USA > Iowa > Calhoun County > Past and present of Calhoun County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress, and achievement, Volume II > Part 28
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Since age conferred upon him the right of franchise Mr. Reynolds has supported the men and measures of the republican party, believing firmly in its principles. His religious faith is indicated by his member- ship in the Methodist Episcopal church at Lohrville, in the activities of which he takes a helpful part, serving as steward and being also an active Sunday-school worker. Fraternally he is identified with the Modern Woodmen of America, and his life in all of its various rela- tions has been of such a character as to command the respect and esteem of those with whom he has been associated.
GEORGE A. SUMMERS.
George A. Summers is now living retired in Farnhamville, but was formerly closely identified with agricultural interests and became the owner of three hundred and twenty aeres of valuable land on which he carried on general farming and stock-raising. He was born in Jack-
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son county, Indiana, June 22, 1850, a son of James and Mary (Dukes) Summers, natives of Indiana and of Tennessee respectively. Having the adventurous spirit that is in so many boys, the father ran away from home when in his teens and was employed on boats on the Mississippi river until he reached the age of twenty-two years, when he was married and turned his attention to farming. He became a resident of this state in 1854, at which time he settled in Lucas . county, becoming one of its pioneer residents. He found there a dis- triet largely undeveloped and unimproved and he bore his part in the work of reclaiming the region for the purposes of civilization. In 1873 he arrived in Calhoun county, Iowa, where he resumed agricul- tural pursuits, continuing his residence in this county to the time of his death, which occurred in 1907, when he had reached the venerable age of eighty-seven years. In 1861 he joined the Union army, enlisting as a member of Company G, Thirty-fourth Iowa Infantry, but after serving for one year was honorably discharged because of illness.
George A. Summers was but four years of age when the family home was established in Lucas county, Iowa, where he pursued his education in one of the old-time log schoolhouses, conning his lessons sitting on a bench and writing his copy on desks which were placed around the wall. He spent his boyhood on the home farm and began plowing corn when but nine years of age, using a one-shovel plow and one horse. His youth was largely a period of earnest and unremitting toil, but thereby he gained the experience which qualified him for tak- ing up farm work on his own account when he attained his majority. He started out in farm life in Lucas county but in 1872 removed to the vicinity of Lehigh. Iowa, and in 1873 purchased land in Reading township, Calhoun county, although he did not locate thereon until 1874. That was a tract of raw prairie on which there was no evidence of the work of development or improvement having been begun. There were only three or four houses between his home on section 11, Reading township, and the town of Gowrie. There was no settlement at Farnhamville nor at Lohrville and broad stretches of land were still covered with the native prairie grasses and the wild flowers which lent a touch of beautiful color to the scene. Mr. Summers hauled his coal from Lehigh. He worked hard to bring his land under eultiva- tion and to his original traet of forty acres he kept adding from time to time until three hundred and twenty acres were embraced within the boundaries of his farm. He was always active in the management and operation of his property and in connection with the tilling of the soil he successfully raised Duroc-Jersey hogs. Since 1913 he has lived retired in Farnhamville, where he has a nice modern home and is
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enjoying the comforts of life in the midst of a well earned rest. He is a stockholder in the Farmers Elevator Company of Farnhamville and was onee its vice president. He is also a stockholder in the Farmers Mutual Telephone Company and his investments have been judieiously made.
In 1870 Mr. Summers was united in marriage to Miss Catherine McVey, a native of Ohio and a daughter of Festus and Permilla (Day) MeVey, both of whom were born in Pennsylvania. The father, an agrieulturist by occupation, eame to Iowa in the '70s and followed farming in Lueas county until the time of his removal to Calhoun county, here spending the remainder of his life. To our subjeet and his wife have been born nine children, as follows: Charles Augustus, who died when a youth of sixteen years: Lura, who died at the age of twenty years: Nellie, the wife of Wesley Polloek, who follows farm- ing in Greene county, lowa: Alice, the wife of Walter Craigmile, who is engaged in the real-estate business in California and by whom she has three children: Edgar, an agriculturist of Calhoun county. who is married and has three children; Edith, the wife of Elza Haynes, who is a farmer of Reading township, this eounty, and by whom she has three children: Frank, living on his father's farm, who is married and has two children; Ersey, the wife of P. C. Newcomb, a farmer of this county, by whom she has two children; and Erma, at home.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Summers are aetive ehureh workers, holding membership in the Congregational denomination, in which Mr. Sum- mers is now a deaeon. He has also been superintendent of the Sunday school and he and his wife do everything in their power to advance the . work of the church. Their many excellent traits of character are recognized by all and their fidelity to principle furnishes an example which others might well emulate.
JAMES MADISON HICKS.
James Madison ITieks is a resident farmer of Union township, owning and eultivating one hundred and sixty acres of land on section 16. He was born in Sehoharie eounty, New York, March 27, 1842. a son of Jacob and Lana ( Rodman) Hieks. The father and mother were both born in 1815. The father passed away in 1897 and the mother died in 1900. He was a native of the Empire state and a farmer by occupation, devoting his attention to that pursuit first in New York and afterward in Clinton county, Iowa, to which place he
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removed in 1856. The family numbered two daughters and five sons, but James M. is the only one now living. The ancestral history in the United States can be traced baek to Robert Hieks, who came to the new world in 1621, landing on the 11th of November from the ship Fortune, which followed the Mayflower, bringing over people who could not make the voyage on the first vessel. Robert Hicks' father was a lineal descendant of Ellis Hicks, who was knighted by Edward, the Black Prinee, on the battlefield of Poitiers, September 9, 1356, for bravery in capturing a set of colors from the French.
James M. Hieks acquired a common-school education and after- ward worked with his father upon the home farm in Clinton county, Iowa, until the outbreak of the Civil war. He watched with interest the progress of events in the south until his spirit of patriotism was thoroughly aronsed and he eould no longer content himself to remain at home. He then enlisted on the 24th of Angust, 1861, becoming a member of Company L, Second Iowa Cavalry, under Colonel Elliott, with which command he remained until honorably discharged on the 19th of September, 1865, following the elose of the war. He was mustered in at Davenport, Iowa, and remained at Camp MeClellan until the fall of 1861. He took part in the engagements of Island No. 10, Memphis, the first and second battles of Corinth, Booneville and Nashville, being engaged in active service in Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama.
When the war was over and the country no longer needed hs aid he returned to Clinton county, where he began farming on his own account, there residing until 1885, when he came to his present loca- tion in Union township, Calhoun county. He has since here devoted luis attention to general agricultural pursuits and in addition to devel- oping and eultivating his farm he is a stoekholder in the Farmers Ele- vator Company of Lohrville.
On the 19th of October, 1867, Mr. Hicks was united in marriage to Miss Louise Whitham, a daughter of William H. Whitham, a native of Canada. Mrs. Hicks was left an orphan at an early age and came with an aunt to Clinton county, Iowa. Five children have been born of this marriage: Ralph, who is the owner of a garage in Lohrville and is filling the position of township elerk in Union town- ship; Earl, who married Anna Everhart and is a farmer of Chippewa county, Wisconsin: Alice, at home; Frank, who wedded Mande Evans and lives in Lohrville, his attention being given to the eultivation of the home farm: and Carrie, the wife of Walter Rassady, of Lohrville.
In his political views Mr. Hicks is a republican and is prominent in local affairs. For more than twenty years he served as township
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clerk but was not in the office continuously for that long. He has been school director and he is a valued member of Howland Post, No. 349, G. A. R., of which he has been commander for several years. He is deeply interested in everything that pertains to the welfare of his old army comrades and for a decade he was a member of the County Soldiers' Relief Committee. He belongs to Nekoda Lodge, No. 597, F. & A. M., and he and his wife and daughter are members of Deborah Chapter, No. 418, O. E. S., in which Mrs. Hicks served as treasurer for several years. He became a member of the Masonic order at Preston, Iowa, and later demitted to Lohrville lodge, of which he was a charter member. He belongs to the Christian church, in which he is serving as a trustee, and high and honorable principles actuate him in all of the various relations of life, his course commend- ing him to the confidence and goodwill of those with whom he has had business or social relations.
JOHN BUFFHAM.
John Buffham well merits the proud American title of a "self- made man." He came to the new world when a youth of fourteen years and without any special educational or other advantages he started out in life, depending entirely upon his own resources for advancement. In fact, he has largely earned his own living since reaching the age of eight years. He is now enabled to live retired in the enjoyment of well earned rest with a competence sufficient to sup- ply him with all of the necessities and some of the luxuries of life. He was born in Lincolnshire, England, January 21, 1842, and is a son of John and Mary Ann (Green) Buffham, who were likewise natives of Lincolnshire. The father, who was born in 1814, died in the year 1850, while the mother, whose birth occurred in 1816, passed away at the advanced age of seventy-seven years. Mr. Buffham was a farmer by occupation and continued a resident of England until his demise. In the year 1856 the mother brought her family to the new world, settling in Plainfield, Will county, Illinois. She had three children: John, Joseph and Mrs. Mary Stafford, the last named now deceased.
John Buffham attended the district schools of Will county, but his opportunities in that direction were limited to a short period in the winter seasons. The schoolhouse was a primitive building with seats around the walls, and he had to walk two and three quarter miles to
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school. He began to earn hs living at the age of eight years and after coming to America he worked out, the compensation for his labors being his board and the privilege of attending school. In 1858 he went to Kendall county, Illinois, where he was employed at farm labor until after the outbreak of the Civil war, when his patriotic spirit was aroused by the attempt of the south to overthrow the Union. He offered his services to the government, enlisting on the 11th of August, 1862, as a member of the Eighty-ninth Illinois Infantry. With the boys in blue of Company H. he went to the front and served until the elose of the war, participating in the battles of Stone River, Liberty Gap. Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Rocky Face Ridge, Resaca, New Hope Church, Dallas and others. In the Atlanta cam- paign and near Atlanta, Georgia, he was wounded, and on the 11th of September, 1864, he was taken prisoner at Atlanta and was con- fined in prisons at Macon, Milan and Savannah, Georgia, and from the last named place was taken several miles into the forest and kept under guard for several weeks. On the 24th of December, 1864, he was taken to Andersonville, where he was incarcerated until the close of the war. He was then taken to Baldwin, Florida, and with others he made his way to the Federal lines, more dead than alive, after being liberated on the 29th of April. 1865. He never has recovered from the effects of his confinement and the brutal and inhuman treatment which he received from some of the men in charge of southern prisons. He was mustered out at Springfield, May 29, 1865, having rendered valiant and valuable aid to his country.
When the war was over Mr. Buffham returned to Will county, Illinois, where he resided until 1866, and then removed to Kendall county, where he had purchased eighty acres of land. . In 1875 he went to Livingston county, Illinois, where he resided until 1901. He then came to Calhoun county and purchased three hundred and twenty acres of rich and productive land which he still owns. His life has been devoted to general farming and stock-raising and upon his place in Calhoun county he has erected good buildings, has drained the fields and has improved the farm in many respects. He has not been actively engaged in the cultivation of the crops, however, since com- ing to Iowa, but has lived retired, leaving the actual work of the farm to others, although he gives direct supervision to his place.
On the 12th of September, 1865, Mr. Buffham was united in mar- riage to Miss Sarah Ann Kirton, who was born in Lincolnshire, Eng- land, May 16, 1843. Her father, Thomas Kirton, lived in that coun- try until 1853, when he came to America, accompanied by his wife and two children. He established his home in Cleveland, Ohio, but in
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1855 removed to Illinois, living near Mount Carroll until 1856. He then went to Will eounty and died at the home of Mrs. Buffham in 1879. She had a brother, William Kirton, who served in the Civil war as a member of the Seventeenth Illinois Cavalry and died from illness at Glasgow, Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. Buffham have become parents of five children: Joseph K., of Lohrville, who is married and has a daughter, Dorothy: Mary E., who has five children; John T .; William, who is operating the Waveland Farm and is married and has one child; and Fred S., who is assistant cashier of the Commercial Savings Bank of Lohrville.
Mr. Buffham is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, connected with Howland Post. No. 349, in which he has filled several of the offices and in the work of which he has taken an active and help- ful part. He was a charter member of Dwight Post, No. 626, at Dwight, Illinois, and served as commander and in several minor offices, thus filling all of the chairs in the Grand Army of the Republic. He is interested in the affairs of the community and served as justice of the peace in Nevada township, Livingston county, Illinois. being elected to that position on the republican tieket. He is an active mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he has been a trustee. The rules which govern his conduet are those which measure up to high standards. His life has been one of unremitting industry. He has never been afraid of hard work and his persistent labor has brought him his sueeess. At the same time he has never been neg- leetful of other duties of life, especially his obligations to his fellow- men, and he has put forth earnest, effective effort to aid in the work of making the world a better place in which to live.
JAMES II. HILDRETH.
James II. ITildreth is engaged in general farming and stoek-rais- ing in Logan township, his home being not far from Rockwell City. Ile was born in Logan county, Illinois, September 26. 1868. his parents being William and Samantha ( Whiteman) Hildreth. The father was born in Jay county, Indiana, in 1849 and the mother's birth occurred in that county in 1848. In early life William Hildreth was connected with agricultural pursuits in Indiana and on leaving that state removed to Logan county, Illinois, where he lived. however. but four years. In 1871 he removed with his family to Polk county, Iowa, where he entered land and engaged in farming until his death,
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which occurred when he was but thirty-six years of age. Ile was the owner of two hundred and forty aeres of rich and productive land and was regarded as one of the enterprising, active and progressive men of his township. He took a deep interest in the republican party and its suceess and did all in his power to secure the adoption of its prin- ciples. He was also equally earnest in religious work and assisted in organizing a church near his home. He was also sueeessful in business affairs and became one of the leading stockmen of his district, raising cattle extensively on the prairie. There were very few settlers in Polk county at the time of his removal there and there was only one store on the east side of the river in Des Moines. He bore his part in the early development of the distriet and was regarded as one of the representative eitizens of his loeality. His widow still survives and is now living with her son.
James H. Hildreth had but limited educational opportunities. The little "temple of learning" in which he pursued his studies was a log building with primitive furnishings, to which he walked a dis- tance of three miles. ITis training at farm labor, however, was not meager and when about twenty-three years of age he began farming on his own aecount, purehasing land on which he lived for eight years. He became an extensive feeder of cattle and earefully, persistently and energetically directed his farming interests. In 1900 he removed to Calhoun county, where he secured three hundred aeres of rich land, sinee which time he has devoted his energies to general agricultural pursuits upon this place. He now has six hundred and forty acres, having added to his holdings as opportunity presented until he is now one of the large landowners of the county. Upon his plaee he has ereeted a commodious and pleasant residenee and large barns. In fact, there is every facility for carrying on the farm work upon his place, including the latest improved machinery. He has always been more of a stockman than general farmer, however, having always engaged in buying and shipping stoek. He is an exeellent judge of cattle and his purchases have been judiciously made, while his sales have returned to him substantial profits. He has improved nearly his entire farm of six hundred and forty acres and is one of the most active, energetic men of the township. In addition to his farming interests he is vice president of the Farmers Mutual Elevator Com- pany at Rhodes and is secretary of the Logan Township Farmers Telephone Company.
In 1891 Mr. Hildreth was united in marriage to Miss Carrie M. Gross, who was born in Polk county, lowa, a daughter of Chris and Emma (Hirschberger) Gross, the father a native of Germany and
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the mother of Ohio. They are now living in Des Moines at the ages of seventy-eight and seventy-six years respectively. Mr. Gross came to the United States in his boyhood days with his parents and after the outbreak of the Civil war, loyal to his adopted country, he enlisted in defense of the Union in 1861, becoming a member of an Iowa regi- ment, which went to the front from Mahaska county. He joined his command as company blacksmith and served for four years. He saw some very hard service and was wounded while in battle. Following the close of the war he lived on a farm in Mahaska county until 1875, when he removed to Polk county, where he owned and cultivated land, becoming one of the progressive agriculturists of that community, his farm embracing two hundred and forty acres. He has also been prom- inent in public affairs there, has filled all of the township offices and served as county commissioner of Polk county. In politics he is very active as a supporter of the republican party, doing everything in his power to promote its growth. He is also a most earnest church worker, holding membership with the Methodist denomination, and his aid and influence are untiringly given to advance the moral prog- ress of the community. He has been commander of the Grand Army post of Des Moines, and is at the head of the committee having charge of the relief work of the post, having his office in the courthouse of the capital.
To Mr. and Mrs. Hildreth have been born eight children: Ger- trude, who was graduated in music at Perry, Iowa: Forrest, attend- ing the Capital City Commercial College: Christy; Carroll; Benja- min: Dale: Otis; and Gross. Mr. and Mrs. Hildreth take a deep and earnest interest in religious work. They aided in organizing the United Brethren church near their home and have been most helpful in advancing its interests. They stand loyally for all that is uplifting in life, for those forces which make the world better and which enable the individual to hold to higher ideals. Both Mr. and Mrs. Hildreth are greatly esteemed wherever known and they have an extensive circle of warm friends in Calhoun county.
NORMAN IRA RICHARDS.
Norman Ira Richards is engaged in general farming on section 24, Union township. He is one of the native sons of New England, his birth having occurred in Charleston, Vermont, January 1, 1833, his parents being Ira and Annah ( Warren) Richards. The father was a brother-in-law of Colonel Ethan Allen, who commanded the
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famous regiment of Green Mountain boys at the battle of Benning- ton, and the mother was related to General Warren, who commanded the American troops at Bunker Hill. Indeed, other representatives of the family were also connected with the Revolutionary war and patriotism has been one of the strong traits of character of those who bear the name of Richards.
Norman I. Richards had but meager educational opportunities. He was a youth of sixteen years when his mother passed away in Wisconsin and his father afterward died in Minnesota. In his youth- ful days the son learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed for several years or until after the outbreak of the Civil war, when in 1862 he enlisted in the First Marines, being stationed for duty on the Senti- nel. lle remained in active service until the close of hostilities and after the war he returned to Illinois, where he resumed work at the carpenter's trade, being employed for a time in a wagon shop. Later he removed to Wapello county, Iowa, where he remained for ten years, and in 1882 he arrived in Union township, Calhoun county. Pioneer conditions still existed and the land which he secured was then a traet of unbroken prairie. He turned the first furrows in the field and carried on the work of general improvement year by year. Ile also drained his land, using many rods of tile, and he divided the farm into fields of convenient size by well kept fences. That his methods were practical is indicated in the excellent crops which he has gathered from his farm of one hundred and seventy aeres, which is today one of the valuable properties of the district.
On the 24th of December, 1863, Mr. Richards was joined in wed- loek to Miss Mary A. Wing, who was born in Chautauqua, New York, June 1, 1840, her parents being Ira and Ann ( Wood) Wing. They came west in the year 1867 and passed away in Wapello county, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Richards have five children, as follows: Esther M., who is the wife of Matthew McDonald, of Sarcoxie, Missouri; Lutheria Ann, who gave her hand in marriage to H. C. Tiegner and resides in South Dakota : Clara, the wife of William Cudderford, of Lohrville, Iowa; and Warren I. and Rhoda J., both at home.
In his political views Mr. Richards has always been a republican since the organization of the party and while living in Illinois he served as assessor, but has never been a politician in the sense of office seek- ing. Fraternally he is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He has now passed the eighty-second milestone on life's journey and this period covers a most momentous epoch in the history of the country. He has lived to see notable changes, the building of the railroads, the establishment of the telegraph and the telephone
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systems, the introduction of steam power, later followed by that of electricity. All these changes have earried the world far forward on the path of civilization and Mr. Richards has ever been an interested witness of this development. He is now well known in Calhoun county, where he has lived for a third of a century and where he is now numbered among the venerable and esteemed citizens.
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