USA > Iowa > Fayette County > Past and present of Fayette County, Iowa, Volume II > Part 14
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853
FAYETTE COUNTY, IOWA.
The family are members of the Presbyterian church. Mr. White be- longs to Blue Lodge No. 510, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, at May- nard, which he has served two terms as worshipful master, besides holding various other offices from time to time. He holds membership with the chap- ter of Royal Arch Masons at Fayette, and with Eastern Star Lodge No. 103.
Dr. Arnold E. Hurd, father of Mrs. White, was born January 5, 1809, in Herkimer county, New York. He received his medical education in Albany, that state, and on the completion of his course, in 1836, went to Illi- nois where he began the practice of his profession. In 1844 he located at Stillman Valley, the scene of a noted battle between the United States troops and the hostile Indians under Chief Black Hawk, and subsequently served as superintendent of the Ogle county public schools. He was a member of the first grand jury of that county in 1839 and took an active interest in public affairs, having long been one of the leading men of that part of the state.
Doctor Hurd's first wife was Persis P. Brown, whom he married in the year 1840 and who died August 29, 1862. She bore him one daughter, Sarah A., who, as already indicated, became the wife of the subject of this sketch. Margaret V. Vandyke, whom the Doctor married on June 30, 1862, departed this life December 7, 1907, at the advanced age of ninety-three years, this union being without issue. In addition to Mrs. White, Doctor Hurd was also the father of six sons, namely: Prof. Henry E. Hurd, for many years connected with the Upper Iowa University, and a teacher of high attainments and state reputation who died October 2, 1902; Horace G., the second, is a merchant at Stillman Valley, Illinois, as is also William S., both being well known and successful business men; Hiram H. Hurd is a farmer and merchant; D. B. Hurd lives in South Dakota, and Arnold E., the youngest of the family, is engaged in agriculture and stockraising in Harlan township, Fayette county.
Doctor Hurd was one of the original abolitionists of Illinois and took an active and influential part in the anti-slavery movement which caused so much excitement in that state. He was a man of strong personality, brave and fearless in expressing his opinions, and left the impress of his individuality upon the section of country in which he lived. When the Republican party was organized he became one of its earnest, unyielding supporters, and so continued until the day of his death. He also manifested an abiding interest in religious work and for a number of years was a member of the American Bible and Missionary Societies. He served a long term of years as justice of the peace and is remembered as one of the leading men of his day in the community where he resided.
854
FAYETTE COUNTY, IOWA.
JAMES HARVEY BOLEYN.
One of Fayette county's native sons who has preferred to spend his life in his native community rather than seek uncertain fortune in other fields, there- by greatly benefiting himself and those with whom he has come into contact, is James Harvey Boleyn, of Wadena. He was born in Illyria township, this county, April 25, 1857, and is the son of Samuel B. and Sarah (Brown) Boleyn, the former born on July 15, 1827, in the state of Ohio, and the latter on June 28, 1832, in Pennsylvania. They were married in the last named state on May 15, 1853, and they came from there to Fayette county, Iowa, in 1855. locating on a farm where they spent the remainder of their lives, the mother passing away on July 19, 1892, and the father following her to the silent land on September 18, 1903. Samuel B. Boleyn had been previously married to Margaret Ann Rice, of Pennsylvania, who died May 14, 1852, leaving one son, Joseph M., who died in Fayette county, Iowa, leaving a fam- ily. He was born before the Boleyns left the old Keystone state. By his union with Sarah Brown, Samuel B. Boleyn had a family of one son and . four daughters, all living ; they are, Sarah Jane, now Mrs. Lewis Hummell, born in Pennsylvania, March 4, 1854; James Harvey, of this review, who was second in order of birth; Mary Ellen, now Mrs. Charles Lockard, was born in Illyria township, June 6. 1860; Margaret, who is the wife of Jesse Poor, was born April 3, 1865; Amanda, wife of William Frame, born January 28, 1878. All these children make their home in Illyria township, this county.
Samuel B. Boleyn was a quiet, unassuming man, devoted to his domestic life and cared but little for public affairs except that they be administered honestly and thoroughly. No one doubted his honesty and integrity. His father, Eli Boleyn, served in the war of 1812, in which service he lost all his toes by freezing. He organized and drilled a company at Elgin, Iowa, for the Civil war and shed tears when denied a commission by the governor, by reason of his advanced years. He died in Fayette county in 1869. He was a sterling character whom everybody respected.
James H. Boleyn received his education in the public schools of Illyria township, and was reared to farm life and followed the plow until 1902, when he rented his farm and moved to a new house he had just finished in the town of Wadena. He bought a steam feed and saw-mill which he still owns and operates. He owns a farm of ninety-five acres near Waudena, and thirty-six acres of the old parental farm in this township. They are both well improved and yield rich harvests. He has been very successful in all his business under- takings and is rated as well-to-do and is an excellent citizen in every sense
855
FAYETTE COUNTY, IOWA.
of the word. Politically, he is a Democrat and, while he has never taken any leading part in political affairs, yet he has served on the school board and for four years as constable, each in a very commendable manner.
Mr. Boleyn was married on December 21, 1886, to Eliza Jane Smith, daughter of David and Anna Smith, of Dubuque county, Iowa. The mother died when Mrs. Boleyn was two years old. The father, who is living in Wisconsin, was a soldier in the Civil war. Eliza Jane was reared in the home of her uncle (by marriage), Thomas Brown, a brother of the subject's mother, and these were the only "parents" she ever kneiv. After the death of his wife, Thomas Brown became a member of the subject's family and so continued for five years and died here. Mrs. James H. Boleyn is a member of the Christian church. Both she and her husband are members of the Yeomen, an insurance organization, their daughter being a social member of the same.
One child, Bertha Golden, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Boleyn on August 20, 1890; she was a talented and highly esteemed young lady, a graduate of the Wadena high school, a musician of some note for one of her years, a zeal- ous worker in the church and Sunday school and a universal favorite with all who knew her. She was called to her rest on February 16, 1909, which was one of the saddest events in the recent history of Wadena, where she will long be deeply mourned and greatly missed.
J. FRANK FOLLENSBEE.
There is no discounting the substantiality of such men as Frank Follens- bee, whose name furnishes the subject matter for this brief article. He is a native of Illyria township, Fayette county, Iowa, his natal year being that of 1863, and the date of his birth July 22d. He is of Scotch descent, from whence his mother, Isabella (Meikle) Follensbee, came, having been born in Edinburgh, Scotland. His father, Dexter Follensbee, was a New Englander, and both are referred to at length elsewhere in this work. Frank's education, so far as book learning goes, was obtained by the course of instruction offered by the district township school. He was permitted to remain at the old home- stead until he was twenty-one years old. At this time he rented his father's farm of eighty-seven acres for a term of four years, when he became the owner through the execution of his father's will. This land lies in sections 18 and 19 and Mr. Follensbee still retains it as his place of residence. By judicious economy he has added eighty acres which he deeded to his only son when he became of age.
856
FAYETTE COUNTY, IOWA.
In the spring of 1905 the subject and family moved to West Union and rented out his farm for one year. He then decided to try the plains of South Dakota and pitched his tent on the desert lands of Butte county. He and his wife each homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres. Tiring of the vicissi- tudes that a life of this nature entails, he returned with his family in 1908, locating again on the home farm. In 1910 he sold their Dakota property.
Mr. Follensbee was united in the bonds of matrimony with Emily M. Jones on May 6, 1888. She was born in Illyria township, May 10, 1867, and the names of her parents were William and Ann (Sanders) Jones, both na- tives of Wales. To the subject and wife were born two children, one dying in infancy, the other, William Dexter Follensbee, born January 29, 1889, lives with his parents, and is a valuable helper about the duties connected with the farm.
Mr. Follensbee has taken hold of an industry that will no doubt net him a profitable income, that of raising bees. He proposes to carry this work on extensively and to transform his place into a veritable apiary, as it were, in- stalling all the necessary equipments for conducting such a business. . He has for a partner W. W. Burns, of Illyria township, a gentleman of considerable experience as an apiarist. Politically, the subject is a Republican. He never served his party other than voting the dictates of the honest conception of the thoughtful American citizen. Mrs. Follensbee is a member of the Meth- odist church of Lima, Iowa.
GEORGE W. WALTERS.
Owing to the fact that George W. Walters, retired farmer, has long been regarded as one of Fayette county's representative citizens, and so high is the confidence in which he is held that it is imperative that he be accorded recog- nition in a publication of the province assigned to the one at hand, he being one of the influential citizens in the vicinity of Arlington.
Mr. Walters was born in Harrison county, Ohio, October 7, 1850. He is the son of Martin and Susan (Hess) Walters, both natives of Harrison county, Ohio, where they grew to maturity and were married. A fuller rec- ord of the Walters family will be found in the sketch of Rev. John Walters, appearing on another page of this work. Martin Walters enlisted in Com- pany A. Thirty-eighth Iowa Infantry, August 15. 1862, and was discharged from the service August 15, 1865, at Houston, Texas. He was in the siege
MR. AND MRS. MARTIN WALTERS.
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FAYETTE COUNTY, IOWA.
of Vicksburg, battle of Fort Donelson, also Fort Blakely and other engage- ments, and crossed the gulf of Mexico twice. He was a brave soldier.
George Walters was educated in the public schools of Wadena. He was reared on his father's farm and has always been a hard worker, his efforts having been crowned with a reasonable degree of success. He was married on February 19, 1873, to Florence Hageman, daughter of John N. and Abigail (Solomon) Hageman, both natives of New York state, and they married before they came to Iowa, in 1854. They lived in this county the rest of their natural lives, the father dying March 16, 1886, and the mother March 18, 1902. The Hagemans were Germans and the Solomons were New Englanders from very early days. Mr. Hageman was a mechanic and was postmaster at Wadena for a number of years. He served three years as a member of Company A, Thirty-eighth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, during the Civil war, having been in the same company with Martin Walters. Of the Hageman family, Florence Walters and Eugene Hageman live at Wadena, Fayette county ; David H. Hageman was last heard from in Oklahoma; Pa- tience, a lovely girl, died in young womanhood; she and her younger sister, Mrs. May Hinkle, were teachers. Mrs. Hinkle is a widow with six children and lives in Wadena.
The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Walters : Alma is the wife of Orrin Fallen, a farmer in Clayton county ; Oren married Ger- trude Cummings, and they live on a farm in Sperry township, Clayton county ; Elmer E. is living at home; Lewis Earl married Maggie Ward and they live on their farm in Clayton county ; Orpha, a teacher in the public schools, is living at home; Elsie is a dressmaker at Strawberry Point, Iowa; Ellen is now in Montana on a claim.
For several years after his marriage, Mr. Walters lived on rented farms in Illyria township. In January, 1881, he bought fifty acres in Sperry town- ship, Clayton county, and that was his home for twenty-five years. He added eighty-five acres to this farm and he now has one hundred and thirty-five acres, which is well improved and fertile land. He bought another farm of one hundred and twenty acres in 1901, about one mile from his home farm, which was well improved. General farming and stock raising have been his chief life work, and he has been very successful at both, being a careful ob- server, a persistent worker and a man whose relations with his fellow men have always been straightforward. Mr. Walters has not been in robust health for the past thirteen years. In July, 1909, he left the farm and bought a substantial, attractive and pleasant home in Arlington where the family now lives. Two of Mr. Walters' sons live upon and work the parental farms.
858
FAYETTE COUNTY, IOWA.
Mr. Walters inherited one thousand dollars from his father's and mother's estate, otherwise his possessions are entirely the result of his own and his wife's industry and economy.
Politically, Mr. Walters is a Republican and he has always taken an active interest in public affairs.
EDWARD HENRY LOCKWOOD.
The subject of this sketch is one of the successful farmers and enter- prising citizens of Fayette county, whose life has been characterized by strict integrity and unsullied honor. He is a shrewd and practical man of affairs and because of his sterling qualities he has won the respect of all who know him. Mr. Lockwood was born in Oran township, Fayette county, Iowa, on September 25, 1854, and is a son of Lewis and Hannah (Seamans) Lock- wood. The father and mother came from Steuben county, New York, in 1852 and located in Oran township, where they took up two hundred acres of farm land. Here the subject of this sketch was reared to manhood and re- ceived his education in the public schools of the locality, subsequently, in 1874-5. attending the Upper Iowa University. He then engaged in teaching school. He taught school fourteen terms in Bremer and Fayette counties. beginning his work while the editor of this history was serving as county superintendent. Seeking a wider opportunity for advancement, Mr. Lock- wood ceased teaching and took to farming and dealing in livestock, in which he met with gratifying success from the start. He conducted farming opera- tions in Oran township. Fayette county, and also across the line in Bremer county, owning land in both counties. He has been adding to his original possessions from time to time as he was able, until at present he is the owner of between eight hundred and nine hundred acres of as good farming land as can be found in this section of the state. Mr. Lockwood gave his personal attention to every detail of his business, which, under his careful management and energetic attention, was prospered. He made many permanent and sub- stantial improvements on the property, which is considered one of the choice farming properties in the locality. In the fall of 1899 Mr. Lockwood moved to Fayette, having a nice farm located in the west edge of the city. He still gives his attention to his other farms, having men to operate them for him. He is a great fancier of cattle, of which he is an excellent judge. He has made all he has by his own efforts. His first start was in buying fifty-three acres of land, from which he soon realized a profit. He has frequently gone
859
FAYETTE COUNTY, IOWA.
into debt thousands of dollars in making land deals, but his sound judgment in every case has been vindicated by results. He is now the owner of a com- fortable and attractive residence located on high land on the west edge of Fayette, overlooking the beautiful Volga valley, where the spirit of hospitality is ever in evidence.
In 1878 Mr. Lockwood was married to Mary Jane Green, the daughter of William and Sarah (Hand) Green. She was born in Iowa county, Wis- consin, and came to Bremer county in 1864 with her parents. The latter originally came to America from Worcestershire, England, in 1846, locating in Wisconsin, where they were numbered among the pioneers, as they were also in Bremer county, Iowa. To Mr. and Mrs. Lockwood have been born nine children, namely: Estella V. is the wife of Fred Shelton, of Oran town- ship, this county, and they have one son, Lyle B .; Lila E., who remains at home with her parents, has been engaged in teaching school for two years; Norma M., wife of Edgar Miller, of Banks township; Edna H., a teacher; Ray W. is at home and is assisting his father; Pearl is a student in the high school at Fayette; Zenita, Lelah and Earl S. are attending school.
Fraternally, Mr. Lockwood is a member of the Knights of Pythias and takes an intelligent interest in the workings of this beneficent order. Re- ligiously, he and his wife are members of the Congregational church, to which they give an earnest and liberal support.
HON. TYSON RUSSELL STAM.
The history of a county or state, as well as that of a nation, is chiefly a chronicle of the lives and deeds of those who have conferred honor and dignity upon society. The world judges the character of a community by those of its representative citizens and yields its tribute of admiration and respect to those whose works and actions constitute the record of a state's prosperity and pride. Among the prominent citizens of Fayette county who are well known because of their success in private business affairs and the part they have taken in public life, is he whose name appears at the head of this article, and a man eminently deserving of the high esteem in which he is held by all classes.
Hon. Tyson Russell Stam, well known retired merchant of West Union, was born in Snyder county, Pennsylvania, July 27, 1857, and is a son of Dr. John and Nancy (Zeigler) Stam, both of whom were natives of Penn-
860
FAYETTE COUNTY, IOWA.
sylvania and of German ancestry. Doctor Stam was for many years an eminent physician in his native state, the latter years of his life being spent at Millheim, his death occurring in February, 1909. His wife died in May, I873.
Tyson R. Stam enjoyed the advantages of a good academic education, having been a student of the Freeburg Seminary at Freeburg, Pennsylvania, Early in life he directed his attention to the mercantile field and has occu- pied the same during his manhood years, having begun as a clerk in a dry- goods store, continuing as such for several years. On October 30, 1880, he was married to Rose E. Musser, who was born and educated in Millheim, Pennsylvania, and there her marriage took place. She is the daughter of D. A. and Lyda (Schreffler) Musser, her father having been an extensive mill owner and manufacturer, also a dealer in lumber. To Mr. and Mrs. Stam two daughters have been born, Lyda R., born in Millheim, October 31, 1881, and Laura Z., born in West Union, June 13, 1886.
In 1883 Mr. Stam and family moved to West Union, where he soon embarked in the mercantile business, which he carried on for a period of twenty-six years consecutively, making a marked success of the same, con- ducting one of the leading stores of the county, consisting of dry goods, clothing, shoes and furnishings, his trade finally assuming very large pro- portions as a result of his tireless energy, his able management and wise dis- cernment, and his honesty in dealing with his army of customers. Since retiring, ten years ago, he has re-engaged in the business once or twice, tem- porarily. He has extensive property interests in West Union and devotes his time very largely to looking after the same. He has built a number of blocks here and is thoroughly identified with the development and business interests of West Union. He is a nephew of S. B. Ziegler, now deceased, former president of the First National Bank here, and also closely related to a number of the important business concerns in West Union.
Mr. Stam has been chairman of the Democratic congressional com- mittee for ten years and a member of the Democratic state central com- mittee. As illustrating his standing in West Union, it may be mentioned that the town ordinarily gives a Republican majority of from two hundred and twenty-five to two hundred and fifty, but Mr. Stam was elected on the Demo- cratic ticket as mayor for two years, first in 1887, his success being a com- pliment to his personal popularity, and he carried the town when a candidate for representative on the Democratic ticket. During the Cleveland admin- istration he had a very strong endorsement of the Democrats of Iowa for national bank examiner, and he stands well with the general public. He is
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FAYETTE COUNTY, IOWA.
a Knight Templar Mason, belonging to West Union Lodge No. 69, An- cient Free and Accepted Masons; Clermont Chapter No. 62, Royal Arch Masons, and Langridge Commandery, No. 47, Knights Templar.
Mr. Stam is an enterprising and successful business man, active and influential in the councils of his party, and an earnest worker for its suc- cess. He possesses superior ability, and has a host of warm personal friends, won by his consistent and manly course in business and politics, and is re- garded by all classes as one of the county's substantial and representative citizens.
FREDERICK M. WHITELEY.
If one desires to gain a vivid realization of the rapid advance in the civil- ization which the last few decades have brought, he can listen to the stories that men who are still living among us can tell of their early experiences when the country was new and social conditions in this part of the state were in their formative period. Fayette county is still the abiding place of a number of old settlers, who, having spent the vigor and strength of their manhood in carving from the wilderness homes for themselves and their posterity, are now in the evening of life, when the shadows are growing dim and the past grad- ually receding from view, spending their declining years in rest and quiet, sur- rounded by neighbors and friends who honor and revere them for the good work they did in laying broad and deep the foundation upon which the com- munity's prosperity has been builded. Conspicuous among these silver-haired veterans of a period long past is the venerable and highly respected citizen, now living a life of honorable retirement, to a brief review of whose career the following lines are devoted.
Frederick M. Whiteley was born in Dearborn county, Indiana, in Decem- ber. 1835, and is a son of Lehman and Sarah (Riggs) Whiteley. Lehman Whiteley was a successful farmer and also conducted an extensive business in shipping hay and other farm products down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans. When the subject of this sketch was about ten years of age the family moved to Quincy, Illinois, making the trip by boat down the Ohio river and up the Mississippi. The father had a brother living at Fayette, Iowa, whom he intended to join, and the family remained at Quincy three months until the brother came after them with horse and wagon. On their arrival in Iowa, the subject's father rented a farm near Fayette, where he lived two years, at the end of that time buying a quarter section of land near
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FAYETTE COUNTY, IOWA.
Cornhill postoffice. When the subject was about nineteen years of age he and his father were engaged during the winter months in splitting rails several miles from home. In the woods their only protection was a palisade of boards to break the force of the wind and keep the snow from drifting on them, and here they slept at night on the ground, without roof or other protection. Here they remained until they had split four thousand rails.
In 1861 Frederick Whiteley manifested his patriotic spirit by enlisting as a private in Company F, Third Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry, the first company of soldiers to go to the front from Fayette county. The command was sent to Missouri and while in that state the train on which they were riding at one time was attacked by a Confederate force. Bullets came rattling through the cars and the soldiers jumped off on the opposite side from which the bullets came and in the act of jumping Mr. Whiteley fell and injured his hip. Jumping to his feet, he recovered his gun and formed in line with the remainder of the command. The injury received here, while painful, was not thought to have any permanent effect, but he has never recovered from its effects, his sufferings growing worse with increasing years. After Mr. Whiteley had seen a year of hard service, an offer was made by authority of President Lincoln that soldiers who had served a year could, if they so de- sired, be taken into the navy and assigned to river gunboats, their term of enlistment being at the same time shortened one year. Mr. Whiteley took ad- vantage of the offer and sent in his name. The following morning his lieutenant, LeRoy Templeton, came to him, with tears in his eyes, saying he had just heard that the subject was about to be transferred to the navy. "But," said Lieutenant Templeton, "I can save you." To his amazement, the sub- ject made a very vigorous protest against being "saved," so the lieutenant signed his pass and he went to the navy, being assigned to the gunboat "Louis- ville" as a seaman. While in Arkansas, proceeding up the river to the battle of Arkansas Post, a bomb-shell exploded near him, instantly killing an officer who almost touched him. Mr. Whiteley was put in charge of a thirteen-inch mortar as loader, and during the siege of Vicksburg his gun was effective in inflicting an enormous amount of damage on the Confederate works. When, in 1863, he was discharged because of the expiration of his term of enlist- ment, he was highly complimented by the navy officers for the splendid man- ner in which he performed his duties as a seaman. He was opposed to the use of whisky under any circumstances and at one time while on the gun- boat was threatened with arrest for refusing to take whisky for malaria. Afterwards he took it, but usually threw it away after pretending to drink it.
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