USA > Iowa > Fayette County > Past and present of Fayette County, Iowa, Volume II > Part 28
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Mr. Wilson was married in October, 1871, in Massachusetts, to Catherine Garvey, who was born in Ireland, the daughter of John and Mary Garvey, who spent their lives in that country. Mrs. Wilson grew to ma- turity and was educated in her native country, coming to America in 1866. She worked in New York City for one year, then went to Massachusetts, where she lived for a period of seven years with one private family. This union has resulted in the birth of the following children: Mary J., now Mrs. Fremont Ogle, of Illyria township, Fayette county; William is living at home; Isabelle married Melburn Riche, living in Oelwein; Robert, who is living at home with his father, married Ruth Conner; Alice married John Winkler, living in Illyria township; Katie is a stenographer in Grundy Center, Iowa; John married Della Kohler, of Pleasant Valley township, this county; Anna married Thomas Howard, also of Pleasant Valley town- ship; Charlotte married Hugh Conner, living in Pleasant Valley township. In 1900 Mr. Wilson returned to Ireland with his oldest son, starting in May and returning in August, same year.
Mrs. Robert Wilson is a member of the Catholic church. Politically, Mr. Wilson is a Republican. He has been trustee of his township for a period of four years and has been school director for a period of nine or ten years. He has been very faithful in the discharge of his duties in these offices, and the fact that he has been retained so long is evidence of his high standing in the community and of the explicit confidence his fellow men repose in him.
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FAYETTE COUNTY, IOWA.
MISS CARRIE J. DOANE.
No doubt the many friends and admirers of the estimable and well known lady whose name introduces this biographical review will be glad to learn more of her life record than a mere casual acquaintance could elicit, for she has long been an important factor in social and educational circles of the county and is the representative of a fine old family. Carrie J. Doane, of Fairfield township, Fayette county, was born in this community, April 24, 1864, and is the daughter of George L. and Sarah A. (Bullock) Doane, the father a native of Brookfield, Massachusetts, born April 30, 1825, and died. after a life replete with honor and success, on November 25, 1908. The mother, a native of Kinderhook, New York, was born June 9, 1827, and died November 17, 1908, preceding her husband to the silent land only a few days, after a long and happy journey together down life's royal path. They had often expressed the wish that they might be taken away simultaneously, so the good angel set the seal upon their life records practically at the same time, and they are sleeping the sleep of the just in Taylorsville cemetery. They were married in New York state, February 25, 1847, and they began their married life there. Although Mr. Doane was a railroad civil engineer, he lived on a fruit farm and devoted considerable time to its cultivation. remaining there until 1855, when he and his family, consisting of his wife and four children, emigrated to Fayette county, Iowa, and located on the farm where they continued to live the rest of their lives.
Carrie J. Doane grew to womanhood on the home place, where she still lives, and which she manages in a very satisfactory and successful manner, being a woman of good business ability and sound judgment. She keeps the place well improved and it yields abundant harvests annually. The place consists of one hundred and forty acres, which lies adjoining the former site of Taylorsville, and an upper room in the present Doane residence was used as a hall for the transaction of town business, Mr. Doane also maintained the postoffice in his dwelling, having been postmaster for some time. Being a notary public, he did a great deal of legal business and was a prominent and influential man in the affairs of this locality. He was a public spirited citizen and well known throughout the county. He was very precise in all he did and was considered a model farmer, and he gave much attention to the setting out and symmetrical arrangement of shrubbery about the place, always keep- ing beautiful surroundings, which now has the appearance of a fine old land- mark and pioneer homestead. He was a man of esthetic tastes, being a great lover of flowers and kept many choice varieties, in which he took a great
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deal of pride. He was also an ardent admirer of good livestock and kept the best varieties obtainable in this country, being a good judge of stock and knowing well how to care for them. He also kept a good grade of poultry. He was a well read man and informed on all leading questions and issues of the day, besides being familiar with important historical matters. He was an excellent conversationalist and, being hospitable, numerous visitors delighted to call at his hearthstone, where they ever found a hearty welcome and good cheer prevailing. Politically, he was a Republican and kept well informed on political matters, taking considerable interest in local affairs.
Mr. and Mrs. George L. Doane were the parents of nine children, five of whom are living, namely: Charlotte, wife of C. Deming, of this county ; Frances A., wife of A. Walrath, of Albion, Nebraska; she is a graduate in music and for many years has been successfully engaged in teaching; she is the mother of one son, Guy O., born in 1871, a farmer near Albion, Nebraska, and he has three sons, Duane E., Marian and Kermett. Leland L. lives in Oakdale, California; Roy A. lives in Scotia, Nebraska; Carrie J., of this re- view ; those deceased are Kossuth C., Emma L., who was Mrs. Pilsbury ; Hat- tie L., who was Mrs. Stevenson; Velma E., who was Mrs. Walrath. Leland L. is a mine promoter and has one son, who is a very successful physician at Del Norte, Colorado. A daughter, who is the wife of Mark Latham, is an accomplished musician and a successful teacher of the art. She has one son, Roy A., who owns a horse ranch in Scotia, Nebraska. He is the father of a daughter, Carrie B.
After completing the course in the home common schools, Carrie J. Doane graduated from the high school at Fremont, also the Fremont Normal, studied the French and German there, becoming well educated, and she spent, with the exception of two years, twenty years teaching in the graded schools of Fremont, during which time she established a reputation as one of the best teachers in the county and took high rank among others of her profession in this section of the state, being well equipped, both mentally and temperament- ally, for her chosen calling, and was unusually popular with both pupil and patron. She has always been a student and kept abreast of modern thought and familiar with the world's best literature. She has accomplished a great deal in elevating the standard of education in Dodge county, Nebraska.
Miss Doane's paternal grandparents, Reuben and Hannah (Slayton) Doane, were natives of New England, the former a sea captain who reached the advanced age of eighty-four years, his wife dying when seventy-seven years old. They were the parents of eleven children, of whom George L .. father of Carrie J. Doane, was the youngest in order of birth. Jacob and
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FAYETTE COUNTY, IOWA.
Mary (Dakin) Bullock were the maternal grandparents of Miss Doane, They were natives of the state of New York, Mr. Bullock dying when a com- paratively young man, Mrs. Bullock dying in 1869. They were the parents of six children, Mrs. Sarah A. Doane being the second in order of birth.
PETER B. WEBER.
Among the well known and highly respected residents of Oelwein, Fay- ette county, is Peter B. Weber, who, after an active and useful life, is now living in his comfortable home at Oelwein. Mr. Weber was born in 1850 in that county in Pennsylvania which Abraham Lincoln once called the "state of Allegheny." He is the son of Anton and Hannah M. Weber, respected farming people of that locality. The subject was reared on the paternal farm- stead and secured a fair education in the public schools of the home neighbor- hood. He remained at home until he was about twenty-one years old, when he went to Ohio, where he remained less than a year, going then to Daven- port, Iowa, where he was employed a short time. In 1877 he came to Oel- wein, it being then a village of about four hundred population, and here he has since lived. During the first year after his arrival here he was in the employ of H. D. Manning, and during the following five years he was en- gaged in farming on shares. About the first of March, 1883, he moved to Oelwein and worked at the carpenter's trade during the following six or seven years. He was a proficient workman and had a hand in the erection of many of the best and largest buildings in Oelwein. While employed at this labor, Mr. Weber met with an accident, from the effects of which he lost an eye and the sight of the other one was impaired, rendering it impossible for him to continue work at his trade. Since that time he has lived in his comfortable and attractive residence in Oelwein. He has lived here many years and has been an eye witness of the wonderful development which has characterized this section of the county. He has at all times enjoyed the respect and con- fidence of those who know him, because of the splendid personal traits of character which have been displayed in his daily life.
In 1878 Mr. Weber was united in the holy bonds of matrimony with Indiana S. Ross, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Ross, and to this union were born two children, Albert R. and Ray S. The former is married to Maude Martin, of Oelwein, and they are the parents of two children, Ernest Martin and Myrtle May. Albert is a locomotive engineer in the employ of
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the Great Western railway and makes his home at Clarion, Iowa. Ray, who married Lizzie Lee, lives in Oelwein, where he is employed in the passenger department of the Great Western shops. Mrs. Indiana Weber died on March 28, 1883, and on the 3d day of January, 1889, Mr. Weber married Mary E. Fairley, of this county, and a daughter of Robert Fairley, who came from. his native state, Indiana, to Fayette county in 1854. Religiously Mr. and Mrs. Weber are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and their daily life is entirely consistent with their religious professions. Their son Ray and wife belong to the Baptist church.
The most elaborate history is perforce a merciless abridgment, the historian being compelled to select his facts and materials from manifold de- tails, and this applies particularly to the department of biography. In every life of honor and usefulness there is no dearth of incident, and yet in summing up the career of any man the writer must needs touch only the more salient points, giving the keynote of the character but eliminating all that is super- flous to the continuity of the narrative.
JAMES R. CRAWFORD.
One of the brave boys in blue who, when the tocsin of war sounded on the distant fields of the Southland, left the parental roof-tree while yet a mere lad and offered his life, if need be, for the perpetuation of the Union, was James R. Crawford, one of the best known and highly honored residents of Fairfield township, Fayette county, and there are many reasons why we should honor him and give him proper recognition in the history of this locality as we shall see by a perusal of the following paragraphs.
Mr. Crawford was born July 3, 1844, in Medina county, Ohio, and is the son of James and Phoebe (Hartman) Crawford, also natives of the Buckeye state, where they grew to maturity and were married about 1825. Some twenty years later they moved to Jefferson county, Wisconsin, where they re- mained three years, then, in a covered wagon, they made the overland trip to Fayette county, Iowa, having been drawn here by an ox team. They brought with them a cow and heifer and a swine, and when Mr. Crawford paid for a farm of one hundred and forty acres, located three-fourths mile north of Arlington, he had twenty-five cents left in his pocket. He remained on this farm for thirty years and became well established, then moved into Arlington where he lived six years, after which he moved to the state of
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Washington, where his death occurred at the age of eighty-two years, ten months and thirteen days, his birth having occurred on July 9, 1805 ; his wife was born August 18, 1806, and she died on January 3, 1892. Mr. Crawford was well known and highly respected by a large circle of friends. For many years he was justice of the peace, during which time he married many couples. He was a Democrat politically. He and his wife were the parents of ten children, of whom seven are living, namely: Leonard; Susan is the wife of D. Sweet; Matilda A. is the wife of George Hotelling; Jasper N .; Annie is the wife of H. Hull; Jacob B. and James R. Those deceased are Elizabeth, who married a Mr. White : Wilson and Sophronia.
James R. Crawford, of this review, spent his boyhood at home and when only fifteen years of age he enlisted in the regular army, having but a very limited education, and he was assigned to the Sixteenth United States In- fantry. He saw some hard service, having taken part in thirty-two engage- ments, some of the more important being Shiloh, Fort Donelson, Corinth, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga. In the last named battle his regiment began with sixteen hundred and fifty men and came out with thirty-seven, and Gen- eral Thomas cried when he reviewed the remnant of this brave body of men. Other engagements in which Mr. Crawford took part were Lookout Moun- tain, Missionary Ridge, Jonesboro, with Sherman on his march to the sea. He made a very gallant soldier, according to his comrades, and he received an honorable discharge on December 15, 1864, having served three years. Although he was in many hotly contested fights he received only two slight scratches from bullets, one on the leg and one on the hand.
After his army career, Mr. Crawford returned home and in a short time went to Missouri, where he remained three years, then returned to Fayette county, Iowa, and was married, in 1871, to Lucena S. Robbins, daughter of Rev. O. R. and Alzina (Wetmore) Robbins of this county. Her father was born in New York, December 10, 1810, and her mother was born in Vermont. October 28, 1810. They were married in Michigan when Mr. Robbins was twenty-one years of age, and they came to Iowa in 1855 and located on a farm adjoining Arlington, his home having been near the first house built in the town, then known as Mowtown (Charles Mow having built the first house there ; the name was later changed to Brush Creek). Rev. Mr. Robbins de- voted his time almost exclusively to the ministry of the United Brethren church, and he married many of the people of those early days in this county. His death occurred in 1889 and that of his wife in 1885. They did a great deal of good among the pioneers and were well known and greatly admired. They are both buried in the cemetery at Taylorsville. Eight children were
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born to them, two of whom are living, Lewis E., of Oklahoma, and Lucena, the wife of Mr. Crawford; those deceased are, Ralph, Harriet, Willie, Maria L., Mortimer and Abbie S. Mrs. Crawford's grandfather was a physician in Brooklyn, New York, and lived to the remarkable age of one hundred and four years.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Crawford began life on a rented farm, then moved on his father's farm, where they lived three years. They pur- chased twenty acres in section 16. which they later added to until they now have a splendid farm of two hundred and twenty-three acres in this section. which has been well improved and under a high state of cultivation, this hav- ing been Mr. Crawford's home for the past thirty years, and he has been a citizen of this township for sixty-two years, therefore he is well known and has taken a leading part in the development of this locality. It is interesting to hear his reminiscences of the county's growth from its wild state in which it was during his boyhood to the present, when it ranks with the most prosper- ous of the great Hawkeye state. He likes to talk of his forefathers, all men of sterling worth, and pioneers who did a good work, like himself, wherever they located. The name James has been a favorite in this family, himself and his son bearing that name, and his father and grandfather were also named James. The grandfather was a soldier in the war of 1812. The great- grandfather, also named James, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. Thus, for several generations members of this worthy family have been ready to offer their services in defense of their country whenever occasion demanded. Politically, Mr. Crawford is a Democrat, while his fraternal relations are with the Grand Army of the Republic.
Mr. Crawford has three sons who remain with him on the farm; they are energetic and enterprising young men and are much interested in the farm, in which they are very successful. The ten children born to Mr. and Mrs. James Crawford are named as follows: Irene, born in November, 1897, lived about ten months; Nina P., born April 20, 1872; R. Ross, born December 19, 1874; James J., born January 18, 1877; Willie V., born June 27, 1880; Francis M., born May 8, 1883 ; Harry H., born November 26, 1885 : Jessie J., born January 26, 1889; Lucile M., born August 21, 1894; Victor B., born August 10, 1889. Francis M. was married on March 3, 1908, to Hyda Wieshedel, daughter of Henry Wieshedel, of Fayette county, and they are the parents of a daughter, Enid A., born December 28, 1909. Harry H. was married, also on March 3, 1908, to Edith Brooks, daughter of Earl Brooks, of this county, and they have a son, Earl H., born May 20, 1910.
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FAYETTE COUNTY, IOWA.
JOHN BRACKIN.
Among the citizens of Fayette county, Iowa, who have builded up a comfortable home and surrounded themselves with large landed and per- sonal property, none has attained a higher degree of success than the subject of this sketch. With few opportunities except what his own efforts were capable of mastering and with many discouragements to overcome, he has made an exceptional success of life, and in his old age has the gratification of knowing that the community in which he has resided has been benefited by his presence and counsel.
John Brackin is descended from Scotch ancestors, though his father, Cornelius Brackin, was born in Ireland. The latter came to the United States in 1818, locating first in Pennsylvania. About ten years later he moved to Ohio, where he followed the pursuit of agriculture, which was his life work. When he went to Ohio that section of the country was extremely wild and very sparsely settled, he being numbered among the pioneers of the Buckeye state. He applied himself closely to the cultivation of his farm and the comfort of his home, and in 1852, in the hope of bettering his con- dition, he started for Iowa. On the way he was stricken with cholera and died in the home of a Mr. Singer, his remains being buried at Elkader. He was an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church and in his Ohio home he was highly esteemed by all who knew him. The subject's mother was born in Ireland and her death occurred in Carroll county, Ohio, at the age of eighty-two years. To these parents were born nine children, as follows : Anna, born in Ireland, deceased; Jane, deceased, as are the next four born, Margaret, Richard, Eliza and Henry; John, the subject of this sketch; Mrs. Rebecca Toup, who lives in Ohio; Cornelius, deceased.
John Brackin was born in Jefferson county, Ohio, July 31, 1835, and remained in the Ohio home of the family until he was twenty years old, at which age he came to Iowa. He attended the schools of Jefferson county and also attended one term after coming West. His education was some- what limited owing to the primitive methods and equipment of those early days, but he is a man of strong natural mental ability and has been a close observer and a persistent reader, so that today he is considered a well informed man on general topics. On his arrival in Iowa he was the possessor of a valise and a little money. His first business venture was the purchase of a land warrant, the property being located in Sioux City, this state. He walked all the way to that city to have the land entered. He also obtained land in O'Brien county, and this he traded for eighty acres of land in Fay-
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MRS. SARAH BRACKIN.
JOHN BRACKIN.
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ette county, that being the land on which he now resides. On his return trip from Sioux City, which was also made afoot, going from Sac into Cal- houn county, on the way to Twin Lakes, he was caught in a blizzard about nine o'clock in the forenoon and for many hours he was completely lost. He dared not stop to rest or sleep for fear the wolves would attack and kill him, but finally reached a small grove. He arrived at Twin Lakes about two o'clock the following afternoon. He was then almost exhausted and his ex- perience at that time was one which he would not care to repeat. He promptly went to work to improve his Fayette county land and put it in cultivation and during the following years he was prospered to a gratifying degree in his operations. As he was able he commenced to add to his landed possessions until today he is the owner of seven hundred and sixty acres of as fine land as can be found in this part of the state. All of this has been gained by hard work and good management and now Mr. Brackin is numbered among the most successful farmers of the county. He has built one of the most at- tractive and comfortable homes in the community and the general appear- ance of the property indicates the owner to be a man of excellent taste and sound judgment. He has carried on a general line of farming, raising all the crops common to this section of the country and in connection with the tilling of the soil he has also given some attention to the breeding and raising of livestock, in which also he has been successful.
On January 16, 1864, Mr. Brackin was united in marriage to Sarah E. Butler, who was born in Lawrence county, Illinois, January 31, 1846, the daughter of Joseph Butler, the family having originally come from Ohio. Of their seven children, Mrs. Brackin was the sixth in order of birth. To Mr. and Mrs. Brackin have been born twelve children, namely: Rebecca Jane is the wife of Daniel Brause, of Union township, this county, and they have four children ; Cornelius E., deceased; Clara Belle is the wife of Aug Brause, of Pleasant Valley township, this county, and they have two children; Wil- liam Henry remains at home; Maggie May is the wife of W. A. Werry, of Oklahoma, and they are the parents of three children; Edna Louise is the wife of Fred Layman, of Laporte City, Iowa; John B., of Pleasant Val- ley township, married Louisa Miller and they have two children; Jessie is the wife of William Miller, of near Clermont, this county, and they have one child; Benjamin Harrison, at home; Richard, at home; Edith and Sarah died in infancy.
In politics Mr. Brackin is a stanch Republican and has taken an active interest in local public affairs. He was honored by his fellow citizens with
(63)
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the election to the office of township trustee, and so entirely satisfactory were his services in this capacity that he has, all told, served twenty years in this office, his last term having expired in 1908. He has also given efficient service as school director of the township and in other ways he has evinced a commendable interest in the welfare of the community. Fraternally he is a member of the Masonic order, in which he has taken the degrees up to and including those of Knight Templar. Mrs. Brackin is a member of the Ma- sons' auxiliary order, the Eastern Star. Mrs. Brackin is a lady of many splendid womanly graces and is well liked in the social circles in which she moves. Both of her grandmothers were cousins to Jefferson Davis, ex- president of the Southern Confederacy. Mr. Brackin, though well advanced in years, still retains his vigor to a remarkable degree and takes an intelli- gent interest in the happenings of the day. Shrewd and far-sighted, he has ably managed his private business affairs and today is numbered among the most successful men of Fayette county.
CHARLES A. TALCOTT.
In order to gain an interesting experience in life it is better not to fol- low too closely one trade or profession, for by so doing one often becomes narrow, loses interest in outside things, and knows nothing but his occupa- tion. How much more exciting and varied a life is that of the man who fol- lows many occupations, and who, despite old adages to the contrary, quite often finishes life with greater honor and affluence than the man who has confined himself to one trade.
Charles A. Talcott was born in Burk township, Dane county, Wis- consin, September 10, 1848, the son of FitzHenry Talcott, of Madison, Ohio, and Almira (Nye) Talcott, of Painesville, Ohio, who were married in Erie county, Pennsylvania. FitzHenry and his wife came west in 1842 or '43, and for a time he combined the occupations of teaching and farming. In 1857 he went to Columbia county, Wisconsin, and farmed there till 1863, when he removed to Highland township, Clayton county, Iowa. Here he rented land for three years and then moved to a two-hundred-acre farm of wild land, four miles north of Wadena, which he had previously bought. He improved this land and made a home there, and later moved east of Maynard. where he died. His wife died in June, 1866, and he subsequently married
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