was graduated with the M. D. degree. He later pursued post-graduate work in the Cincinnati Eclectic Medical Institute before coming to Rockwell City, Iowa. He there made a special study of chronic diseases and diseases of women and children. He intended to take up a city practice only. But being a student of nature he wanted to get out where he could enjoy some of nature's beauties, and therefore decided to locate in Rockwell City, Iowa. He is courteous in his treatment of all, and has been very successful in his profession.
Dr. Esliek was married in 1895 to Miss Ella Bass, of Dayton. Iowa, a daughter of James Bass, who early located in this state, and became a successful farmer. Dr. and Mrs. Esliek have one son, Louis H., in high school. Mrs. Eslick is a member of the Presbyterian church, while the Doctor holds membership in the United Brethren church, and for three years served as pastor of a church of that denom- ination in Dayton, while for similar periods he served as pastor at Lucas, Des Moines and Carlisle and for one year was presiding elder of the south district of Des Moines conference.
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In polities Dr. Esliek is a republican and has served as mayor of Rockwell City four years. He is an Odd Fellow and a Knight of Pythias and has filled all of the ehairs in the latter organization. He has likewise served as coroner of Calhoun county for a number of years. In the line of his profession he is identified with the North- western Medical Society and with the Iowa State Ecleetie Medical Society, of which he has been president for the past ten years. He is largely a self-educated as well as a self-made man. He first worked in a humble eapacity, but he was determined to gain an education and get a foothold in the business world, and to that end he saved his earn- ings and entered college with the result that he is now one of the well- known physicians of Calhoun county. He possesses a character that makes him strong, foreeful, determined and aggressive, and yet he is ever affable and approachable, and all who know him speak of him in the highest terms of praise and admiration.
JOHN C. STEPHENSON.
John C. Stephenson is now praetieally living retired from aetive farm work, but for many years was elosely eonneeted with agricultural . pursuits and still makes his home on section 18, Cedar township. He was born in a log house on a farm in Hamilton county, Indiana, Mareh 22, 1847, and is a son of Riehard and Laura (Fineh) Stephenson. The father, a native of Kentucky, died in 1883, at the age of sixty- four years, while the mother, a native of Indiana, passed away in 1889. On leaving the Buckeye state Riehard Stephenson went to Indiana, where he earried on merchandising and farming until he removed to Illinois in 1852, settling in Knox county, where he engaged in farm- ing, owning a good traet of land there. Prior to 1852 he was engaged in merchandising at Noblesville, Hamilton county, Indiana. He eon- tinned a resident of Knox county, Illinois, until 1865, and in the meantime he rendered valuable aid to his country in the Civil war, enlisting in 1862 as a member of Company A, Fourteenth Illinois Cavalry. He was twiee wounded, first in the battle of Nashville and later on another occasion, but neither wound was very serious. He went to the front with the rank of sergeant and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant, while at the elose of the war he was eaptain of his company. His command formed a part of the division of General James Thomas, who was familiarly and lovingly called Pap Thomas by the boys. He participated in many hotly contested engagements
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that led up to the final victory which crowned the Union arms, and when the war was over he returned home with a most creditable mili- tary record. Not long afterward he removed to Fort Dodge, Iowa, when there were only five business houses in the town, and he after- ward worked at odd jobs until his death. There were no railroads as far west as Fort Dodge at the time of his removal, and hence the journey was made by wagon. The old log forts were still standing, but the soldiers had been removed in 1864. Stages ran from Fort Dodge to Sioux City, Iowa, Iowa Falls and Cedar Falls. After reaching his destination he homesteaded land in Calhoun county and was the owner of one hundred and sixty acres at the time of his death. Ile, however, made his home in Fort Dodge and there passed away. He was an active member of the Grand Army of the Republic and also of the Masonic fraternity.
John C. Stephenson is the eldest son in a family of nine children. He attended the district schools of Knox county, Illinois, sitting on a slab bench in a little log building, where the methods of instruction were very primitive. He began to earn his living as a farm hand in Illinois and later followed the same work in Webster county, Iowa. On attaining his majority he began farming on his own account in Webster county and carefully saved his earnings until he was able in 1880 to purchase two hundred and forty acres of land on section 18, Cedar township, Calhoun county, for which he paid seven dollars per acre. There were no improvements upon the tract, which was covered with prairie grass during the summer months and dotted with a million wildflowers, while in the winter seasons the tract was covered with a dazzling and unbroken sheet of snow. Thousands of head of cattle were driven from the older counties of the state and pastured in Cal- houn county. There were no bridges, no churches, no roads, no schools and there were only about a half dozen houses in Cedar town- ship, some of which were sod. It was no unusual thing to see wolves. There were also deer and all kinds of wild fowl, and it was entirely possible on various occasions to shoot wild game from his own door- way. In order to build his house he hauled lumber from Fort Dodge. The little building was only twelve by twenty feet, but it required great labor and effort even to secure this home. for while enroute from Fort Dodge he had to stop many times on the way to unload his wagon, which would become stuck in the mud, after which he would have to reload and proceed with great care. Ile had been a resident of the county for two years when the railroad was built into Lohrville. the work having been begun a year after his arrival. He set out trees upon his farm and has developed a fine grove, while the beautiful
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shade trees that adorn his lawn were planted by his father-in-law. For twenty-five years he engaged in the breeding of shorthorn cattle and made exhibits at the Calhoun county fairs, where he was always a prize winner. He has one hundred and sixty acres of land, and in his farm work has so managed his business interests that success in considerable measure has come to him, now enabling him to live retired. For fourteen years he has enjoyed this well earned rest, leav- ing the active work of his farm to others.
In. 1870 Mr. Stephenson was united in marriage to Miss Jane Hutchinson, a native of Ohio and a daughter of Jonathan and Hannah (Firestone) Hutchinson. Her father, who was born in the Buckeye state. learned and followed the trade of a millwright there. In 1853 he removed to Polk county, Iowa, and lived in Des Moines for two or three years. Later he went to Webster county, and for a year was a resident of Fort Dodge. He also worked at his trade in Humboldt, Iowa, and beeame the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of land in Humboldt county. He was there residing at the time of the Spirit Lake massacre and formed one of the relief party that went to assist the citizens at the time of the Indian onslaught. In 1862 he raised Company I, of the Thirty-second Jowa Infantry, and went to the front as its eaptain. He was an active and loyal soldier and. winning promotion, was advanced to the position of major of his regiment. He saw very arduous and active service and, moreover, he had to expe- rienee the added burden of having his son Mathias, who was a mem- ber of the father's company, killed in the battle at Pleasant Hill. IIe was always a very active and influential citizen in the community in which he lived and was honored and respected by all who knew him. His political allegiance was given to the republican party, of which he was a very earnest supporter. For fourteen years he served as treasurer of Webster county, making a most creditable record in that office. Although he beeame the owner of considerable land in Webster county and won success in the careful management of his business affairs, he was living retired in Fort Dodge at the time of his demise. He was active in the Grand Army of the Republic and in Masonie circles and his life was well spent, making the world better for his having lived.
To Mr. and Mrs. Stephenson were born seven children: Carrie, now the wife of John Tullis, a farmer of Cedar township, by whom she has three children: Guy, a carpenter, living at Rinard, who is mar- ried and has eight children; Edward, who is married and follows farm- ing in this county; Charles, a drayman of Rinard, who is married and has two children, Blair and Beryl, who make their home with their
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grandfather; Harl, a farmer of Cedar township, who is married and has three children: Cloyd, who is operating the home farm and who has a wife and one son, Kenneth; and Lola, the wife of Rae MeDer- mott, a farmer of North Dakota, by whom she has one child.
Mr. Stephenson belongs to the Odd Fellows lodge at Somers, and has filled all of the chairs in the subordinate lodge, the encampment and the canton. He has also been major of the battalion and is a very prominent representative of that organization. In polities he is a republiean, but has no politieal aspirations. He is now spending his days in the enjoyment of well earned rest, having no aetive business cares. IIe is, however, a stockholder in the Farmers Elevator Com- pany of Rinard, and he gives personal supervision to his invested inter- ests. As a pioneer settler he is widely known in the county, and he has witnessed the greater part of its growth and development. There is no important event connected with its early history with which he is not familiar, and he has taken an active interest in furthering the publie welfare in every possible way.
WILLIAM MAHON.
For almost twenty years William Mahon has been a resident of Calhoun county, having arrived here in 1896. The basis of the suc- cess which has come to him was farm work. Through a long period he was actively identified with agricultural interests, but is now living retired, making his home in Lake City. He has passed the Psalmist's span of three seore years and ten, being now seventy-five years of age. He was born in Orleans county, New York, on the 15th of February. 1840, a son of David and Sarah (Jewell) Mahon. IIis father was the owner of a packet on the Erie canal, and died in the year 1845. while the mother, long surviving, passed away in De Kalb, Illinois, in 1895.
William Mahon had but meager educational opportunities. Upon the death of his father he went to the home of an unele in Washing- ton county, Pennsylvania, where he remained for ten years upon a farm. He then returned to his old home in New York and became a mule driver on the Erie canal, spending two years in that way and one year as steersman. On the expiration of that period he sought a home in the middle west, settling in Will county, Illinois, where he worked at farm labor by the month for three years. Following the inauguration of the Civil war he watched with interest the progress
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of events in the south and, his patriotic spirit being aroused, he re- sponded to the country's eall for aid, enlisting on the 14th of Decem- ber, 1861, as a member of Company F, Thirteenth Illinois Cavalry. He served in that command until November 14, 1862, when he was honorably discharged on account of physical disability. IIe had in the meantime participated in the battle at Cotton Plant, Arkansas, on the 7th of July, 1862.
When mnstered out Mr. Mahon returned to Plainfield, Illinois, and all through the ensuing winter was in ill health. He afterward went to Dekalb county, Illinois, in the spring of 1863, and there worked upon farms until he managed to save from his earnings a sum sufficient to enable him to purchase forty acres of land. He then cultivated that tract until 1896, when he removed to Calhoun county and purchased one hundred and sixty aeres in Calhoun township, con- tinuing to successfully till and improve that place until about twelve years ago, when he removed to Lake City, where he has sinee lived retired. He still owns his farm property, however, which is well feneed and tiled and has good buildings upon it, and from the farm he derives a gratifying annual income.
In Deeember, 1869, Mr. Mahon was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Ann Challuye, who passed away in 1893, leaving three children. as follows: Mary, who is now the wife of G. Streetor, of Carroll county, Iowa : Oliver, living in Dundy county, Nebraska; and Benjamin, who is a resident of Roberts county, South Dakota. On the 22d of December, 1897, Mr. Mahon was again married, his second union being with Miss Julia A. Puekett, who was born in Randolph county, Indiana, July 7, 1851, a daughter of Elijah and Katherine ( Keever) Puckett. Her father eame to Iowa in 1854, settling in Guthrie county, and the following year removed to Carroll county, entering three hundred and forty acres of government land in the northern part of that county. That land was still to be secured in that way was an indication of the pioneer conditions which existed. He shared in all the hardships and privations of frontier life and bore his part in advancing the early development and improvement of the seetion in which he lived. As the years passed on great changes were wrought, the wild prairie country being transformed into fine farms which were the homes of a prosperous and contented people. Mr. Puckett died in the year 1896, while his wife survived until 1904.
Since age conferred upon him the right of franchise Mr. Mahon has voted with the republican party and has ever kept in touch with the leading questions and issues of the day. He belongs to Lander Post, G. A. R., of which he is surgeon major, and he also has mem-
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bership in the Presbyterian church. His has been a well spent life in which he has ever been loyal to duty, faithful in friendship, honorable in business and progressive in citizenship, and in the evening of his days he receives the respeet and regard which should ever be accorded those whose lives have been well spent.
CHARLES BEACHAM.
Charles Beachan, residing at Farnhamville, is eashier of the bank at that place, and is associated with his father in important and exten- sive business enterprises. He was born in Mayview, Champaign county, Illinois, on the 21st of October, 1868, a son of H. W. and Cornelia (Hamilton) Beacham. His youthful days were spent at Gifford, Illinois, and after attending the public schools he entered the University of Illinois as a member of the class of 1890. His business career has been marked by steady progression. In 1889 he engaged in the hardware trade at Gifford in connection with his father, and in 1892 he removed to Farnhamville, Iowa, where he established the Bank of Farnhamville under the firm style of H. W. & Charles Beacham, bankers, his father being president, while he is cashier of the institution. He has continued actively in the banking business sinee the doors of the bank were opened on the 9th of January, 1893, and has made this a strong, safe and reliable moneyed institution. A lib- eral patronage has been accorded the business and the bank is now in excellent condition. Charles Beacham is also actively and extensively interested in farming, owning considerable land, his aggregate hold- ings being more than nine hundred aeres. He has greatly improved his property, has brought his fields to a high state of cultivation, has built fine homes and commodious barns and outbuildings upon his farms and thus has developed valuable property. He carries on gen- eral farming and stoek-raising and his well defined plans meet with substantial success, for he is ever persistent and determined in carry- ing forward to completion whatever he undertakes. In addition to these interests he is president of the Rinard Savings Bank and is a stockholder in the Fort Dodge National Bank.
As a companion and helpmate on the journey of life Mr. Beacham chose Miss Laura M. Wilson. a native of Dupage county, Illinois. their wedding being celebrated at Farnhamville, this county. Her parents are Alexander and Mary D. (Carrington) Wilson, the former a native of Scotland and the latter of Connecticut. A sketch of her
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father, a retired agrieulturist residing in Farnhamville, is given on another page of this work. Our subject and his wife have two chil- dren, namely : Fern, who is a student in Morningside College of Sioux City, Iowa: and Frances, who is attending high school. In addition Mr. and Mrs. Beacham are rearing two boys, Orville and Osear, twins, to whom they are giving a good home and the advantages which would be given children of their own.
In eomnnmity affairs Mr. Beacham takes the deepest interest and has put forth helpful effort for the benefit of the community. He is concerned in all those affairs which are a matter of eivie virtue and eivie pride. He aided in the incorporation of the town and served as its first mayor. He assisted in organizing the Commercial Club of Farnhamville and was its president. He is deeply interested in moral progress and in this eonneetion has served as superintendent of the Sunday school of the Methodist Episcopal church for about twenty years. He takes an active interest in all departments of the church work and he was a delegate to the general conference held in Minne- apolis in 1912. He is a trustee of Morningside College at Sioux City and of the Iowa Children's Home at Des Moines. Mr. Beacham is recognized as a man of resourceful business ability, strong in his power to plan and to perform, strong in his honor and his good name. At the same time he is known as one whose broad humanitarianism has reached out along various lines of helpfulness. He has given gener- ously to charitable and benevolent institutions and yet his charity is at all times unostentatious. In a word, he recognizes the obligations of the individual to his fellows. and it is well known that he fully incets every obligation that devolves upon him.
A. J. MeDERMOTT.
A. J. MeDermott, one of the leading capitalists of Calhoun county, has been a prominent factor in financial circles as president of the Commercial Savings Bank of Lohrville since 1907. His birth oeeurred in Peoria county, Illinois, on the 4th of May, 1851, his par- ents being John and Jane (Spier) MeDermott. The father, a native of County Roscommon, Ireland, accompanied his parents on their emigration to the new world, the family home being established in Peoria county, Illinois, after a short stop in Schenectady, New York. Throughout his active business career he was engaged in farming and
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brickmaking, maintaining his residence at Streator, Illinois. During the period of the Civil war he joined the Union army as a member of the Forty-seventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry, serving with that com- mand until honorably discharged because of wounds received in battle. He participated in all of the early engagements of the west and fought in some of the most severe battles of the war. His demise occurred when he had attained the age of seventy-six years, while his wife was seventy-two years old at the time of her death. To them were born four children, three sons and a daughter, namely: Mary; Charles, who is deceased: A. J., of this review: and John G., who has also passed away.
A. J. McDermott was early thrown upon his own resources and therefore deserves great credit for the success he has achieved. In the fall of 1880 he came to Iowa and purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty aeres which he still owns in association with others. At the present time his holdings embrace one thousand acres of land in Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Texas. In 1907 he became president of a stock company which on the 4th of March bought out D. A. Evans, who had founded the Commercial Bank as a private institution on the 1st of July, 1902. The Commercial Savings Bank of Lohrville now has a capital stock of twenty thousand dollars, with surplus of ten thousand dollars, and is controlled by the following officers: A. J. McDermott, president; J. W. Moore, vice president ; G. W. Evans, cashier : and Fred S. Buffum, assistant cashier. D. 1. Evans passed away in 1914, when he had attained the age of sixty-four years.
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