USA > Iowa > Fayette County > Past and present of Fayette County, Iowa, Volume II > Part 3
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Dr. John Frazer Pattison, scion of an old and prominent family, the son of Dr. Israel Pattison, who for years was one of the leading medical men of
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this county, was born in the city of Oelwein, June 3, 1874, and there he grew to maturity and was educated in the public schools. Seeking to broaden his knowledge of the world at large, young Pattison, after finishing his preparatory schooling, joined the United States navy, early in 1889, and he was thus given an opportunity to visit a large number of the interesting countries of the world, having seen India, China and Africa, spending three years in the Orient. Having entered the service at Washington, D. C., he was sent to New- port, Virginia, where he remained seven months, then was sent to the West Indies on a training ship. Returning to the United States in about three months, he was placed on a full rigged vessel (both sailing and steam), the "Lancaster," and sent on a three years' cruise around the south of Africa to Batavia, through the East Indies to Hong Kong, China, and cruised up and down in Chinese waters for a long time and returned by way of the Suez canal, the cruise taking three years and four months. After a furlough of one month, he returned to the navy and was assigned to the first-class cruiser "New York," which was then the flag-ship of Admiral Evans' fleet. From there he was placed in the school of gunnery at Washington, and there he learned all the different trades needed in making guns and accouterments. He was then sent to Newport to study electricity and diving, but his time of enlistment ex- pired before he finished his course. Many of his class-mates re-enlisted and they were sent on the "Maine" and were with that ill-starred vessel when it was blown up in Havana harbor in February, 1898.
After leaving the navy Mr. Pattison went to the medical department of the University of Buffalo and took a preparatory course in medicine, having decided to follow in the footsteps of his father in the matter of a profession. Before completing the course war was declared with Spain and he left college for the purpose of re-enlisting in the navy. He was assigned to the "New Orleans," a vessel bought from Brazil and which joined the fleet at Hampton Roads, and went to Key West, Florida, thence to Santiago, Cuba, where the "New Orleans," while on scout duty, found Cervera's fleet in Santiago harbor and reported it. After the destruction of this fleet the "New Orleans" and other ships were sent to Porto Rico, where they remained until after the close of the war. Five weeks later they were ordered home and mustered out. For faithful service and duties well performed young Pattison was given a medal by his government, his services having been indeed meritorious through the war.
After the cessation of hostilities Mr. Pattison returned home and soon entered the University of Kansas, where he completed his medical course. He returned then to Oelwein and for about three years practiced medicine in com-
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pany with his father or until the latter's death. Since then he has practiced in- dependently and he has from the first enjoyed a large and growing patronage and ranks high with the medical fraternity in northeastern Iowa. He keeps thoroughly posted on the latest discoveries in this science and, always a stu- dent, he has become profoundly versed in all phases of his profession.
In 1902 Doctor Pattison was married to Amy Beal, daughter of George Beal, who was formerly proprietor of a large laundry at Minneapolis, Minne- sota. Doctor and Mrs. Pattison have one son, Donald I.
From the time he first began practicing until July, 1909, Doctor Pattison was surgeon for the Chicago Great Western Railroad Company, he having re- signed the position. He is a member of the Masonic order, having attained the Royal Arch degree; he is also a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Modern Woodmen of America, and belongs to the county and state medical associations and the Mississippi Valley Medical As- sociation.
DILLY NELSON PATTISON, M. D.
One of the most conspicuous physicians and surgeons of the younger generation of professional men in Fayette county is Dr. Dilly Nelson Pattison, one of those estimable characters whose integrity and strong personality must force them into an admirable notoriety, which their modesty never seeks, who command the respect of their contemporaries and leave the impress of their personalities upon the period in which they live, he being one of a trio of emi- nent medical men of this old and influential family, one of the best known and most highly respected in the county.
Doctor Pattison is the second son of the late Dr. Israel Pattison and a brother of Dr. John F. Pattison, whose sketches appear on other pages of this work. He was born in Oelwein, Iowa, January 16, 1876, and his boyhood was spent in this city, where he attended the public schools. After leaving school he took a competitive examination for admission to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, and, upon the recommendation of Congressman Thomas Updegraf, was appointed as a cadet. While a student of the navy department he received instruction and training for both land and naval service and was given a long cruise on a training ship, during which time he saw land but once in three months. After leaving Annapolis he completed a course in medicine and surgery at the University of Iowa. There he was taught by able instructors, men eminent in their profession for the branches which they taught,
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and being an ardent student, his progress was rapid and he made a splendid record, receiving his diploma in 1897. Immediately thereafter he entered upon the practice of medicine and surgery in Oelwein with his father and he met with instantaneous success. For over twelve years he was surgeon for the Chicago Great Western Railroad Company at Oelwein, rendering them entire satis- faction at all times.
About 1900 he and his father and Dr. John F. Pattison, his brother, estab- lished a hospital in Oelwein for the treatment of emergency cases, which has been an institution of great benefit and has been popular and widely known, having been well patronized from the start, answering well the purpose for which it was intended, there being no other in or near Oelwein. Doctor Patti- son is especially skilled in surgery and holds high rank with the best in this part of the state.
In politics Doctor Pattison is a Republican and he takes a patriotic inter- est in public affairs of Oelwein, in which city he has very ably served as council- man and also as city physician. He is also well known in fraternal circles, being a member of the Modern Woodmen, and of the Masons, in which he has taken all the degrees up to and including the thirty-second degree, and he is also a member of the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine ; he belongs to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, of which he is past exalted ruler-in fact he is known throughout the state in fraternal circles and has long been influential in them.
In December, 1904, Doctor Pattison was united in marriage with Emma Schuknecht, of Waverly, Iowa, where her family have long been very favor- ably known. This union has been graced by the birth of two children, Dorothy Alice and Arthur Coleman. Doctor Pattison and wife are members of the Episcopal church, of which they are faithful attendants and liberal supporters.
HIRAM B. HOYT.
Few men of a past generation in Fayette county were more promi- nently identified with her business interests, her leading enterprises and did more for the general upbuilding of the community than the late Hiram B. Hoyt, who was a resident of West Union from its infancy, 1853. until his death, January 3. 1906, and he will long be remembered and highly esteemed by a host of friends here. He was born in Ridgefield. Fairfield county, Connecticut, December 17, 1830, and was the son of Daniel and
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Prua (Keeler) Hoyt. The father, born in Westchester county, New York, in November, 1806, was of English descent and he died in Vermont in the autumn of 1878. According to tradition, the Hoyt family in America is traced to three brothers who settled on the Eastern coast in colonial days, the branch to which Hiram B. Hoyt belonged being descended from the one who settled in Connecticut. The mother of Mr. Hoyt was also a native of Fairfield county, Connecticut, of German lineage.
Hiram B. Hoyt was reared in his native community and received his education in the common schools. Upon reaching maturity he left home and began life for himself, locating first at South Hero, Grand Isle county, Vermont, and there married Juliett Kent, who was born in that county in 1832, of English ancestry, being the daughter of Helmer Kent and wife. Their marriage was celebrated on February 22, 1853, and in the autumn of that year they came to Iowa, locating in Fayette county, settling in Illyria township, in 1854, where Mr. Hoyt farmed about two years, then moved to another farm two miles north of West Union.
There he remained until 1868, when he moved to the city and engaged in the hardware business in company with Samuel Holton, under the firm name of Hoyt & Holton, which partnership lasted until 1878, when Mr. Hoyt purchased his partner's interests and conducted the business alone until January, 1890, when he sold out to his son, F. E. Hoyt, and his nephew, W. W. Wright. In January, 1891, Mr. Hoyt purchased Mr. Wright's interest and the firm is now known as Hoyt & Son. An indica- tion of Mr. Hoyt's splendid business ability is seen from the fact that he continued in the hardware business for over forty years. He built up a very liberal patronage and was long one of the leading merchants and business men of the county.
Mr. Hoyt's wife was called to her rest in April, 1873, leaving three children, one son and two daughters: Ella S. is the wife of Ed. P. Sears, of Salt Lake City, Utah; Florence A. is the wife of Joseph Andrews, of Alliance, Nebraska; Fred E., who married Margaret Smith, is a hardware merchant in West Union. Mr. Hoyt was again married November 23, 1876, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Hattie A. Booth, daughter of William and Lydia Booth, and a native of Albany, New York. The latter marriage resulted in the birth of two daughters, Minnie B., wife of Eugene S. Law- yer, for three years a resident of Los Angeles, California, and now is en- gaged in running a correspondence school; Grace W., who married F. W. Schneider, a druggist in West Union, Iowa.
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Mr. Hoyt for many years was prominently connected with various business interests in West Union. He helped organize the Fayette County National Bank in 1873 and was a member of its board of directors continu- ously until his death. He also aided in the organization of the Fayette County Savings Bank in 1875, of which he was president for many years up to the time of his death.
Politically, Mr. Hoyt was a Republican and he was inclined to Univer- salism in his religious views. Fraternally he was a member of West Union Lodge No. 69, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. During his residence of over half a century in Fayette county he was known to its citizens as a man whose word was as good if not better than the bond of many, whose course, in every respect, was highly commendable, rendering him popular with a large circle of friends and acquaintances.
FAYETTE I. LUCE.
The well known subject of this review is a native of Fayette county, Iowa, born near the village of Eden, Eden township, on the IIth day of October, 1856. His father, Charles Mckenzie Luce, was a Vermonter by birth, and his mother, whose family name was Jerusha Elizabeth Walton, was born in the state of New York. These parents, when young, accompanied their respective families to Illinois and were married at Des Plaines, that state, shortly after- wards coming to Iowa, and in 1851 Mr. Luce purchased a tract of government land in Eden township, which in due time he developed into a farm, subse- quently purchasing other land near Eden village, which he also improved. By occupation he was a carpenter and on settling in Fayette county found ample opportunities for the exercise of his mechanical ability in the constructing of dwellings and other buildings, for his neighbors. He also kept a shop and when not otherwise busy, engaged in repairing their wagons, sleds and farm- ing implements and doing all kinds of mending, having been very proficient with tools and capable of throwing his hand to almost any kind of skillful work. Ere locating in Fayette county, Charles McK. Luce traveled on foot over the greater part of northeastern Iowa and into Minnesota, spending about three months in observing the country and comparing the advantages of its various localities. Being especially pleased with the appearance of that part of Fayette county now included within the limits of Eden township, he finally selected a quarter section adjoining the present site of Waucoma, which he afterwards
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sold to Sid Southerland and, as already indicated, afterwards made a second purchase near the village of Eden, to which he removed his family in the fall of 1852 or 1853. Mr. and Mrs. Luce moved to their new home in a wagon drawn by oxen and their first dwelling was a rude habitation hastily constructed of slabs so as to be in readiness for the winter which was rapidly approaching. It was completed in good time, however, and, if not very elegant, proved a fairly comfortable protection against the cold and wind. Mr. Luce lived on the farm a number of years and still owns a part of it, the land being at this time among the best improved and most valuable in the county.
Among those who came to Fayette county the same time as Mr. Luce and lived in the same community were Edgar Peet, his brother-in-law, Samuel Waters and Samuel Hale, with their respective families, also the Leslie and Southerland families, all of whom are dead or have moved to other parts, the widow, Mrs. Southerland, living at this time in Waucoma. In the clearing and developing of the country he took an active and influential part, was a leading spirit in establishing the first school in his township and for years thereafter his interest in the educational social and moral improvement of the community did not abate. His good wife died on March 3, 1897, after the two had trodden life's pathway together for over forty-six years, during which time they reared a family of eight sons, besides a son and daughter that died young, the former at the age of six years, the latter in infancy. All their sons grew to manhood, and became respected citizens in their various places of residence. Their names in order of birth are as follows: Julius Caesar, of Groton, South Dakota ; Thomas Walton, a blacksmith living in Illinois; George Costello, of San Fran- cisco, California ; Charles Willard, who died at the age of thirty years ; Fremont Thaddeus, of Groton, South Dakota ; Fayette I., of this review ; Ernest Riving- ton, of Browns Valley, California, and Elmer Elsworth, of San Francisco, that state; Fremont T. and the subject being twins. The one that died in child- hood bore the name of Jerome.
Julius Caesar Luce, of Groton, South Dakota, the oldest of the family, enlisted when a lad of fifteen in Company C, Sixth Iowa Cavalry, and before his sixteenth year saw a great deal of active service in the war with the Sioux Indians, in the Dakotas. He was with General Sully's command during the year 1863 and was one of the three hundred picked scouts selected to locate the hostiles, a duty fraught with danger, as the sequel will show. In topping a high ridge they found themselves right in the Indian camp, too close to withdraw, so they held a parley, during which there was considerable visiting back and forth until the close of the pow-wow at sundown. It was death to attempt to retreat and massacre in its most horrible form to remain, certainly
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a perilous dilemma in which to be placed. A half breed scout succeeded in eluding the vigilance of the Indian sentries and, making his escape, informed General Sully of the terrible predicament of the little band of scouts, where- upon General Sully, by a forced march, swung his command on both sides of the encampment, just as the latter were preparing to fire on the whites and begin their liarvest of death. At the unexpected appearance of reinforcements, the hostiles lost no time in opening the action, but fired at once, the scouts being only a few feet distant. At the first volley the horse on which young Luce was mounted fell in his tracks, the rider escaping only by catching hold of the stirrup of a comrade and being dragged from the scene of danger. Succeed- ing, however, in catching a free animal, he hastily mounted and was soon in the midst of the fight and bravely did his part in defeating the enemy in one of the most sanguinary engagements of the war. In 1889 the government chose J. C. Luce one of the members selected to locate the spot and mark the graves of twenty-three soldiers killed during the fight, among whom was Lieutenant Leavitt, commander of the scouts. The monument to those heroic dead was unveiled with appropriate ceremonies on October 12, 1909, Mr. Luce being a conspicuous figure on the occasion. Leavitt Post, Grand Army of the Republic, at Groton, South Dakota, to which Mr. Luce belongs, was named in honor of the gallant commander referred to, who was killed while bravely leading his men against their wily foe.
George C. Luce was superintendent of a large sugar plantation in the Hawaian islands, besides being employed in different capacities throughout the west, including stock raising and mining, having been superintendent of a silver mine for some time in one of the territories.
Fayette I. Luce grew up on a farm and as early as his tenth year was thrown upon his own resources, from which time on he depended upon nobody but himself for his livelihood. His education was obtained in the public schools which he attended until the age of eighteen years. At the age of twenty-six Mr. Luce began dealing in horses and devoted about twenty-eight years to that line of business, during which time he has bought and shipped hundreds of carloads of animals to the Dakotas, also to the various eastern cities. For the greater part of twenty-eight years he has made a market for horses through- out all of northeastern Iowa, also other parts of the state, his dealings taking a very wide range and bringing him in contact with the leading horsemen in the west, paying out during the period indicated hundreds of thousands of dollars in the prosecution of the business which from the beginning lias grown steadily in magnitude and yielded him a very liberal income. Financially lie is now among the wealthy men of his township and county and his rating every-
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where is strictly first class and his reputation as an enterprising though care- ful and judicious business man is above reproach. In addition to the line of business to which he gives his special attention, Mr. Luce is also interested in merchandising and agriculture, during the past twenty years having been pro- prietor of a well stocked general store at Eden village, besides owning valuable farming lands in the county, both of which add very materially to his earnings. For twenty years he has lived in Waucoma, where he owns a beautiful and desirable home and where by honorable business methods, unswerving integrity and upright, manly conduct he has gained the confidence and respect of his fellow citizens, few, if any, standing higher than he in general esteem or filling a larger place in the public eye. He belongs to an old and honored family and, to his knowledge, has never marred the luster of its escutcheon nor brought discredit to any of the long line of sterling ancestors from whom he is descended.
Mr. Luce was married, November II, 1890, to Rosamond M. Rogers, daughter of R. F. and Clara C. (Utter) Rogers, of Eden township, the union being blessed with two sons, Othmar Carleton and Gordon Raymond Luce, aged seventeen and thirteen years respectively, the former a student of Iowa College at Grinnell, Iowa, the latter pursuing his studies in the high school of Waucoma. Both sons are exceedingly bright and intelligent and Mr. Luce has spared neither money nor pains in their education, providing them with the best possible intellectual improvement, in which laudable aim he is heartily seconded by the young gentlemen themselves. They are prosecuting their studies very earnestly with the object in view of fitting themselves for useful and honorable positions in life and it is not too much to bespeak for each a bright and promising future.
THOMAS HETHERTON.
The subject of this sketch, an old, esteemed resident of Eden township now living in honorable retirement, was born in Kings county, Ireland, in 1829, and in 1847, the year of the terrible famine in that country, came to the United States and spent the seven years ensuing in New York city, working at the baker's trade. Imbued with the idea of becoming a farmer and land owner, he came to Iowa in 1854 and, being pleased with that part of the country which is now Eden township, decided to make it his home, accordingly he purchased a tract of government land, the same on which he still lives, and
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at once proceeded to improve the same. In due time he built a small log cabin, which answered the purpose of a dwelling for a number of years, and then addressed himself to the more difficult task of clearing and grubbing out a farm, the land being largely post oak and requiring much hard work to fit it for culti- vation. During the time thus engaged he was obliged to do nearly all of his marketing at McGregor, about sixty miles distant, and it was no little matter to haul his grain and other products of the farm that far and sell them at the small prices which then obtained or exchange them for groceries, provisions, etc., with the advantage always in the favor of the merchant.
After living on his place for some time and getting the land in fair con- dition for tillage, Mr. Hetherton went to Dubuque to take charge of a bakery, which position he held for two years and the earnings from which helped him very materially in his subsequent farming enterprise. By well directed labor and effective management he succeeded in due time in bringing his land to a high state of cultivation, besides making a number of substantial improvements, erecting a new and greatly enlarged dwelling about the year 1880, and at inter- vals previous to and after that date adding buildings which added much to the appearance and value of the place. The original cabin in which the family lived during the pioneer period and experienced many of the joys and vicissi- tudes of the early times was standing in 1910, being in the rear of the present residence and serving as a reminder of days and scenes forever past.
Mr. Hetherton has always been an honest, industrious man and an excel- lent, praiseworthy citizen, ever attending strictly to his own affairs and fulfill- ing his obligations with the scrupulous exactness characteristic of one who makes his word as sacred as his bond. His relations with his neighbors and friends have always been above the suspicion of wrong and by upright life he has maintained unsullied the honor of the family which he so worthily repre- sents. A Democrat is principle and on state and national issues voting with his party, he is not a politician and in matters local gives little attention to political affiliations, generally giving his support to the candidates best qualified for the positions to which they aspire. Mr. Hetherton was among the first members of St. Rose Catholic church and at this time there are very few be- sides himself who went into the original organization of the parish. He has been loyal to his faith and a true son of the Holy Mother church and is still active in his religious duties, a liberal contributor to the cause which occupies such a prominent place in his heart and affections.
Mr. Hetherton was married in New York city to Catherine McIlroy, of Kings county, Ireland, near the same place where he was born and reared, the union being terminated by the death of the wife in 1886, after a mutually happy
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wedded life of nearly forty years' duration. Mrs. Hetherton was a woman of excellent parts, a true companion and helpmeet and warm hearted and generous in her relations with others. She bore her full share of the labor and hardships required to establish a home in a new and undeveloped country, nobly assisted her husband in all of his endeavors and reared her children under the whole- some moral and religious discipline which has had such a marked influence in directing their lives in proper channels.
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