USA > Iowa > Fayette County > Past and present of Fayette County, Iowa, Volume I > Part 64
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Severing his connection with his employers in 1862, Mr. Lindsay was mar- ried in that year to Jane Murray, sister of Margaret Murray, the occasion being a double ceremony, in which the latter was also united in matrimony. Mrs. Lindsay's parents, William and Margaret (Orr) Murray, were natives of Scotland, but many years ago emigrated to Canada, where their daughter Jane was born. Subsequently, sometime in the fifties, the family moved to Fayette county, Iowa, where Mr. and Mrs. Murray spent the remainder of their lives.
Immediately after his marriage Mr. Lindsay set up his domestic estab- lishment on the land which he had formerly purchased and in due time had the greater part of his farm in a good state of cultivation and otherwise in- proved. The original dwelling has since been remodeled and made into a very comfortable and commodious modern residence, and additions have been made to the farm until it now contains one hundred and ninety-five acres of fine land. In many respects the farm is a model, the improvements of all kinds being first-class and in excellent repair, the soil cultivated to its full capacity, and the condition of everything on the premises bespeaks the presence of an intelligent and progressive farmer who believes in the dignity of his call- ing and makes the most of his opportunities. While successful in the matter of tilling the soil and raising of large crops of grain and vegetables, Mr. Lind- say devoted especial attention to livestock, from the sale of which the greater part of his income is derived. He has been active in the support of all mea- sures for the good of the community and, being one of the oldest citizens of the township in which he lives, his acquaintance is quite large and his name honored wherever known. In his political faith he is a Democrat and an earnest supporter of the principles of his party, though by no means narrow in his views, being always ready to accord the same right of opinion to others
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that he claims for himself. He has held various offices, in all of which he was faithful to his trust and loyal to the people whom he served.
Mr. and Mrs. Lindsay have had four children : Alexander, who is in the mail service at Sioux City ; Robert Henry, a stockdealer and since the retire- ment of his father manager of the home farm; Lillian, wife of J. Lockwood, a carpenter and contractor of South Dakota; and Clayton, who was graduated from the medical department of the Iowa State University in 1898, and im- mediately thereafter opened an office and engaged in the practice at West Union. He entered in the practice of his life work under most favorable auspices, but what promised to be an unusually useful and brilliant career was terminated by the ruthless hand of death on September 2d of the same year in which he completed his studies and engaged in the practice.
JOSEPH A. STANGELAND.
The traits and characteristics which are necessary for success, and which are invariably found in the study of the character of a man who has achieved and holds a prominent place in any community, are always discov- ered to be integrity, intelligently directed energy, thrift and continuous effort. These characteristics are found in the subject of this sketch, and these he inherited from a long line of Norwegian ancestors, for, while a native of Dover township, he is of Scandinavian extraction, his parents having come to this country from Norway, having the farsightedness to see the oppor- tunities which await people of character in this newer world.
Joseph A. Stangeland was born in Dover township on May 17, 1874, his parents being Andrew K. and Gertrude (Steensland) Stangeland. The father was born in Norway in 1825, being the son of Knudt Stangeland. Although educated to become a teacher, he decided to pursue fortune on the other side of the Atlantic rather than to follow that profession. He arrived in Canada in 1853 and located there, only temporarily, however, for in that part of the continent he did not find the opportunities he sought, and came to Iowa, taking up his residence in Dover township, Fayette county, where he purchased ninety acres of land. On this tract he erected many improvements and here he made his home until his death. The mother of the subject of this review was born in Norway in 1834. In 1850 she came with her parents to Winneshiek county, Iowa, where they remained but one year, at the end of that period locating on a farm in Dover township, where they took up
MR. AND MRS. JOSEPH A. STANGELAND.
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their residence. Here her mother passed on to the better world. Her father, after remarriage, returned to Winneshiek county. The parents of Joseph A. Stangeland were blessed with nine children, and they were, Christina, who is no longer among the living ; Isabel; Anna ; Claus, who is now deceased ; Samuel: Emilia, who has passed beyond; Thomas, also deceased; Joseph, and John. The family are Lutherans, and were excellent people, whom every- body admired and respected.
Joseph A. Stangeland received his education in the school near his home and remained with his father, assisting him in his successful endeavors on the farm until he was twenty-four years of age, and there received the les- sons in intelligent effort and perseverance which mark the progress of every man in any calling. In 1899 he bought eighty acres in the northeastern part of Dover township, where he has since lived. This farm he has greatly improved, having a pleasant and decidedly comfortable home and many new and excellent buildings.
In 1904 Mr. Stangeland was married to Emma Kloster, a native of Dover township, her parents being Andrew and Enger (Quale) Kloster, who both came to America while in their youth. Mr. Quale was born in 1847 and reached America in 1855 and with his parents came to Dover township. Mrs. Quale, who was born in 1855, had the courage and trepidity to cross the ocean alone in 1871, and alone to seek her fortune, and the truth that for those of such courage success is always assured has been demonstrated in her experience.
To Mr. and Mrs. Stangeland has been born a son, whom they have named Thomas Adolph. They are members of the Lutheran church. Mr. Stangeland is a Republican, and has held the office of township assessor since I902.
E. A. MABON.
The two most strongly marked characteristics of both the east and the west are combined in the residents of the section of country of which this vol- umme treats. The enthusiastic enterprise which overleaps all obstacles and makes possible almost any undertaking in the comparatively new and vigorous western states is here tempered by the stable and more careful policy that we have borrowed from our eastern neighbors, and the combination is one of peculiar force and power. It has been the means of placing this section of
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the country on a par with the older east, at the same time producing a reliabil- ity and certainty in business affairs which is frequently lacking in the west. This happy combination of characteristics is possessed by the subject of this sketch, E. A. Mabon, a leading citizen and successful business man of Ran- dalia, Fayette county.
Mr. Mabon was born in Kane county, Illinois, on September 13, 1867, and is a son of George W. and Augusta (Howard) Mabon. The subject's parents came from Illinois to Fayette county, Iowa, in 1869, and settled on a farm in Center township, one and a half miles from Randalia. He is still living in this vicinity and has long occupied an enviable standing in the com- munity, being a man of unquestioned integrity of character and genuine worth. In politics he is a Republican, while his fraternal relations are with the Free and Accepted Masons and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He and his wife became the parents of three children, two of whom are living. Mrs. Mabon died in 1887 and subsequently Mr. Mabon married Mrs. Jessie Averill, and they have one son.
E. A. Mabon was reared on the paternal farmstead and received his education in the public schools of the home neighborhood. On attaining mature years he began business on his own account, engaging in the live- stock business, and as a stock buyer he has been eminently successful, having been so engaged for twenty-two years. He was at Hawkeye for three years, but in 1892 he came to Randalia and bought eighty acres of land. Here he erected a fine residence and has made many other permanent and sub- stantial improvements, bringing the place up to a high standard of efficiency. The present farm comprises two hundred acres, much of which is in cultiva- tion, but Mr. Mabon now, as formerly, devotes the major part of his time to the stock business: He has been wide-awake to the best interests of his community and took a leading part in the organization of the Randalia Savings Bank, which was effected on July 20, 1908. Mr. Mabon was elected president of the new institution and is. the present incumbent, much of the bank's success being due to his influence and business judgment. He is also a stockholder in the Randalia Creamery Company. He is a man of broad and comprehensive ideas and his business judgment is valued by those who are associated with him. Because of his ability, his genial disposition and his high personal character, he enjoys to a marked degree the good will and respect of all who know him.
Politically, Mr. Mabon gives an earnest support to the Republican party. in the success of which he is deeply interested. His fraternal relations are with Randalia Lodge, No. 177, Independent Order of Odd Fellows,
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while religiously, he renders a generous support to the Methodist Episcopal church.
On April 7, 1892, Mr. Mabon was united in marriage to Minnie Van Bogart, a native of Fayette county and the daughter of Frank and Amelia (Tromblee) Van Bogart. Her parents were natives of New York state. Mrs. Van Bogart died on September 1, 1886, and Mr. Van Bogart now re- sides at Hawkeye, this county. To the subject and his wife has been born one child, Sybil Adel, her natal day having been August 3, 1902.
CHARLES R. CARPENTER.
A well known and progressive business man of Fayette and one who has proven himself worthy of the trust reposed in him by his fellow men is Charles R. Carpenter, a descendant of an excellent old family, his birth oc- curring in Buchanan county, near Buffalo Grove, Iowa, June 16, 1866. He is the son of Lorin D. and Mary (Andrews) Carpenter, the former a native of Trenton Falls, New Jersey, and the latter of Boston, Massachusetts. Mr. Carpenter's maternal grandmother was Margaret (Welch) Andrews, a native of Maine. This family goes back to Irish stock on the mother's side, Matthew Andrews, the subject's maternal grandfather, having come to America from Castletown, Ireland, his descendants now being scattered throughout the country and are prominent in their respective communities. Of equally influential New England stock comes the Carpenter branch of the family, Loren D. Carpenter being the son of Bradford Carpenter, a native of Vermont. The mother of the former was known in her maidenhood as Laura Jones, also a native of the Green Mountain state ; she was descended from Welsh parentage.
Charles R. Carpenter spent his early boyhood 'days at Buffalo Grove, Iowa, remaining there until 1877, when the family moved to Brush Creek. now Arlington. His father operated a foundry and general machine shop at Brush Creek, he being an expert in this line and he was very successful in the same, building up an extensive business there and turning out first class work. His death occurred in February, 1887 ; then his son, Charles R., went to Fayette, Iowa, to make his home. In 1888 his mother also came there to live. £ Mr. Carpenter had received a good education in the local schools, having applied himself very carefully to his text books with the view of enter- ing the business world, and, being both ambitious and capable, he made rapid
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progress from the first and is now enjoying the large success that always comes to rightly applied effort. When he came to Fayette he took a position as cashier of the Bank of Fayette, which position he retained when it was made a state bank, and still holds to the entire satisfaction of both stockholders and patrons, being well equipped in every respect for the position, observant, well posted on modern business methods and courteous to all, besides bearing a reputation that is above reproach. When he came to this bank in 1887 there was only about twenty thousand dollars on deposit, but the affairs of the institution have been so well managed and its prestige has so rapidly over- spread the entire locality that the deposits are now three hundred and seventy- five thousand dollars and it is universally regarded as one of the soundest institutions of the state.
Mr. Carpenter's domestic life began in 1892, when he married Gertrude Whitney, the talented daughter of the late William A. Whitney, of West Union, Iowa, where this family has long been prominent and where Mrs. Carpenter grew to maturity and was educated.
Mr. Carpenter is a member and a liberal supporter of the Methodist Episcopal church at Fayette, while his wife holds to the Baptist faith. Fra- ternally, the former is a Mason, belonging to the Pleiades Lodge at Fayette. Politically, he is a Republican, and while he takes an active interest in local party affairs, being usually a conspicuous figure in conventions, he is not himself an aspirant to official honors, preferring to devote his attention ex- clusively to business affairs; however, his support can always be depended upon in furthering any movement looking to the development of Fayette county. He has held some local offices, such as treasurer of Fayette and also treasurer of Fayette schools. Personally, he is of pleasing address, always friendly and cheerful, but quiet and unassuming, a man whom everybody likes and trusts.
PETER WOLFS.
Prominently identified with farming and stock raising, two of the lead- ing industries of Fayette county, is Peter Wolfs, who was born in Dover township, this county, on the Wolfs homestead, on February 22, 1864, and, while yet a comparatively young man, he has been very successful. He was reared on his father's farm and educated in the common schools of Dover township. He is of German descent, his father, M. J. Wolfs, having been born in Germany in the year 1821. He, like many other enterprising men
MR. AND MRS. M. J. WOLFS.
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of his country, saw opportunities in America and emigrated here, settling in Fayette county. From his father, Mr. Wolfs inherited those Teutonic qualities which the German settlers have almost invariably possessed and which have made the so-called German element of such great value in the agricultural and industrial development of this country. In 1862 his father married Helena Helgerson, who was born in Norway in 1834, and from her also the subject of this sketch inherited that fitting sense of thrift and wise management which are necessary for the accumulation of a fortune. To this couple ten children were born, six boys and four girls, and all are still living: Joseph, who has made his home in Portland, Oregon, for the past twenty years and is captain of one of the large steamboats which ply on the Columbia river; Peter, the subject of this review; Bertha, who has married and lives in Winneshiek county, with a family of three children; Anna, who is also married, living now in Dover township, and who is the mother of seven children; Emilia is married and has three children; Michael, who is engaged in farming in Winnebago county and is married, having three chil- dren ; Lewis H., who is married, and to whom three children have been born, lives in Dover township; Henry J., who lives at home, is married; Johanna Elizabeth, who has remained at home, giving assistance to her mother, and John C., who is a farmer. M. J. Wolfs, the father, came to America in 1851, and first went into Missouri. He worked on the construction of the first rail- road west of the Mississippi river and in 1853 he decided to make his home in Dover township, Fayette county, where he purchased one hundred and eighty acres of land, on which he built a substantial dwelling house and other buildings, and put in important improvements. He lived on this farm until his death, on June 21, 1908. He was a member of the Catholic church. He was actively engaged in local politics, having been assessor for thirteen years, also holding other local offices.
Peter Wolfs was educated at the home school and remained with his father until he was twenty-four years of age, when he married and bought a fine farm of eighty acres, to which he has since added eighty acres, making a splendid farm, on which he has placed all modern improvements, and which is under a high state of cultivation, with new and excellent buildings, thus taking every precaution to see that his general farming and stock raising business is conducted along the most up-to-date lines and to show the best results.
Politically, Mr. Wolfs is a Republican and has been fairly active in local politics, and, in addition to holding the office of township clerk for ten years, has held a number of school offices.
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In 1888 Mr. Wolfs was married to Carrie Nesvik, of Winneshiek county, and the following children were born to them: Helena, now deceased ; Anna Helena, Josa Paulina, and Peter Cornel, who has since passed away. Mrs. Wolfs died on August 30, 1894, and Mr. Wolfs remarried on April 2, 1899, entering into the marriage estate with Barbara Olson, a native of Fayette county. One child was born to them, Selmer Merl Oliver. Mr. Wolfs and his family are members of the Lutheran church.
LORENZO DUTTON.
Lorenzo Dutton was born February 28, 1826, in Meredith, Delaware county, New York, the son of Oliver and Polly (Jones) Dutton. His mother was a native of Long Island, his father of Connecticut. His father was a farmer and came west first on a visit in 1858, then returned to his old New York home, but in 1877 came back to Fayette county and lived with Lorenzo until his death, in 1885. His paternal grandfather was a soldier of the war of 1812. Lorenzo was the second of seven children, six of whom lived to maturity. He was educated in a private school in Meredith, attending school in winter and farming in summer. When nineteen, he was working for his uncle, and was called out one night to defend the community against anti- renters, who had terrified the citizens, and remained on duty about two weeks. Then he went to Steuben county and worked in the fields in summer and in the woods in winter, remaining there two years before returning home, in March, 1848. In May, 1848, he, with Henry and Charles Jones, William Blanchard and W. W. Bailey, started west from Utica, where they took the train to Buffalo, then went by boat to Chicago. Then there were no railroads west of Chicago, so they stayed there a while, then walked to Beloit, then rode with teamsters to Galena, and from there went to Sand Prairie where they hired as hay hands. In July they started on foot to the Turkey River country, and passing through Dubuque and Colesburg, came to Elkader. There the first grist mill was being put up by Thompson, Sage and Davis, who told Mr. Dutton and his companions of the prairie northeast of West Union, and said that there was one shanty already put up there. They started there on foot the next day with a few provisions, struck a military road, fol- lowed it to where Ed. Heiserman now lives and there ate the last of their food. Though each had a gun, game was very wild. A man came along with a team going to Old Mission to harvest, and they all went there with
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him and stayed over night, got some provisions and started back to the prairie mentioned. That night they slept in Indian wigwams. They looked around east of West Union, then followed the track to the breaking and cabin, which consisted of four forks covered with basswood, with room for only two, and two men were already in it. They had an ax and tools. As it was raining, the travelers built a fire to get dry. The next morning most of them were sick. They started on in a northeast direction and about noon reached the place where Mr. Dutton's farm house now stands. Here they finished their provisions, with the exception of one slice of bread. They then went through the timber to a point eight miles above Elkader, remained out all night, and the next day found a settler and dealer with the Indians, Wanser by name. Then Mr. Dutton and Henry Jones went to Sodom, Gomorrah, and other places in Clayton county, then back to Elkader. Jack Thompson, the miller, and Carlton took Mr. Dutton to look over the Fayette county land again, and he and the Joneses decided to settle here. So they went to Sand Prairie and bought provisions, a wagon, plow, pitchfork, hoe and scythe, also three yoke of oxen, and started for the prairie, stopping at Elkader to buy a little lumber, and arrived at the place September 11, 1848. They set up forks and with the lumber made a shanty, thatching the roof. They discovered a number of bee trees and lived on "slapjacks" and honey. They cut hay and stacked it and Jones, who had been west before, said they ought to burn around the cabin. They tried this and the wind changed and burned the shanty down and also burnt the haystacks. They hauled logs and built another shanty. On Novem- ber 2d and 3d eighteen inches of snow fell and the snow stayed on until April. They had no shelter for the oxen and turned them out for exercise. Jones started after the oxen one night and never got back until morning. Mr. Dutton started out the next morning, hunted them all day, and returned with- out cattle, but with frozen feet. He went on his hands and knees for two weeks and did not entirely recover until 1896. Henry Smith's boys found the cattle about a week later and returned them. One went past the yard and on to Elgin. Once during the winter Henry Jones went to Old Mission to buy corn, and afterwards Mr. Dutton took the oxen and home-made sled and went after corn. The other Jones was then in Clayton county. There was a man near who had hay, so they took the cattle there, where two of them starved to death. January Ist Mr. Downey, who lived where the breaking was, came to cut logs, stopped over night with the boys and left a barrel of flour. In the spring Mr. Dutton broke ten acres on his claim and put in winter wheat. The crop was a failure, but they cut it and threshed with a traveling thresher. One day he was hunting bee trees and found Dutton's
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cave, in which he killed eighteen rattlesnakes. In the fall of 1849 he re- turned to Steuben county, New York, and married Malinda A. Hawley, re- turning to Iowa the next May. He farmed with Henry Jones that summer and then dissolved partnership. Jones was afterwards county surveyor. Mr. Dutton had settled in section 3, on a three hundred and twenty-acre claim, but a friend entered part of it and he lost it. He got one hundred and twenty-five acres and forty acres school section. That fall he went to Du- buque and got a land warrant on the eighty-five acres north of his claim. This was in timber and he cleared it .. He had traded the school land for the building of a house in 1858. He lived here until he came to West Union in 1896. While on the farm he raised a great many hogs, first raising Chester Whites, later changing to Poland-Chinas. In 1853 he had bad luck. He had bought a team of horses and put them on a threshing machine; the thunder scared them, and one of them ran his foot under the tumbling rods and broke his leg .. At this time he had one cow and had raised a calf to be two years old, when it died, probably killed by lightning.
Mr. Dutton is the father of the following children by his first wife, who died October 1, 1868: Lily F., born May 5, 1851; Carrie H., now Mrs. Hackett, born December, 1855; and Elsie Mabel, deceased, born June, 1857. Mr. Dutton was married on October 5. 1881, to Mrs. Christ Verity, who was Sarah Ann Preston. Mrs. Dutton is a Methodist, while Mr. Dutton is a Christian in belief; he helped organize the Baptist church of West Union in 1852, and took an active part in church work for some time. He voted for Fremont and has since been a member of Fremont's party. His first vote would have been cast for Taylor in 1848, but he was snowed up and could not go to the polls. Mr. Dutton is one of the oldest men now living in the county and his experiences in the times when the country was new are ex- tremely interesting. He is a splendid example of the type of men who con- quered the wild country and made it the productive region that it is now.
HOLVER H. PAULSON.
The methods of making money are not confined to the cultivation of the soil merely, nor to the rearing of superior grades of stock, although both of these are of the first importance and in both H. H. Paulson, owner of the beautiful "Spring Valley Stock Farm," near Ossian, Fayette county, has won marked success and thereby become one of the county's substantial, influen-
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