USA > Iowa > Fayette County > Past and present of Fayette County, Iowa, Volume II > Part 27
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HENRY SMITH.
The family of this name in Fayette county is of German origin. The founder was Hans Smith, who came to the United States in 1868. In the old country he had married Elizabeth Shipper and when they came over had two children. They tarried awhile in New York City, and then went up the Hudson river to Hudson City, where all hands obtained employment. After a short stay of two months, however, the emigrants decided to push farther west. Henry Smith, the only son, who was born in Germany in 1851, pushed on alone to Cary, Illinois, and his parents and sister came shortly afterward. They rented a farm and Henry worked for one summer in a Chicago lumber yard, the year after the fire. Returning to Cary, he worked by the month until his marriage. This occurred December 9, 1875, his bride being Mar- cella, daughter of John and Julia (Donavan) Daley, who were natives of Dublin, but married in America. When she was seven weeks old, Mrs. Smith went with her parents to Elgin, Illinois, where her father became a farmer. After his marriage Henry Smith went to Texas and settled on one hundred sixty acres of school land in Wise county. After remaining there nearly two years, he went to Ripley county, Missouri, later to Fayette county, where he worked for awhile on a farm in Dover township. Next he rented a place and eventually bought the John Hopper farm, where J. Knud- son now lives. This purchase was made in 1883, the tract including two hun- dred ten acres, and on this he lived for six years. He then purchased the farm where he now resides, besides keeping forty acres of his old place. His present farm consists of one hundred forty acres, which has grown from one hundred twenty since March, 1889, when he made his first purchase. He farms in a general way, raising all the cereal crops adapted to the sec-
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tion, besides some livestock for his own use. He has four children: John re- sides two and a half miles east of Wadena, Clayton county, and is a farmer ; Liza married Elmer Anderson ; Clara is now Mrs. John Rowland and George is at home. Mr. Smith was reared a Lutheran. His wife is a member of the Evangelical church.
Mr. Smith is a man of influence in his community. Though usually vot- ing the Republican ticket, he is liberal and progressive and has the confidence of voters of all parties. This is proven by the fact that he has been elected and repeatedly re-elected to the important position of township trustee. This office he has held for many years and during all that time he has discharged the duties of the office with the greatest integrity and most scrupulous hon- esty. His books are always open for inspection and the sharpest-eyed account- ant cannot find anything wrong with them to the fraction of a cent. When the Burrock Creamery was organized, in 1894, Mr. Smith was picked out for the responsible duties of secretary and proved to be the right man in the right place. His knowledge of farming and practical experience with cows made him a good judge in all matters relating to creameries and he gave the company the full benefit of his judgment. This venture, however, was not found satisfactory and it was abandoned in 1901 ; two years previously, how- ever, Mr. Smith had resigned. As a farmer, Mr. Smith belongs to the class described as safe and conservative. He takes no risks, does no speculating, but pursues the even tenor of his way for the purpose of accomplishing his results. In the business world he stands high, his credit is first-class, and in all respects he is entitled to the name of being a model citizen.
CHARLES ALONZO HUSBAND.
Among the public spirited citizens of Fayette county who have finished their earthly labors and gone to their reward, few were as well known or as highly esteemed as the broad minded scholar and enterprising business man whose name introduces this review. Charles 'Alonzo Husband, late of Waucoma, where for some years he was a member of the firm of Burn- side & Husband, was born August 6, 1851, in Washington county, Iowa, and spent his childhood and youth in the town of Crawfordsville, where his parents, William C. and Anna (Viall) Husband, natives of Pennsylvania, were then living. When fourteen years old he accompanied his father and mother upon their removal to Sumner, Bremer county, this state. where
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he grew to manhood, in the meantime receiving an elementary education in the public schools and later the Upper Iowa University at Fayette, from which he was graduated in 1879 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. Pre- vious to finishing his studies in that institution he taught at Fayette and while thus engaged devoted a part of his vacations to the drug business, in which he acquired much more than ordinary proficiency and skill. With money earned by teaching and working in a drug store he defrayed the ex- penses of his college course and after receiving his degree was chosen princi- pal of the public schools of Fayette, which position he filled with marked ability and credit as long as he continued in educational work.
In 1880 Mr. Husband came to Waucoma as clerk with the drug firm of Bullock & Whitney, in whose employ he continued until purchasing an interest in the business and a few years later he became associated with J. M. Burnside in the same line of trade, the firm of Burnside & Husband last- ing until the subject's lamented death.
Mr. Husband was a diligent student, a profound thinker and a close ob- server, and during his active years he became familiar with many subjects and achieved considerable distinction as a scholar. He made a specialty of pharmacy and became an expert. He was often consulted as an authority on matters relating to the same. In connection with his business and pro- fessional interests, he devoted considerable attention to agriculture and stock raising, for which he manifested a decided liking, and for some years prior to his death derived great satisfaction from his farm, where he spent nearly all of his leisure time. Mr. Husband's habits and tastes naturally led him to investigate all matters coming before the people and few were as well informed as he on the questions and issues of the times. He was always in touch with current events and kept his fingers on the pulse of modern thought and, as a Republican, wielded a strong influence for his party, as an adviser in its councils, as a leader in the ranks and as a delegate to various municipal, county and state conventions, in all of which his voice was heard and his influence felt. He was an active member of the Masonic fraternity, serving his lodge in various official capacities, and by all laudable means at his com- mand assisted in building up the town in which he resided and never lost interest in the social and moral welfare of his fellow men.
Mr. Husband's domestic life commenced on January 3. 1882, when he entered the marriage relation with Margaret Anna Tait, whose parents, Andrew and Lillias (Lindsay) Tait, were natives of England and Scotland respectively. The grandparents (Lindsays) came to the United States and
(62)
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in the year 1853 they removed to Fayette county, Iowa, and settled near Waucoma, where they resided. Alexander Lindsay, father of Andrew, emigrated from Scotland in 1851 and settled in Illinois, removing from that state to Iowa in 1853 or '54. He married in his native land Jane Burns and on coming to this country had several children who accompanied him across the ocean. He was a farmer by occupation, and died near Waucoma at the age of sixty-five years.
Mrs. Husband spent her early life in her grandfather's home, a short distance from Waucoma, and after attending the schools of that town until completing the common branches, continued her studies. She then turned her attention to educational work and for six terms taught in the public schools of Fayette county, gaining an enviable reputation for her success in the training of children. She is a lady of intelligence, culture and refinement, popular in the social circles and a zealous member of the Congregational church, a religious body to which her husband also belonged and in which he served for some years as an official, besides taking a leading part in the erection of the present house of worship in Waucoma. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Husband was blessed with two children, Mabel, who con- ducts a millinery store in Waucoma, and Lois, a pupil in the public schools of the town.
Mr. Husband's relations with his fellow men were always honorable and above reproach and he lived a life singularly free from criticism. He stood high in the esteem of the community, being a well rounded, symmet- rically developed Christian gentleman, and his death, which occurred on the 9th day of May, 1906, was greatly deplored by all who enjoyed the favor of his acquaintance.
NICKLAUS SCHORI.
There is a class of most useful and enterprising business men who have lived on the farm until middle life, then, moving to some city, have entered business. Their training in the economy and good management required on the farm has fitted them to compete in the business world with others and to wrest from the world a goodly compensation for their work. The subject of this sketch, inheriting the blood of good, clean, honest Swiss ancestry, that is alone one of the strong factors in any man's chances in life, has by his sagacity raised himself from the position of a farm-hand to that of one of the most influential business men of the community.
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Nicklaus Schori was born in Switzerland, November 28, 1833, the son of John and Elizabeth (Spring) Schori. Nicklaus Schori came to America in 1857, going to Bedford, New York, and began working on a farm at twelve dollars a month. In the fall of the same year he came to Clermont, Iowa, making the trip from McGregor on a stage. He worked in Pleasant township for about a year, then his parents came over, in 1858, and located in Clayton county, where they bought one hundred acres and lived there sev- eral years, Nicklaus Schori remaining with them until 1864. In 1865 he married Mary Lehman (sister of John Lehman, mentioned in this work), whose death occurred on March 21, 1895. He farmed the Hedrick farm, in Clayton county, for some time, then returned to the home place for two years. Then he went to Ft. Atkinson, opened a lumber yard and operated that three years. At the expiration of that time he bought a brewery at Elgin and car- ried on that business for fifteen years, then bought the old grist mill at Elgin, followed milling for three or four years, then retired, remaining at Elgin.
Mr. Schori is the father of seven children: Rosa, deceased; Emma, deceased ; Frederick, a farmer in section 28, Pleasant Valley township ; George, Eliza, Louise, Celia, wife of Doctor Rennison. Mr. Schori is independent in politics, has been school director for many years, was on the town council, was trustee of Pleasant Valley township, and is now treasurer of Elgin. He is a Mystic Shriner and a member of all the lower Masonic bodies and in his life is a good exponent of the value of Masonic teachings. He has hosts of friends, all of whom esteem him greatly for his ability and his good qualities. In reckoning the substantial citizens of the town Mr. Schori is placed among the first.
WILLIAM ALCORN.
Fayette county owes a debt of gratitude to the large class of enterpris- ing Pennsylvanians who have located within her borders, for they are, as a rule, enterprising and public-spirited, always to be relied upon in the more serious duties of progressive civilized communities, Of this worthy class the name of William Alcorn and his parents should not be overlooked. He was born in Greenville, Pennsylvania, July 28, 1834, the son of William and Elizabeth (Calahan) Alcorn, the father spending his life there. Wil- liam Alcorn, Sr., was educated in his native state and when eighteen years of age he came to Fayette county, Iowa, and he began clerking in a store
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soon after his arrival here at Elgin. Two of his brothers, Edwin and David, also came about the same time. David was one of the early blacksmiths in West Union. William and Edwin broke the prairie sod for many of the newcomers. Edwin moved to Minnesota and later to the state of Washing- ton. David is living retired in Kentucky. William bought in all about four hundred acres of land in one body and engaged in general farming and stock raising, becoming well-to-do as a result of his large operations. He retired to West Union in October, 1904, and lived in honorable retirement until his death, July 23, 1905. He was a man of high principles and was influential and popular throughout the county. In September, 1865, he mar- ried Elizabeth Montgomery, a native of Delaware county, Iowa, but she was reared in Colesburg, this state; she was the daughter of Archibald and Elenore (Kilgore) Montgomery, both natives of Pennsylvania. They came to Delaware county, Iowa, about 1840. Mr. Montgomery spent three years in California, having made the overland trip in 1849, when the gold excite- ment began. He returned to Delaware county, Iowa, where he followed farming, owning a number of farms, aggregating in all twelve hundred acres. He entered eighty acres and bought the rest, having been a keen business man and always grasped an opportunity at the right time. Politically, he was a Democrat, and religiously, a Presbyterian. William Montgomery, a brother of Mrs. Alcorn, was a soldier in the Union army, in the Twenty- seventh Iowa Volunteer Infantry. He was sent home on a furlough and was killed while on the way. His father went after him and he was buried at home.
To Mr. and Mrs. William Alcorn eight children were born, namely : Mary J., George E., Clara E., Archie C., William J., Sallie E., Lester G., all living at this writing.
Mr. and Mrs. William Alcorn are Presbyterians, and Mr. Alcorn is a Democrat and he has long taken considerable interest in political affairs. He made the race once for representative in the Legislature. He was formerly school director. ยป
The history of Mrs. Alcorn's ancestry is an interesting one. Her ma- ternal grandfather, William Montgomery, came to Delaware county, Iowa, later went to Missouri, later returned to Iowa. He was a miller by trade. He remained with Mrs. Alcorn's father until his death. He was a sterling pioneer and a strong character, having had the distinction of fighting in the war of 1812. William Montgomery, the paternal grandfather of Mrs. Alcorn, was born in Pennsylvania in 1783, and he was taught the milling business in youth, which he followed in connection with farming all his life
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in Pennsylvania, in which state he married and reared his family. In 1837 he moved to Dubuque county, Iowa, and then came and stayed with Mrs. Alcorn's father until his death, in 1856, having survived his wife a number of years. He was the first justice of the peace in Colony township, Dela- ware county. He was a member of the Presbyterian church. Archibald Montgomery, son of William Montgomery, and father of Mrs. Alcorn, was born in Pennsylvania, October 2, 1805. In 1841 he visited Iowa and in 1842 he came with his family to Colesburg, Delaware county, Iowa. The Montgomerys were leaders in whatever community they lived.
MARTIN A. KLINGMAN.
There is always good ground for pride when a man can look back over his life and know that his success has been due to his own hard work. It is well worth while to occupy a beautiful home in the consciousness that it has been justly earned by its owner's labor; and that home is still more cherished if it is the dweller's handiwork.
Martin A. Klingman was born May 14, 1859, in Highland township. Clayton county, Iowa, the son of Lewis Klingman, formerly of Germany, and Elizabeth (Lowe) Klingman, formerly of Connecticut. Lewis Klingman came as a young man to America, located first in Ohio and then moved to Clayton county, Iowa, where he married. His life was spent at the black- smith's trade, though he was the owner of a farm. He was born in 1827, educated in Germany, and was self-educated in American ways. He retired from active labor and enjoyed the comforts of home, of which he always was a great lover, until his death, which occurred in September, 1910. The Re- publican party claims him as one of its stanchest supporters. Elizabeth Lowe was born in 1839 and died in March, 1910. She and her husband became the parents of six children: Martin A., the subject of this sketch ; Hattie, wife of J. C. Robbins, of Illyria township (see his sketch) ; Ernest, of Scott's Bluffs, Nebraska; Nellie, the 'wife of Lawrence McKeller, of Clayton county ; Edward, a barber, of Elgin, Iowa; Charles, at home.
Martin A. Klingman was educated in the home schools, and lived at home, working on the farm and in the blacksmith shop until 1883, when he got one hundred acres of land in Illyria township. On November 14, 1880, he married Malvina A. Peters, daughter of Alex W. and Margaret Mat- tocks, of Illyria township. Mr. Peters was originally of Virginia, and his
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wife of Pennsylvania. They first settled in Pleasant Valley township, then moved to Illyria, where they now reside.
Mr. Klingman, as the result of this marriage, is the father of three chil- dren : Elizabeth F., who married Frank Kohl, of West Union, is the mother of two children, Mildred and Lavon; James A., who is cultivating his father's farm, married Louise Haueisen, of West Union, and they have a son, Robert M., born April 20, 1910; Pearl A. is at home. In 1881 Mr. Kling- man lived in Clayton county, later in Winnebago county, then until 1909 re- sided in Illyria township. In 1909 he built his fine house in Wadena, where he now resides. He is extremely handy with tools and can make almost any- thing he wants to. As he is a skillful carpenter, he did most of the work on his house himself. He filled the position of school director for several years. is a Republican, and a member of the Modern Woodmen of America at Highland, Iowa. Hard work has, in his case, brought to him a liberal reward. No citizen better deserves the friendship of his neighbors than he.
FREMONT OGLE.
This gentleman is a splendid example of the successful American farmer and stock raiser. Without large capital to start with or the assistance of others, he has labored to goodly ends by persistency and honorable business methods, so that he has ever held high rank among the citizens of Fayette county, especially of Illyria township, of which he is native and where he has always maintained his home.
Fremont Ogle was born November 7, 1862, on the old homestead here, and he is the son of Joseph Ogle, of Carroll county, Ohio, who was born June 2, 1828, of Irish stock, and the son of John and Rebecca Ogle, natives of Pennsylvania, who finally moved to Ohio, where they spent the rest of their lives. Their children were Joseph, father of Fremont; Sarah Ann, who married John Lucas, is now deceased, as is also Mr. Lucas; Lizzie, who married John Boyer, is deceased; Jane, who married Michael Boyer, is also deceased.
Joseph Ogle received a common school education and grew to maturity in Carroll county, Ohio, and assisted his father to clear and improve his farm. In 1844 he married Sarah Barnhouse, of Carroll county, Ohio, daugh- ter of William and Mary (Graham) Barnhouse, the father a native of Man- chester, Virginia, and the mother of Ireland, from which country she came
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to America when twelve years of age and married in Carroll county, Ohio. They obtained raw land there which they cleared and made a good home. In 1844 they came to Fayette county, Iowa, locating three miles east of West Union, and there spent the rest of their lives. Mr. Barnhouse was a millwright by trade and he also engaged in farming. He and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. They were the parents of the following children : Franklin, who died when twenty-six years of age; Sarah, wife of Joseph Ogle; Jane, living in Nebraska, is the widow of Wil- liam Sanderson; Anna lives on the old place, and is the widow of James Ken- nedy; Irene married Gill Hazlett, of Allison, Iowa; Milton died at the age of twenty-two years, while a soldier in the Civil war; James lives east of West Union, this county; John, the fifth child in order of birth, who served through the Civil war, is engaged in the real estate business at Trinidad, Colorado.
Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Ogle, five of whom are living at this writing, namely: Marie, who married Luther Schaeffer, died February 22, 1906; Rebecca married Robert Peters and lives in Clayton county, Iowa; Mary married Scott Wickham, and lives at Silver King, Idaho; Mattie married Marshall Prouty and they live at Elkader, Iowa; Fremont, of this review; Clara married John Foster and lives at Elkader, Iowa; Willie is deceased ; Eva and Ella, twins, are deceased.
The parents of these children came overland to Fayette county, Iowa, from Ohio, being thirty-four days on the trip. They located in Illyria township and procured one hundred and sixty acres of land, on which was a small log cabin and a little clearing. They set to work with a will and soon had a very comfortable home and a well improved place which ranked with any in the community, and there Mr. Ogle died on August 28, 1899; his widow is still living on the place, at the advanced age of seventy-seven years. Joseph Ogle was always a farmer and was very successful. He was a Re- publican and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He stood well in each community where he lived.
Fremont Ogle was educated in the home schools and he has always followed farming, having spent his life on the old home place, taking charge of the same about 1889, and he has managed it in a very able manner. On December 17, 1895, he married Mary J. Wilson, who was born on October 23, 1874, in Grant county, Wisconsin, the daughter of Robert and Catherine (Garvey) Wilson, the mother born near Dublin, Ireland, and the father was of Scotch-Irish stock. The mother came to the United States in 1865 and she and Mr. Wilson were married in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. After
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living in New York City for awhile, they came West, locating in Grant county, Wisconsin, where Mr. Wilson secured a farm. In the spring of 1875 the family moved to Pleasant Valley township, Fayette county, Iowa, and bought the farm where they still live. Nine children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Wilson, namely : Mary Jane, wife of Fremont Ogle, of this review ; William is living at home ; Belle married M. Richey, of Oel- wein, Iowa; Robert married Ruth Connor and they live on a part of the old place; Alice married Hans Winkler, of Illyria township; Kate is a stenog- rapher at Grundy City, Iowa; John is a farmer in Pleasant Valley township; he married Della Kohler; Annie, who married Thomas Howard, Jr., lives in Pleasant Valley township; Lottie, who married Hugh Connor, also lives in Pleasant Valley township.
Of the children born to Mr. and Mrs. Fremont Ogle, Robert Joseph died when eight months old; John Thomas and Sarah Catherine are living.
Mr. Ogle, besides carrying on general farming, is a breeder of Poland- China and Duroc-Jersey hogs, Grundy Shorthorn cattle, Cottswold and Shropshire sheep and draft horses. Owing to his splendid knowledge of livestock and how to handle the same successfully, he is well known as a stock man in this part of the county, and his stock always find a ready mar- ket. He is the owner of a half section of good land in Clark county, South Dakota.
Politically, Mr. Ogle is a Republican and he belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America at Wadena, this county. Like his father, he is well and favorably known in this locality, his life having been led along conserva- tive lines and his conduct above cavil.
ROBERT WILSON.
In examining the records of the representative citizens of Fayette county it is found that a large number of these are natives of Ireland or descendants of people born there, and since coming here. they have shown themselves to be loyal to our institutions and whose lives are such that they are welcomed as new-comers into any community. Among this worthy class Robert Wilson, of Pleasant Valley township, is most consistently included. His birth occurred in the northern part of Ireland, August 8, 1850, and he is the son of Moses and Isabella (McClelland) Wilson, who were both born, reared, educated and died in Ireland. Robert Wilson grew to ma-
ROBERT WILSON AND FAMILY.
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turity in his native country and was educated there. When nineteen years of age he conceived the idea of bettering his condition in America and he accordingly set sail for our shores in 1869. Landing in New York City, he worked there for a period of two years in the Golden Stock Exchange. He then went to Grant county, Wisconsin, where he lived two years and engaged in farming, then came to Elgin, Pleasant Valley township, Fay- ette county, Iowa, and after working at different things for some time, took up farming again, on the ridge on which he now resides, having re- mained in this vicinity ever since. He is now the owner of two hundred acres of excellent land which is under a high state of cultivation and highly improved, ranking among the best farms in the county. He has added many substantial improvements in the course of his ownership of this place and he has an attractive home and substantial outbuildings, and has been very successful in general farming and stock raising, being an excellent manager and a hard worker. In 1905 his son and namesake became his partner in the management of the farm.
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