USA > Iowa > Fayette County > Past and present of Fayette County, Iowa, Volume II > Part 17
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J. W. Dwyer was reared under the parental roof and received his pre- liminary education in the public rchools of Fayette county, also taking a full commercial course in the Upper Iowa University. At the age of nineteen years he engaged in the general mercantile business, forming a partnership with William H. Schoonmaker, this business being carried on until 1898. In 1892 Messrs. Schoonmaker and Dwyer began a private banking business, which was conducted with marked success until 1898, when they organized the State Savings Bank of Westgate, of which the subject became the vice- president, which office he still retains. The two gentlemen became associated also in the real estate business at Westgate, to which line Mr. Dwyer gave his entire attention until October 21, 1901, when he moved to West Union. On April 1, 1902, he bought the Colgrove & Snyder lumber and coal yards, taking possession on the Ist of the following October. He operated this business alone for several years, and then formed a partnership with F. B. Tamblyn, with whom he has since remained associated. Mr. Dwyer has given the greater part of his attention to the real estate business, his operations in the main being confined to Iowa and North Dakota, more particularly to Fayette county. His judgment is considered good as to real estate values and his
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splendid business ability and sterling qualities of character have given him a marked prestige among business men. He has taken an active and leading part in efforts to advance the interests of the community and has served as president of the Commercial Club continuously since its organization, giving much of his time and personal effort to advance the business interests of the thriving town of West Union. Mr. Dwyer is also a partner with A. F. Dellit in the lumber and coal business at Wapaloo, Iowa, one of the leading com- mercial enterprises of that city.
Politically, Mr. Dwyer is a stanch Democrat and has taken an active interest in the success of his party. In November, 1899, he was elected a member of the county board of supervisors, and so eminently satisfactory were his services that he was re-elected to the office in 1904. The more note- worthy is the fact that he is the only Democrat ever elected to that office in Fayette county. Religiously he and his family are members of the Catholic church, to which they give a liberal support. His fraternal relations are with the Modern Woodmen of America, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Knights of Columbus.
On September 13, 1893, Mr. Dwyer was married to Grace Vanwie, of Osage, Iowa, and they became the parents of two children, Lillian, deceased. and Leo. Mrs. Grace Dwyer died in 1897, and on October 16, 1901, Mr. Dwyer married Helen Farr, a daughter of Levi L. Farr, a prominent citizen of Fayette county, who was a veteran of the Civil war and at one time sheriff of this county. To this union were born two children, John L., born in 1903, and Donald W., born in 1905. Mr. Dwyer is a man of fine personal qualities, possessing a genial disposition that enables him to readily make friends. He is public-spirited and is numbered among the progressive citizens of the com- munity, being highly regarded by all who know him.
DENNIS TOOMEY.
One of the highly honored citizens of Fayette county who has lived a long, eventful and useful life is Dennis Toomey, a retired farmer of Wadena, Illyria township, a man deserving a place in his county's history for many reasons, too evident to enumerate. He was born in Cork, Ireland, Febru- ary 4, 1836. His mother died about 1842, leaving three children, of whom Dennis was the oldest ; the two younger children died soon afterwards. Their father, Patrick Toomey, came to America in 1844, locating in St. Lawrence
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county, New York, where he went to work as a laborer on a railroad and later as contractor; still later he took contracts for building public roads in St. Lawrence county. He had left his children in Ireland, in care of his par- ents. Practically left to shift for himself, Dennis Toomey soon became a man in wisdom although but a child in years. He witnessed the horrible ravages of the famine which devastated his native land in his youth, and which was charged to British rule. He became imbued with a spirit of self-reliance as well as an intense hatred of the British. At an early age he left his grand- father's home and began the life of a tramp in his native country, a common thing in those days, and he lived by tending cattle on the commons for rela- tives and friends. During all this time his mind dwelt upon the time when he could make the trip to America, and in some manner beat the English. In 1852 he joined his father in St. Lawrence county, New York, and worked as a teamster and general chore boy. His father had married again and the par- ental home was not very congenial. In 1858 he left home and made his way across the country to Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, and there he secured work as teamster for Major Russell and Miller, government freighters, and he drove an ox team over the plains to Salt Lake City, Utah. There he joined three other men and with them walked to Carson City, Nevada. They had one pony, which they loaded with blankets, provisions, etc. From Carson City, Mr. Toomey walked to Sacramento, California, carrying his blankets and provisions on his back. In California he went to work in the harvest fields. In the early part of 1860 he left that state and went to New York by way of the Isthmus, paying one hundred and thirty dollars in gold for his passage. While in California he became acquainted with a number of Southern men and decided to go to the South to work. After visiting his father in New York he went to the parish of Pointe Coupee, near Bayou Sara, Louisiana, and here he went to work for a Mr. Jewell building roads, levees, etc., on his plantation. This was in the winter of 1860 and 1861.
Mr. Toomey was a strong advocate of the Union, having become natural- ized, and he was also an ardent enemy of the English. He became a "chum" of Mr. Jewell's nephew, who was a strong secessionist, and they engaged in some heated debates, one of which is possibly responsible for the building of the famous "Merrimac." Mr. Toomey maintained that the Yankees could do anything, could foresee every danger and would provide for them, protecting their boats against the cannon of the Confederates. His rebel friend knew that the wooden hulls of vessels would not turn a cannon ball and inquired how this could be accomplished, and was informed by the subject that they could be covered with iron railroad rails. This idea at once suggested
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itself as of value to each and although Mr. Toomey is a good scholar and a great reader, also endowed with lots of mother wit and the knowledge gained by hard knocks from the world, he eventually gave the Confederates the ideas which led to the building of the iron-clad "Merrimac," as above stated.
In the early spring of 1861 he was ordered to report for drill three days a week with a Confederate company being organized; the order came to re- port on a Thursday morning, but when the time for the drill arrived he was far on his way to Cairo, Illinois, but he had very little money, not being able to collect his wages. He developed the idea, born in argument with his rebel friend, and on his tramp from Cairo to New York he outlined his ideas to the men of intelligence with whom he came in contact and whom he considered would be able to impart the knowledge to the proper persons who might util- ize them for the benefit of the United States government, and it is on record that the noted inventor, John Ericsson, who developed the ironclad "Monitor," always claimed that it was the idea of some unknown person, and although England built the first ironclad battleship, Mr. Toomey feels that he has the satisfaction of knowing they developed the idea of an Irish-American laborer.
Upon his arrival in New York City, Mr. Toomey, in 1861, shipped on a boat bound for California as a coal heaver, but by a fortunate circumstance was employed as wiper in the engine room. While in California he worked on a farm. Leaving that state in 1864 for New York, he landed in Fayette county, Iowa, the following winter and located at Arlington, where he bought one hundred and twenty acres, making his home on this farm until 1894, when he sold out and bought a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in section 16 and forty acres in section 20, Illyria township, and he owns this farm at present. In 1904 he moved from his farm to a house on the farm of his son- in-law in the outskirts of Wadena, where he still resides. He has been very successful in his life work, considering the hard time he had getting started, and now in his old age he is very comfortably fixed, as he well deserves to be, and he has the confidence and respect of his neighbors and all who know him. Politically, he is a Republican, a member of the Catholic church and faithful in his support of the same. In 1865 Mr. Toomey married Mary Leahy, who was born in county Tipperary, Ireland, November 10, 1838, the daughter of Timothy and Mary (Dwyer) Leahy, natives of that county, also. The father died in Ireland. Mrs. Leahy and four of six children, of whom Mary was the eldest, came to America in 1860. The family located in Syracuse, New York, where they remained until 1864, when they came to Fayette county, Iowa, and bought land in Fairfield township.
Mr. and Mrs. Toomey are the parents of four children, namely : Annie
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J., who has remained single, is at home with her parents; Minnie E., born December 25, 1868, married, October 7, 1891, John C. Corkery, who was born July 5, 1862, in Illinois, and he is the son of John and Ellen (Barrett) Cork- ery, natives of Cork, Ireland. Mr. and Mrs. Corkery live on a farm of one hundred and ninety-seven acres in sections 27 and 34, Illyria township, just outside the town of Wadena. They are the parents of nine children: Henry L., Francis J., William E., Richard M., Ellen R., Kathaleen M., Edna E. and Erma E. (twins) and Anna B. The third child born to Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Toomey was Margaret C., who is living at home, and the youngest child, Pat- rick W., lives on the home farm.
JOHN H. MATTOCKS.
Although a young man, John H. Mattocks is considered one of Illyria township's most progressive and substantial citizens, having demonstrated what perseverance, rightly-applied energy and good principles can accomplish if properly directed. He is the scion of an old and highly honored family, the good name of which he has ever sought to keep untarnished, therefore, he enjoys the confidence and respect of all who know him. He was born in Illyria township, Fayette county, Iowa, January 31, 1870, and was educated in the public schools of his native community. He is the son of Wilder M. and Anna E. (Henderson) Mattocks, the former born in Mercer county, Penn- sylvania, May 24, 1834, and the latter in the state of New Jersey. Mr. Mat- tocks came to Marion county, Iowa, with his parents about 1848. After re- maining here a year, they returned to Pennsylvania, but about 1852 or 1853 came back to Iowa and located in Fayette county. They made the three trips overland in old-time covered wagons. They owned a horse that made the three trips. Upon their second trip they purchased a farm in Pleasant Valley township, later buying a farm in Illyria township, where they spent the re- maining years of their lives. Wilder M. Mattocks made his home on the farm with his parents until he married Anna E. Henderson, just previous to the commencement of the Civil war, about 1860. In 1862 he proved his patriot- ism.by enlisting in Company H, Thirty-eighth Iowa Infantry. He had two brothers and three brothers-in-law, who served throughout the war, all enlist- ing from Fayette county, but not in the same regiment. They all lived to re- turn home after the war; only one of them was wounded, W. B. Warner, of Clermont, at the battle of Fort Donelson. The elder Mattocks bought a farm
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during or just previous to the Civil war in Illyria township. After return- ing from the army, he lived on this farm until about 1872, when he sold out and bought a farm near Hawkeye, where Mrs. Mattocks died in March, 1873, leaving four children, one having died in infancy. About 1875 he sold out and moved to his mother's farm in Illyria township, which he bought at the death of his mother and on which he spent the rest of his life. This farm, consisting of eighty acres in section II, was one of the best improved in this locality. Upon the death of the elder Mattocks, his sons, W. D. and John H., purchased the place, which they managed successfully until the summer of 1902 when they sold it.
Wilder M. Mattocks was a member of West Union Post of the Grand Army of the Republic. He was not a public man, but took much interest in the welfare of his community. His death occurred in 1899. To Mr. and Mrs. Wilder M. Mattocks the following children were born: Elvira is the wife of J. C. Curtis, of Jennings, Oklahoma ; Allie E. is the wife of John John- son, of near Gunder, Clayton county, Iowa; John H., of this review ; William D. lives on a farm near Wadena, Iowa.
The parents of Wilder M. Mattocks, Daniel G. and Elizabeth (Hahn) Mattocks, were both natives of Pennsylvania, the former dying about 1872, the latter surviving until about 1882. Of the nine children born to them, five are still living, namely : Mrs. Adelia Warner, of Clermont, Iowa; Mrs. Aurelia Payne, of Wall Lake, Iowa; Mrs. Elmina Babcock, of Idaho; Jason lives in Portland, Oregon; Ross lives at Jennings, Oklahoma.
John H. Mattocks, of this sketch, made his home with his father until he was fifteen years of age, at which time he began life for himself as a farm hand, working out part of the time and for his father part of the time until the age of twenty years, when he began work for himself. The first land he or his brothers owned was the home farm of eighty acres, which they bought in 1900. They sold out in 1902 and in 1903 they bought one hundred and ninety-seven acres in sections 26 and 27. Illyria township. In 1909 John H. sold his interest to his brother and bought one hundred and thirty-eight acres, known as the Gilson farm, fifty-six acres in section 6, Illyria township, the balance in section 31, Pleasant Valley township. He is a very painstaking farmer and keeps his place well improved and he deserves to rank among the leading agriculturists of the county, for he is always fully abreast of the times.
Politically, Mr. Mattocks is a Republican, but in county politics he votes independently. Fraternally, he belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Lodge No. 723, of Wadena, also the Modern Woodmen of America.
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On February 24, 1909, he married Ida A. Rothlisberger, who was born . October 15, 1871, in this township. She is the daughter of Simon and Eliza- beth (Neuenschwander) Rothlisberger, natives of Switzerland. Mr. and Mrs. Mattocks have no children.
FRIEDERICH VAGTS.
The agricultural interests of Dover township are well represented by the subject of this review, who is one of the practical and enterprising farmers of his section of Fayette county. Like many other successful self-made men of Iowa, he is an American by adoption only, being a native of Germany, from whence came so much of the bone and sinew of this great western republic. Wherever known the German type is noted for thrift and enterprise, the sub- ject of this mention being no exception to this rule.
Friederich Vagts was born in Germany on February 14, 1852, and is a son of John and Anna (Pape) Vagts, also natives of the Fatherland and who never left their native community. The subject was reared by his parents and secured his education in the schools of his native land. At the age of eighteen years he came to the United States, locating in Winneshiek county, Iowa, where he was employed at farm work. In 1878 he came to Dover township, Fayette county, locating on the farm on which he now resides, just south of Eldorado. His original farm comprised eighty-eight and a half acres, but as he has prospered he has added to his landed possessions until his present holdings amount to four hundred acres, all located in this township. He has been a hard worker and has carried on a diversified system of agriculture, in connection with which he has engaged extensively in stock business, raising cattle and hogs, the latter being thoroughbred Poland-China. . He has made many permanent and substantial improvements on the place, which has been maintained at a high standard of efficiency and productiveness, so that he has been enabled to realize a maximum of results in return for his labor.
In 1879 Mr. Vagts was united in marriage with Rosa Schatz, the daugh- ter of Lawrence Schatz, a native of Germany, and to them have been born the following children: Subenia (Mrs. H. Gross), Emma (Mrs. W. Lanes), Fritz, Freda, Evalt and Lawrence, the four last named being at home assisting in the operation of the farm.
Politically, Mr. Vagts is a stanch adherent of the Republican party and is rendering efficient service as a member of the board of school directors.
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Religiously, he is a member of the Lutheran church, to which he gives an earn- est and liberal support. Mr. Vagts deserves much credit for what he has accomplished. He has been a hard worker and has succeeded despite early disadvantages, until today he is one of the county's most representative agri- culturists. He enjoys an extensive acquaintance throughout this part of the county and is held in high esteem because of his sterling character and honesty of his motives.
Lawrence Schatz, father of Mrs. Vagts, was born in Germany and came to the United States in the fifties, locating first in Pennsylvania. Eventually he moved to Lawrenceburg, Indiana, where he was variously employed. In 1868 he came to Iowa, settling where his son, George Schatz, now resides. After residing at different places, he settled in Eldorado, but subsequently went to Oregon, and then to California where he resided for a time. Eventually he returned to Eldorado, where his death occurred. Mr. Schatz was a soldier on behalf of his adopted country during the Civil war, enlisting in 1862 in an Indiana command. Near the close of the war he was wounded in the neck and spent some time in a hospital, after which he returned to his home. He was a man of splendid personal qualities and enjoyed a high standing wherever he lived.
C. F. BECKER.
The most elaborate history is necessarily an abridgment, the historian being compelled to select his facts and materials from a multitude of details. So in every life of honor and usefulness the biographer finds no dearth of in- cident, and yet in summing up the career of any man the writer needs touch only the most salient points, giving only the keynote of the character, but elim- inating much that is superfluous. Consequently, in calling the reader's at- tention to the life record of the worthy gentleman whose name heads this para- graph no attempt shall be made to recount all the important acts in his useful life, nor recite every interesting incident in his commendable career, for it is deemed that only a few of them will suffice to show him to be eminently worthy of a place in this volume along with his fellows of high standing and recognized worth.
C. F. Becker, the well-known and well-liked cashier of the Citizens State Bank at Elgin, Fayette county, was born two and one-fourth miles east of Arlington, Fairfield township, this county, on July 30, 1860, and he is the son of Frederick and Sophia ( Miller) Becker, an honored and influential family of
C. F. BECKER.
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that place, the father having been born in Gutenberg, Germany, and the mother at Eospringer, Baden, Germany. The father came to America when only fourteen years of age, unaccompanied, located first at Cleveland, Ohio, where he remained three years, then came to Fayette county, Iowa, where he soon got a good start and he has since resided continuously in this county, now having a good farm and a very pleasant home. His wife was seventeen years old when she came to the United States, having accompanied her brother here, they coming direct to Fayette county, Iowa, and here she grew to ma- turity, received her education and met and married Mr. Becker.
C. F. Becker received the advantages of a liberal education, having at- tended the common schools of his native community, later taking a preparatory course at the Upper Iowa University at Fayette and then attended the academy at Iowa City. Deciding on a business career, after having worked at farming on the home place during the summers of many years, he went to Pough- keepsie, New York, and took a commercial course, graduating there with an excellent record in 1882. He soon afterward returned to Fayette county, Iowa, then went to Grand Island, Nebraska, where he clerked for some time, then came to Clermont, Iowa, and clerked there about eight years, then in September, 1892, he became cashier of the Citizens' State Bank at Elgin, Fay- ette county, and has continued to worthily and satisfactorily discharge the duties of that responsible position to the present time, the numerous patrons of this popular bank ever finding him obliging and courteous and well qualified by education and innate ability to fill such an important place. He has been very successful in a business way and he is a stockholder and treasurer of the Elgin Canning Company, a large and growing concern of this place.
Mr. Becker was married on May 13, 1885, to Alice A. Ford, of an ex- cellent and well established family at Clermont, this county, where she was reared and educated and where she has a wide circle of friends. To Mr. and Mrs. Becker the following interesting family has been born: Ray A. gradu- ated from the medical department of the Iowa State University in 1910, where he made an excellent record and is exceptionally well equipped for his chosen calling. Harry F. Becker is living on his father's farm, devoting his attention to agriculture; Clarence and Lewis F. are also members of the fam- ily circle.
Fraternally, Mr. Becker is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, the chapter of Royal Arch Masons, and also the Legion of Honor. Politically, he is a Republican and he has been school director of his district
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for many years. No man in this part of the county stands higher in public esteem than Mr. Becker, having always led a life of uprightness and been strictly honest in all the relations of life, besides aiding in any way possible the advancement of his community.
DANIEL PROCTOR.
For many years the farmer was apparently downtrodden and oppressed. He seemed to be exploited by every capitalist and middleman ; poverty was his lot; he was in the rut, seemingly never to get anywhere else. Now, how different his position. Bountiful crops and the increasing needs of the coun- try have placed the farmer in a situation where he is envied by all. Prices are high, his land has doubled in value; his barns are overflowing and the farmers are today the most independent class in the country.
Daniel Proctor was born in Summit county, Ohio, September 14, 1848, the son of Nathan R. Proctor, born July 24, 1820, at Ames, Athens county, Ohio, and Lucy Ann (Perkins) Proctor, born at Northampton, Portage county, Ohio. His father married, for his second wife, Susan Collins, who was born at Charleston, Portage county, Ohio. His paternal grandparents were Henry Proctor, born April 16, 1789, at Danvers, Essex county, Mas- sachusetts, and Electa (Rice) Proctor, born at Brookfield, Worcester county, Massachusetts, April 8, 1790. His father was educated in the public schools, and followed farming. He came west in 1854 and located on the farm which Daniel now owns, which he improved and made his home on until his death. In 1862 he enlisted in Company G, Thirty-eighth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and served, among other campaigns, at the siege of Vicksburg. He died at Camp Carlton, New Orleans, of fever. Nearly half of his company died the same way. He was a brave and efficient soldier. He reared two chil- dren, Daniel and one daughter.
Daniel Proctor was educated in the home schools, and has always lived on the old homestead, which he has improved greatly and added to until it now consists of one hundred and twenty acres. Like the wisest farmers, he devotes his farm largely to livestock and makes a specialty of hogs and dairying. He was married April 20, 1873, to Mary McFadden, daughter of Thomas McFadden, of Fayette county. They are the parents of eight chil- dren : Lucy E., Lillie M., Kate E., Charles R., Mertie (deceased), Henry F., Pearl S. and Lyle M.
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