USA > Iowa > Fayette County > Past and present of Fayette County, Iowa, Volume II > Part 47
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79
Politically, Mr. Miehe was a Democrat until the death of President Lincoln, when he became a Republican and has remained unswerving to its principles ; however, he is no politician and has never aspired to public office. He is a member of the German Lutheran church.
On February 20, 1857, Mr. Miehe married Sophia Kenniker, who was born in the province of Hanover, Germany, November 8, 1840. When seven- teen years old she came to America with her grandparents, who located in "Dubuque county, Iowa. To Mr. and Mrs. Miehe fourteen children were born, of whom twelve are living at this writing, namely : Charles lives at Maynard, this county; Hannah is the wife of Henry Lembka, of Harlan township; William also lives in Harlan township; Julia is the wife of John Meyer, of Maynard, this county ; Fred lives in Swea City, Iowa; August lives in Fay- ette county ; Theodore, whose sketch appears elsewhere, lives in Smithfield township; Albert lives in Harlan township; Emma is the wife of Otto Smith,
I168
FAYETTE COUNTY, IOWA.
of Harlan township; John lives on the home farm; Etta is the wife of Vern Goodrich, of Austin, Minnesota; Caroline is the wife of Byron Odekirk, of Maynard, Iowa.
The mother of these children died on June 13, 1887, and on October 7. 1887, Mr. Miehe married Augusta Faber, who was born in Germany, about 1849 ; lier death occurred about 1901 ; this union was without issue.
CALVIN L. CURTIS.
One of the sterling, practical men of Fayette county, Iowa, will be found in the person of Calvin L. Curtis. To have been born and reared in the same locality and had continuous residence there for a period of more than fifty years could not help but inculcate in one an interest in the affairs of county and township more vital than would be that of a new settler. This may be said of the subject of this sketch. He made his advent into the world Aug- ust 2, 1858, in Auburn township, Fayette county, Iowa. He has lived on the old homestead all his life, and has demonstrated that he is the type of citizen that counts in making up the backbone of this great commonwealth.
Calvin L. Curtis is the son of Mason A. and Julia A. (Howe) Curtis, Mason Curtis was born in Chittenden county, Vermont, December 16, 1818. He was reared on a farm in his native county and there grew to manhood. He was the third in order of birth in a family of five children, of whom four were sons. When quite a young man he left the parental home and sought his fortune in that which the states farther west had to offer. His first stop- ping place was in Indiana, where he met Mary A. Beach in Elkhart county, where she was born in 1828. The Beach family soon afterward changed their place of residence to St. Joseph county, Michigan, and young Curtis accompanied them. On October 18, 1848, he was united in marriage with Miss Beach and soon afterward returned to Elkhart county, Indiana, where they lived until 1852, when they moved to Fayette county, Iowa. He pre- empted a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Union township, two miles west of West Union. Mrs. Curtis died in 1852, while living on this farm and was interred at Auburn, Iowa. She left one child, Emma A., born in Elk- hart county, Indiana, July 27, 1851. She afterward became the wife of Thomas Kimpson. They live on a farm in Auburn township. No children have been born to them.
In 1853 Mason A. Curtis married Julia A. Howe, a native of Michigan.
MRS. JESSIE CURTIS.
CALVIN L. CURTIS.
1169
FAYETTE COUNTY, IOWA.
She was born near Ypsilanti, in 1826. At the time of this marriage Mr. Curtis sold his farm and bought one hundred and eighty-five acres in sections 32 and 33, Auburn township. One-half of this farm was a dense forest. He cleared and improved about half of the timbered land and labored until he had brought his ground to a high state of cultivation. Previous to his death he sold sixty acres, principally wood land, in section 33. The homestead and eighty acres of improved land was in section 32. Politically, Mr. Curtis was a Democrat until the sixteen-to-one free-silver campaign caused so much stir in politics, when he voted for the gold standard and continued to vote the Republican ticket until his death. He never held an office. Mr. Curtis passed to his rest February 9. 1898, and his wife succumbed in April, 1896. They were the parents of four children, as follows: Mary L., born in 1854, resides in Hawkeye, Iowa, with her sister; Sarah E., born 1856, wife of U. M. Hathaway, lives at Hawkeye, Iowa: Calvin L. Curtis (the subject), and Clarisea N., born 1890, and the wife of Frank Winett, who reside at Minne- apolis, Minnesota.
Calvin L. Curtis, the only son, made his home with his father on the farm until the time of his marriage, at the age of twenty-five years. Being a young man of business ability, he had become the owner of eighty acres, in section 32 and adjoining his father's farm, at the time of his becoming of age. Here, with his wife, he set up the household gods at the time of their marriage. They continued their residence here for two years, when they erected a home on his father's farm, within a few rods of the homestead, and have since lived here. At present the subject owns one hundred and forty- five acres, having bought part of the home farm. Politically, he adheres to the policies of the Republican party. He is a worthy member of Relief Lodge No. 138, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at Hawkeye, Iowa, and belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America.
In November, 1884, Mr. Curtis married Jessie F. Van Bogart, born May 28, 1866, in McHenry county, Illinois. She is the daughter of Frank and Amelia (Tromblee) Van Bogart. Mr. Bogart was a native of Washington county. New York, born June 26, 1844. and was the son of Ormus and Caro- line (Pearce) Bogart, both natives of the Empire state, he born in Washing- ton county, in 1813. His wife was born in Hampton county July 26, 1817, and they were married May 15, 1833. From this union came eight children, of whom Frank was the fourth child in order of birth. Of four sons, three of them served in the Civil war. Frank enlisted in February, 1865, in Com- pany K, One Hundred and Fifty-third Illinois Infantry, and served in the Army of the Cumberland until the time of his discharge in 1865. He became
(74)
1170
FAYETTE COUNTY, IOWA.
a resident of McHenry county, Illinois. During his youth there, on May 7. 1862, he married Amelia Tromblee, who was born in Champlain county, New York, September 29, 1843. In the autumn of 1866 they moved to Fayette county, Iowa, where they made their home until they died. Mrs. Van Bogart died September 1, 1886. Mr. and Mrs. Van Bogart were the parents of ten children, of whom Mrs. Curtis was the second child in order of birth.
Mr. and Mrs. Curtis have been blessed with six children: Keith A., born October 1, 1885, and married to Birdie Hayden in 1904; they have two children and reside at Randalia, Iowa; Ella A., born December 24, 1887, wife of Forest Jones, and make their home at Alpha, Iowa; Everett F., born October 27, 1889: Edna O., born March 18, 1891; Hugh C., born May 10, 1893; Harold G., born November 19, 1896. The last four named live with their parents.
R. H. BELKNAP.
A prominent and influential citizen of this locality is R. H. Belknap, the present superintendent of schools of Fayette county. He was born in Auburn township, August 8, 1878, of Scotch-Irish descent. The family records show that Pilgrim and Stephen Belknap, brothers, came from Scotland in an early day and settled in New York state. Hiram Belknap, the son of Stephen Belknap and the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born in New York state, September 3, 1808. He was married to Sarah Eastman, a native of New York, in the year 1836. To these were born five sons and two daugh- ters : Charles Hiram, born August 25, 1837, is now a resident of Rapid City, South Dakota; Sarah Janette, born February 22, 1839, is now living at Petaluma, California; George William, born in 1841, is now a resident of Madison, South Dakota ; Stephen Edgar, born March 25, 1848, is now a resi- dent of Waterville, Minnesota ; Riley Rosell, born December 12, 1849, is now living in Dexter, Kansas; Edward Eastman, born May 18, 1851, lives in Fay- ette, lowa; Edith Esuba, born January 23, 1854, is now living in Oldham, South Dakota. These children were all born in New York state. The three eldest brothers served in the United States army during the Civil war.
In 1856 the Hiram Belknap family moved from New York to Wisconsin, which was a great undertaking in those days. From there they moved in 1863 to Auburn, Fayette county, lowa. At this time, Auburn was one of the largest towns of Fayette county and Hiram plied his trade, that of a shoe- maker, with great success.
II7I
FAYETTE COUNTY, IOWA.
A peculiar feature of this family was that both parents were cripples, Hiram having lost a leg in early life, and Sarah having suffered a paralytic stroke at the age of sixteen years from which she never fully recovered. Hiram died in December, 1873, as the result of a fall on the ice, while re- turning from the village store. After the death of Hiram, Sarah lived with her children the rest of her days. She died at the home of her daughter Edith, at Madison, South Dakota, at the age of eighty-four years.
The ancestry on the mother's side extends back into colonial days and is given briefly as follows :
Joseph Clark, the grandson of a ship carpenter, was born in Haverhill. Massachusetts, May 19, 1719. Joseph Clark, the second, married a Miss Taylor, and to them were born three children. Joseph Clark, the third, mar- ried a Miss Lane, January 15, 1777, and settled in New Hampshire. He died June 25, 1810, and his widow died January II. 1825 ; one child was born to them. James Clark, born February 15. 1784, married Polly Hinton, of Andover, New Hampshire, on October 2, 1808. She was born April 5, 1782, and died November 8, 1857 ; he died June 15, 1861. There were nine children born to James and Polly Clare, viz: Samuel Adams, Joseph, Charles, Dear- born, Martha, Mary, Kendall, Charlotte, Louisa.
Kendall Peabody Clark, the seventh child of James and Polly Clark, was born in Franklin, New Hampshire, December 6, 1820. At the age of twenty- three he settled in Portland, Dodge county, Wisconsin. On the 7th of May, 1848, he led to the marriage altar Betsey L. Wicker, who was born in Muck- wonego, Wisconsin, July 6, 1828. One child was born March 4, 1850, who was named Betsey L. Clark. On the 19th of March of the same year the mother died, leaving the child to the care of the father. The child prospered, and in the course of time was married to Edward Belknap, and became the mother of the subject of this sketch. This will be related later. April 18, 1852, Kendall was again married, this time to Melissa L. Larrabee, who was born in Bennington, New York, June 30, 1832. As a result of this marriage, eight children were born, namely : James K., born June 20, 1853: Mary, born January 19, 1855, died March 29, 1856; Melissa L., born April 12, 1857; Fanny F., born April 9, 1859 ; Jennie L., born April 26, 1861, and died Aug- ust 2, 1883; Hattie, born February 8, 1864, and died July 31, 1885; Charles Cyrus, born May 16, 1866; Nellie E., born June 23, 1872, and died July 23, 1892. The mother of this family died October 22, 1884. Kendall Peabody Clark was one of the first settlers in Dodge county, Wisconsin. He, with his brother, Dearborn, and a Mr. Hayes, built the first log house, dug the first well, and broke the first land in Portland township. The following is from
1172
FAYETTE COUNTY, IOWA.
his obituary: "Mr. Clark was a practical surveyor, and for the past twenty years has been successively elected county surveyor of Dodge county. In the exercise of the duties of his position he proved himself reliable and accurate. In public as well as in private affairs the deceased has always borne an hon- orable part. He has ever enjoyed the implicit confidence of his fellow citi- zens, and his conduct upon all occasions was never such as to arouse suspicion or create distrust. He represented Dodge county in the Legislature, our vil- lage on the county board of supervisors, and has served on the village board and on the school board. In these several positions, strict regard for the interests confided to his care characterized his actions. His sudden loss is re- gretted by his large circle of friends, who speak of him in terms of praise -- the highest tribute at their command. The Masonic fraternity, of which he has long been a member, had charge of the interment of his body. The serv- ices ivere held at his residence on Friday forenoon. His remains were then accompanied by a large procession to the family cemetery near the village of Portland. His death occurred on the 19th of March, 1890."
Betsey L. Clark, the mother of the subject of this sketch, came to the town of Auburn, Fayette county, Iowa, in March, 1873, to visit with her uncle, Ruel Parker. While with him she taught school in the village of Auburn, and it was during this time that she became acquainted with Edward E. Bel- knap. This acquaintance ripened into love and finally culminated in their marriage.
Edward Belknap was united in marriage to Betsey L. Clark. December 12, 1875. They first set up housekeeping in a log house on the south bank of the Turkey river, in Auburn township, Fayette county, Iowa. Edward has always been a hardworking man, being a farmer, thresher, wood-dealer, store-keeper, stock-dealer, always ready to buy when he could see a chance to make a dollar. He has ever been a man of his word, generous to his com- petitor, but never seeking quarter for himself. Betsey, his wife, is one of those quiet, unassuming gentlewomen. She has ever been a Christian lady and loving mother. To these, the father and mother of the subject, were born five sons, namely : Clark Hiram, born September 17, 1876, married Gene- vieve Strayer, September 5, 1898; she was born August 1, 1875. They have two sons, Jamison, aged eleven, and Hugh, aged nine. Clark is now practic- ing law in the town of McIntosh, South Dakota. The next child, the subject of this sketch, was born August 8, 1878. These two children were born in the log house mentioned above. In the winter of 1878-79 the family moved into a stone house which had been built on a small knoll back of the log house. Arthur Aldrich was born March 16, 1883, and married Sadie Finch,
II73
FAYETTE COUNTY, IOWA.
August 31, 1907. She was born January 29, 1883. Arthur is now superin- tendent of schools at Strawberry Point, Iowa. Allen Edward, who was born September 15, 1884, is now in Canada. Ruel Kendall, born June 23, 1889, is now attending school at Upper Iowa University. The parents of this fam- ily are now residing in Fayette, Iowa, where they moved for the purpose of educating their children.
R. H. Belknap, of this review, was educated in the Fayette public schools and in Upper Iowa University ; he also holds a diploma from the American School of Correspondence in the course of municipal engineering. Upon reaching maturity he married Edith Laura McGoon, May 26, 1902. She is a lady of culture and education and is the daughter of R. F. McGoon and wife.
Joseph McGoon was born in New Hampshire, from which state he re- moved in an early day to New York state. Richard McGoon, his son, was born January 17, 1826, in Cayuga county, New York. On. November 4, 1847, at Mt. Pleasant, Wisconsin, he led to the marriage altar Maria Wood. To these twelve children were born, of whom R. F. McGoon, the father-in- law of the subject, was the third. He was born January 13, 1852. The other children who are now living are: Andrew, now living in Kilbourn City, Wisconsin ; Sadie is a resident of St. Paul; Martha and Ella live in Monticello, Wisconsin ; Addie lives in Belleville, Wisconsin ; Albert is a resident of Hawk- eye, Iowa; Arthur lives in West Union, Iowa, and Ernest in Utah. Maroa, Emma and Etta are deceased. Richard P. McGoon's grandfather participated in the battle of Bunker Hill, and he himself was a member of Company I, Forty-third Wisconsin Volunteers, in the Civil war. He died at Monticello, Wisconsin, in the winter of 1903.
Josiah Pierce was a native of New England. He was born May 21, 1786, and died December 25, 1845. Albert Henry Pierce, son of Josiah Pierce, was born April 28, 1820. He married Elizabeth Becker, who was born August 10, 1834, in the town of Clayton, New York. The marriage was solemnized November 28, 1852, at Washington, Wisconsin. Four children were born to them, of whom three are now living: Irwin and Flor- ence, at Monticello, Wisconsin, and Burton, at Broadhead, Wisconsin. Ruth, who afterward became Mrs. R. F. McGoon, was born September 12, 1853, and died at Hawkeye, Iowa, December 19, 1901. Albert Pierce was a promi- inent citizen of his community, being twice elected to the Legislature of Wis- consin.
R. F. McGoon was married to Ruth Pierce, February 12, 1873, and, with his wife, drove from Monticello, Wisconsin, to Alpha, Iowa, in the spring of
I174
FAYETTE COUNTY, IOWA.
1873, all they owned of this world's goods being in the one lumber wagon. They located on section 17, Bethel township, where they resided eleven years. From here they moved to Hawkeye, Iowa, where he engaged in the stock business. While there he did an enormous business for that time. After living here eighteen years, he moved to Clear Lake, Iowa. This was in the fall of 1902, a year after the death of his wife. He resided at Clear Lake only three years, when he moved to St. Paul, where he is now living. Ile is engaged in the stock business, being the sheep salesman for the commission firm of Corson, Wood & Weiler a part of the year, and carries on an extensive stock business in the Dakotas the rest of the time. To Mr. and Mrs. McGoon while on their farm in Bethel township were born three children: Albert R., March 7, 1874: Edith, March 21, 1879, and Alta, January 21, 1883. Albert was married to Mima Scouller, of Davenport, Iowa, June 15, 1894. She was born in Scotland and moved to Iowa, when a child. Five children were born to them : Richard, born June 13, 1895; Lynn, born January 25, 1897; Caryl, born May 10, 1898; Aileen, born March 27, 1900, and Douglas, born Febru- ary 28, 1903. Albert and family are now living at Iowa Falls, Iowa. He is engaged with the Appleton Manufacturing Company as traveling salesman. Alta married Gus Ziehlke, March 21, 1907, at Galveston, Texas. They are now living in Omaha, Nebraska, where Mr. Ziehlke is engaged in the signal service department of the Union Pacific Railway. Edith attended school at Hawkeye and was graduated from the high school in 1897, being a member of the first graduating class of that school. She attended school at Upper Iowa University during the year of 1898-9. At this time her mother was seized with a serious illness and it became necessary for her to remain at home. She was with her mother constantly until her death, which occurred, as before re- lated, on December 19, 1901.
The home of Professor Belknap and wife has been graced with two daughters, Betsey Beatrice, born March 10, 1903, and Ruth Imogene, born July 21, 1904, the former at Hawkeye, and the latter at Fayette.
Superintendent Belknap began his professional career in this county, teaching his first school in Auburn township, later becoming principal of the high schools at Westgate, Chelsea and Hawkeye, where he made very com- mendable records, being regarded as both an instructor and entertainer in the school room, a good organizer and was always popular with both pupil and pa- tron, his services being in great demand. He held a high rank among the lead- ing educators of this part of the state from the first years of his career. He was appointed county surveyor April 7, 1902, and elected at the next general elec- tion. He filled this important trust to the entire satisfaction of all concerned,
1175
FAYETTE COUNTY, IOWA.
ever alert to his duties and untiring in the discharge of the same. He was appointed superintendent of the public schools of Fayette county, October I, 1905, and elected at the succeeding election, and so faithfully and well did he perform his official labors in this capacity that he has been twice re-elected and is now serving in this position. He has given the cause of education a great impetus and Fayette county has one of the best school systems under his efficient management of any county in the great Hawkeye commonwealth, and the reputation of Superintendent Belknap far transcends the limits of this county. He keeps abreast of the times on all questions and issues of the day, and is familiar with the world's best literature, having been at all times a diligent and profound student, a fearless investigator for the truth and carry- ing his researches into all realms of learning, modern and ancient lore, so that he is well informed and symmetrically developed mentally, thus being well qualified for almost any gift at the hands of the people whom he ever seeks to conscientiously serve.
The Professor takes an abiding interest in fraternal matters, being a member of West Union Lodge No. 69. Ancient Free and Accepted Masons ; Ansel Humphrey Chapter No. 80, Royal Arch Masons; Modern Woodmen of America; and the H. A. L. Club at West Union, and he and his wife are members of West Union Chapter No. 110, Order of the Eastern Star, of which he is worthy patron, and his wife is a member of the Tourist Club of West Union, Iowa.
EVERETT MADISON PHILLIPS.
The following is a brief sketch of one who, by close attention to business, has achieved marked success in business affairs and risen to an honorable posi- tion among the enterprising men of the city with which his interests are identi- fied. It is a plain record, rendered remarkable by no strange or mysterious adventure, no wonderful or lucky accident and no tragic situation. Everett Madison Phillips, the well known druggist of West Union, Fayette county, is one of those estimable characters whose integrity and strong personality force them into an admirable notoriety which their modesty never seeks.
Mr. Phillips was born in this city which has always been his place of residence, on September 14, 1867, and he is the son of Everett Noah and Emma (Cox) Phillips, the former born at Laporte, Indiana, and the latter at Huntingdonshire, England. The father was a soldier in the Civil war, having come to America when young and proved true to his adopted country. He
1176
FAYETTE COUNTY, IOWA.
made a good soldier and was first sergeant of Captain Stafford's Company H, Eighteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. The date of his enlistment was . July 7, 1862, and he served very faithfully for a period of three years, being honorably discharged from the service of the United States on May 13, 1863, at Springfield, Missouri, by reason of a gunshot wound in the right leg, re- ceived at the battle of Springfield, January 8, 1863, which finally resulted in his death on July 8, 1879, at Boulder, Colorado. He was postmaster of West Union at the time of his death, and was a well known, highly respected and honest man. His widow still lives in this city. Two of their sons are practicing physicians in distant states.
Everett M. Phillips, of this review, was educated in the West Union pub- lic schools. Deciding upon a career as pharmacist as a life work, he was graduated in pharmacy in the Northwestern University at Chicago, Illinois, where he made an excellent record. He owned and operated successfully a drug store in West Union for several years. He was captain of Company G, Fourth Regiment Iowa National Guards, for one term and he is now agent of the United States Express Company at this place and district agent of the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company for northeast Iowa. He has built up a very satisfactory business and has become well known in these lines of endeavor.
Fraternally, Everett M. Phillips belongs to the Ancient Free and Ac- cepted Masons, and Mrs. Phillips is a leading member of the Wednesday Art Club. Politically, Mr. Phillips is a Republican.
Mr. Phillips was united in marriage with Anna Hines Lacy, on August 31, 1897. She is the daughter of Milo and Jennie Elizabeth (Hines) Lacey, an excellent family of West Union, Iowa.
E. C. BELT.
Clearly defined purpose and consecutive effort in the affairs of life will inevitably result in the attainment of a due measure of success, but in follow- ing out the career of one who has achieved success by his own efforts there comes into view the intrinsic individuality which made such accomplish- ment possible, while there is at the same time enkindled a feeling of respect and admiration. The qualities which have made Mr. Belt one of the promi- nent and successful men of Oelwein have also brought him the esteem of his fellow townsmen, for his career has been one of well directed energy, strong determination and honorable methods.
G. G BLK
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.