USA > Iowa > Fayette County > Past and present of Fayette County, Iowa, Volume II > Part 48
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II77
FAYETTE COUNTY, IOWA.
E. C. Belt was born in Kosciusko county, Indiana, on May 3, 1840, and is a son of Aquilla and Henrietta Elizabeth (Lewis) Belt, the father having been born in Licking county, Ohio, February 21, 1808. In the agnatic line the Belt family is traced to English sources, where several members of the family sat in the House of Lords. Soon after the close of the American Revolution two brothers of this family came to the United States, and from one of these brothers the subject of this sketch is directly descended. In the fall of 1850 Aquilla Belt brought his family from the Hoosier state to Iowa, stopping in Lima county near Mt. Vernon where he rented a farm for two years and in the meantime was looking for a permanent home, finally locating at what was then called Greeley's Grove, in the extreme northern part of Buchanan county-in fact, the north line of their farm was the north line of the county, bordering on Fayette. There the father took up a tract of land from the government, and also bought some timber land. At that time there were but seven families in that part of the county, and Aquilla Belt was the only Methodist within twenty miles. He succeeded in getting a Methodist minister to come to Greeley's Grove, the result being that a class was organized, of which Mr. Belt was elected the first class-leader, a position which he re- tained for many years. To Aquilla and Henrietta Belt were born six chil- dren, three sons and three daughters. The eldest son, Carleton, became a Methodist minister, and after years of effective and successful service in his church, he is now retired and living at Whittier, California. The younger son, George W., is living at Marshalltown, Iowa. Catherine became the wife of Marion Richmond, a Methodist preacher now located in Jasper county, Mis- souri. Matilda is the wife of Samuel Nicholson, a farmer in Iowa county, Iowa. Eliza is the wife of Leonard Brooks, a traveling salesman, their home being in Waterloo, Iowa.
E. C. Belt was reared on the paternal homestead and received his early education in the common schools of his neighborhood, later attending school at Fayette, after which he taught school for some time in the district schools. He was reared to the life of a farmer and agriculture has always had a strong fascination for him. He is now the owner of two splendid farms near Oelwein, one of two hundred and the other of one hundred and nineteen acres. In addition to the cultivation of this land, in which he has been uni- formly successful, he has also given considerable attention to the handling of live-stock, raising, buying and shipping large numbers of cattle, in which line also he has prospered. In 1891 Mr. Belt moved to Oelwein and engaged in handling real estate. at the same time retaining the personal management of his farms. He has not, however, permitted husbandry to absorb his entire
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FAYETTE COUNTY, IOWA.
attention and is interested in several other enterprises which have had a vital bearing and influence on the prosperity of the community. When the First National Bank of Oelwein was organized he became a stockholder and was chosen vice-president of the institution, retaining that position up to January 4. 1908. when he severed his connection with that bank and was instrumental in organizing the Iowa Savings Bank, of which he became president, in which position he is now serving. His forceful character and strong business quali- ties eminently fit him for a position of this nature and much of the remarka- ble success which has attended the bank thus far has been due to his inde- fatigable efforts and his personal influence. The present official directors of the Iowa State Savings. Bank are as follows : E. C. Belt, president; W. E. Robinson, vice-president; J. W. Kint, cashier; W. G. Walrath, assistant cashier ; directors, C. R. Brown, S. J. Fox, R. J. Young, G. A. Starr, J. J. Galvin, Robert Conner, George Schneider, W. E. Robinson, W. G. Walrath, E. C. Belt. The bank has enjoyed remarkable growth from the beginning, as the following statement of deposits shows: January 8, 1908 (date of open- ing), $2,207.76; January 4, 1909, $110,241.24 ; January 4, 1910, $195,710.28 ; April 4. 1910 (date of examining committee meeting), $302,246.77. The capital stock of the bank is thirty thousand dollars, and it is considered now one of the strong and influential financial institutions of the county, its rapid growth being conclusive evidence that it enjoys the confidence of the people. The sound, conservative banking methods adhered to by this bank have won, and the courteous treatment and the principle of reciprocity practiced by its officers is one of its valuable assets. The bank transacts a regular commercial business, though a specialty is made of the savings feature, which has already proven a popular department. To insure to the depositors absolute safety the bank officials purchased one of the very best burglar-proof manganese steel screw-door safes money could buy. This make of safe has many times defied the attacks of burglars-in fact. it is not known that one of these safes was ever opened by force. Another important and popular feature is the ladies' department, a feature which is not found in many banks in cities ser- eral times the size of Oelwein. A room was specially planned and furnished for the comfort and accommodation of lady patrons of the bank or others who may desire a resting place when in the city.
Mr. Belt also has other extensive interests, including a store on North Charles street, also one on Frederick street, one-sixth interest in the Glass block, and one-fourth interest in the Temple block. He has a modern, com- modious, attractive and cozy residence on Charles street, the first, in fact. to be built on that street.
INTERIOR VIEW IOWA SAVINGS BANK, OELWEIN.
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FAYETTE COUNTY, IOWA.
Mr. Belt married Juliet Lilly, a daughter of C. W. Lilly, a prominent farmer living at Independence, Iowa, and to them have been born four chil- dren, two of whom are living, namely: Cora, who married Charles Ozias, of Carthage, Missouri, and they have two children, Donna and Myrtle; Bert Lee married Bertha Bell, the daughter of A. Bell, and lives at Oelwein.
Politically, Mr. Belt is a stanch Republican and takes an intelligent inter- est in the trend of public events, though he has steadfastly refused to accept nomination for public office. Religiously, Mr. Belt and his wife are active members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and he was chairman of the build- ing committee which had in charge the erection of the beautiful church which that denomination now owns in Oelwein. Fraternally, he is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and of the Order of the Eastern Star, to which .Mrs. Belt also belongs.
Mr. Belt's life work has been crowned with a large measure of success, but .his prosperity has come to him as a result of energy, perseverance and hard work, his career thus illustrating most forcibly the power of patient and persistent effort and self-reliance. Mr. Belt is of an optimistic temperament and genial disposition, and makes friends easily, being one of the most popu- lar and highly esteemed men in this section of the county.
CLEMENT T. SMITH.
The gentleman of whom the biographer writes in the following lines enjoys the distinction of being one of the most successful breeders and raisers of fine live stock in Fayette county, and as such he has been the means of inducing the farmers of his part of the county to improve their breeds of domestic animals, thus adding very materially to the wealth of the community by arousing an interest in this important branch of agriculture. Clement T. Smith comes of an old German family and combines in his make-up many of the sterling qualities and sturdy characteristics for which his ancestors were noted. His father, John Smith, whose birth occurred in Rhennish province, Germany, in 1831, came to the United States in 1854 and located in Wisconsin where his brother Jacob, who preceded him to this country the previous year, was then living. For several years after his arrival, he sup- ported himself as a farm laborer, but in 1857 he married and made prepara- tions to begin life upon his own responsibility, choosing for his wife Margu- retha Schatz, a native of the same part of Germany in which he was born and who came to the United States about the time of his arrival.
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FAYETTE COUNTY, IOWA.
Immediately after their wedding, John Smith and wife, together with his brother Jacob and family, started with an ox team to Minnesota, but after the Mississippi river was crossed, on meeting a number of emigrants, who gave quite an unfavorable account of the severe winters of that state, they concluded to remain in Iowa. Turning southward, they retraced their foot- steps and in due time arrived in what is now Auburn township, Fayette county, where they decided to locate; accordingly they purchased land which cost them at the rate of six dollars per acre and at once proceeded to improve their possessions.
John Smith's first dwelling was a small log cabin of a very primitive pattern, on which he expended several days' labor, chinking the cracks with mud or clay, putting in windows about half the size of those now in use and for the first year the earth answered the purposes of a floor. In this modest edifice Mr. and Mrs. Smith commenced housekeeping, their furniture and few household utensils being in harmony with the building, but, blessed with sound health and animated by hope, they spent many pleasant years within the humble walls and by industry and good management soon improved their con- dition and found themselves on the high road to success and fortune. The nearest trading point at that time was the town of McGregor, more than sixty miles distant, and thither Mr. Smith would go to market his grain, pork, etc., selling dressed hogs at two dollars and fifty cents per hundredweight and other products at proportionate prices. Several years elapsed before prices advanced, but in due time there was a gradual increase, after which a better era dawned and the condition of the farmer was greatly improved. By energetic and well directed labor Mr. Smith was enabled to add to his land from time to time and, being an excellent judge, he never failed to make judicious selections. He remained on his original farm until it was increased to three hundred acres, in addition to which he purchased two hundred acres in Washington township, Winneshiek county, later becoming one of the larg- est owners of real estate in the county, his holdings at the time of his death amounting to eleven hundred acres, which he improved. The old Auburn township place is now owned by his son Philip and daughter Zita, the residue of his real estate being in possession of other members of the family, all in- dustrious, economical and eager to add to what has come to them by in- heritance.
Mr. Smith and family were among the first members of the Catholic church to locate in Auburn township, a mission having been started there in an early day by Father Wennegar, a Jesuit priest who visited the settlers from time to time and ministered to their spiritual wants. Later in the
I18I
FAYETTE COUNTY, IOWA.
spring of 1857 another priest visited the neighborhood and celebrated mass in the homes of the pioneers, the interest manifested in the work by all con- cerned finally leading to the organization at Festina, Winneshiek county, which is now the center of a flourishing parish and a comfortable home of worship.
To Mr. Smith belongs the credit of introducing a superior grade of live- stock among his neighbors and to this branch of farming he attributed the greater part of his success. By raising the finer breeds of cattle, horses and hogs, which he sold at liberal prices, he was soon on the road to prosperity and his advancement from that time on was rapid and substantial. In his prime he took pleasure in breaking horses and steers and it is said that from time to time he owned all the vicious and refractory animals in the neighbor- hood. He bought these for mere trifles, the owners being anxious to get rid of such stock, but after breaking and rendering them docile he would sell them at greatly enhanced prices, in this way adding very materially to his fortune. In breaking and training his animals he was as fearless as he was skillful, notwithstanding which he occasionally passed through experiences that were not always free from danger. On one occasion he was attacked by a crazed steer which broke his leg, and but for his bull dog which seized the animal by the throat just as it was on the point of goring him, he would have been killed. Another time, while riding a colt through a stream of water, the animal gave a sudden lurch which threw him backward, breaking the thigh bone, a very painful injury which was three months in healing and which caused him a lameness during the remainder of his life. Still later he was kicked in the side by a colt, breaking three of his ribs besides otherwise injur- ing him, and from this he also was a long time recovering.
In his prime Mr. Smith was an expert woodsman and had fine mechanic- al ability. He cut and hewed a great deal of timber and his services were frequently in demand by his neighbors and others in the construction of houses, barns and the making and repairing of farm implements, machinery, etc. In an early day he was active in his advocacy of public education and the first school started in what is now district No. 7, Auburn township, was largely the results of his efforts, each patron going security for the one hun- dred and twenty-five dollars required to defray the expenses of the term. Politically, Mr. Smith was pronounced in his support of the Democratic party, though never an office seeker, and he gave his influence to all measures and enterprises having for their object the material, social and moral advance- ment of the community. Mr. Smith was a man of progressive ideas, thor- oughly in touch with the spirit of the times and had great faith in the future
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FAYETTE COUNTY, IOWA.
development and prosperity of his adopted state. He was likewise an ex- cellent neighbor, ever ready to do a favor or show a kindness and as a citizen none stood higher in the esteem of the public. His life was a very active one and his success pronounced and his death, which occurred on May 8, 1898, at the age of sixty-seven years, was deeply deplored throughout the commun- ity for the benefit of which he had done so much. Mrs. Smith survived her husband nearly nine years, dying April 22, 1907, aged seventy-one. The fam- ily of this esteemed couple consisted of twelve children, as follows: Katie. wife of C. Nepper, of South Dakota; Zita, who married John Hinker and lives on a part of the original homestead; Philip, a farmer and stock raiser, who also owns and operates a part of the farm; Fred J., of Eden township; Anna, now Mrs. Ben Gardner, of St. Lucas, Iowa; Barbara, wife of C. C. Grimes ; Mary, deceased ; Frances, who lives at Ft. Atkinson, Iowa ; Peter J., a farmer residing near St. Lucas; John, who died in childhood; Clement T., whose sketch appears in following paragraphs, and Frank C., a merchant at Ft. Atkinson, Iowa. Philip is a stock-raiser of the Short Horn Durham breed and Peter J. of thoroughbred Clydesdale horses.
Clement T. Smith, the eleventh of the twelve children of John and Mar- guretha Smith and one of the leading livestock men of the locality in which he resides, was born September 9. 1874, in Fayette county, Iowa, and spent his early life on the family homestead in Eden township. While still quite young he became familiar with the duties of the farm and grew up to strong, well-rounded manhood without knowing what it was to eat of the bread of idleness. In the schools of the neighborhood he obtained a fair knowledge of the branches taught, this, with his subsequent experience in practical affairs, en- abling him to discharge in a very creditable manner the duties of an active and successful career. Mr. Smith remained at home until March 1, 1898, when he took charge of the farm in Eden township which fell to him and later by good management increased its area from one hundred and twenty acres to one hundred and sixty, besides carrying forward a series of improve- ments which have added greatly to the appearance and value of the place. On April 26, 1898, he was united in marriage with Louise Schmitz, whose father, Peter Joseph Schmitz, a native of Cologne, Germany, came to America when quite young and after spending several years in Illinois came to Iowa, where she grew to womanhood.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith have five sons, namely : Anthony P., Harold Philip, Leon Fred, John Theon and Paul Henry, all sturdy young Americans in whom their parents have centered many fond hopes for the future. The fam- ily are members of the Roman Catholic church and no efforts are being spared
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FAYETTE COUNTY, IOWA.
to rear the children in the truths of religion and sobriety so that they may become an honor to the community, to the church and the state.
Mr. Smith's standing as an agriculturist is second to that of none of his neighbors, but his principal business is the breeding of fine livestock, in which he has been very successful and gained much more than local repute. As pro- prietor of Oakland farm, where he makes a specialty of high grade thorough- bred Poland China swine, he has become widely known throughout his own and other counties of northeastern Iowa, and his deals are always on the square. At this time his celebrated Oakland herd of the above breed of ani- mals is not excelled by any like number of swine in the county and by judi- cious advertising he has succeeded in gaining quite an extensive patronage, this being among the factors that have given him prominence among the leading men of his part of the state.
Mr. Smith is progressive in the matter of public improvements and util- ities and lends his influence to all worthy projects for the general welfare. He was a leading spirit in organizing and incorporating the St. Lucas Tele- phone Company, a very successful enterprise with which he is still identified, and his name also appears in connection with other means for promoting the material advancement of the country. In politics he is a Democrat, but not a politician, although interested in having good men in office and seeing the laws strictly enforced.
JOHN F. MILLER, JR.
Prominent among the leading agricultural men and influential citizens of Fayette county is John F. Miller, Jr., of Pleasant Valley township, for, while yet a young man in years, he has allied himself successfully with com- mercial as well as agricultural interests, and, furthermore, has, in the latter field, devoted himself to specialization.
John F. Miller, Jr., was born on February 13, 1872, on the farm where he now resides and which he operates in so admirable a manner and to such good purpose, and on this farm he has spent all his life, with the exception of some four years devoted to commercial pursuits. The home farm, how- ever, although large and productive, did not furnish sufficient scope for a man of his energy and ambition, so, while keeping it under a high state of cultivation, he looked for wider opportunities. These he found on what is known as the Crandall farm, a tract of three hundred acres, where he con- ducted farming on an extensive scale, keeping it under a high state of cultiva-
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FAYETTE COUNTY, IOWA.
tion. Here for five years he obtained excellent results from his up-to-date methods and careful attention given to the work. In addition to general farming, he gave special thought and attention to the breeding of Swiss cat- tle, with most satisfactory results, and the raising and breeding of these pure bred animals became a large portion of his work. In 1902 he chose to enter commercial life, and went into the milling business in Clermont, Iowa. This business he conducted to his profit for four years. At the end of that time he decided to return to farm life and to devote his entire time to general farming and stockraising. With characteristic energy, he chose a large tract for operations and now has under cultivation four hundred acres of land. While giving careful supervision to general farming on this land, he is again breeding fine Swiss cattle and conducts a dairy and feeding industry, and also raises fine horses.
Mr. Miller keeps actively in touch with the business world and holds an interest in the electric lighting plant. Politically, he is a Republican and, although not an office aspirant, has accepted a number of township offices.
On February 13, 1896, Mr. Miller was married to Katie Frautschy, who was born in Green county, Wisconsin, from which state she came to Fayette county with her parents. Six children have blessed their union, Walter. Edna, Karl, Wilma. Erwin and Clara, all of whom are living. The family are members of the German Baptist church, to which they are generous con- tributors, and of which Mr. Miller has been a deacon for ten years. Mr. and Mrs. Miller are a hospitable and genial couple, and their home is always found a pleasant one by those who have the good fortune to visit it. Through - out the community they are respected and admired.
CARL HENRY BRUEHLER.
In taking a cursory glance through the list of leading citizens of Windsor township, Fayette county, the biographer does not go far until he encounters the name of Carl Henry Bruehler, who was born November 30, 1855. in Cuyahoga county, Ohio, on a small farm which is now intersected by East Euclid avenue, Cleveland. He is the son of Henry and Caroline Bruehler. the former a native of Baden, Germany, and the latter of Saxony. They came to America when young and were married in Ohio. In 1856 they came to Fayette county, Iowa, where two sisters of Mrs. Henry Bruehler had already located. They were Johannah, the wife of Herman Meisgeier and
CARL H. BRUEHLER.
MRS. ANNA BRUEHLER.
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FAYETTE COUNTY, IOWA.
the mother of Carl Meisgeier and Herman Meisgeier, of near Arlington ; the other sister, Henerika, married Adam Becker. Mr. and Mrs. Henry Bruehler bought land northeast of Arlington, near the homes of these two sisters, about three miles from town, and there the parents developed a good farm on which they spent the remainder of their lives, becoming well known in Fairfield township. Their farm was wild and unimproved when they moved on it, but in a few years it was yielding abundant harvests. Mr. Bruehler died in 1864, at the early age of thirty-five years, leaving a widow and six children, Carl, the oldest son, then being nine years of age; there were two older sisters. The mother of these children remained on the farm and reared the children, five of whom are still living, namely : Barbara is the wife of Doctor Wegman, of Blue Hill, Nebraska; Mary married H. Knapp and lives in Arlington, this county ; Caroline is the wife of George Downham, living in Hawkeye, Wind- sor township; Carl H., of this review; Louisa is the wife of Elmer Hooper, living in Fairfield, Vermont. The mother of these children was called to her reward at the age of sixty-six years. She had the distinction of being the original member of the St. Sebald Lutheran church.
Carl H. Bruehler took the home place to work when he was twenty- three years of age and seven years later he married, his mother having kept house for him in the meantime. On December 25, 1884, he joined Mrs. Anna Hennig in the bonds of wedlock. A full sketch of her family appears else- where in this volume. She had married Carl Hennig when nineteen years of age, and by that union three children were born, namely: Henry, who was killed when fourteen years of age, by a horse kicking him; Ella is the wife of William Pieper, of Hawkeye; Christopher, living near Hawkeye. Three children have also been born to Mr. and Mrs. Carl H. Bruehler, namely : Catherine, who died when eleven years of age; Gottfried, who is married and living near his father, and Lottie, who is living at home.
Mr. and Mrs. Bruehler are members of the Lutheran church at Hawk- eye. When they married, Mrs. Bruehler owned one hundred acres of good land which Mr. Hennig had purchased. Soon eighty acres was added to this and later one hundred and sixty, some of which cost as high as sixty- three dollars per acre, Mr. Bruehler having prospered from the first and made without assistance enough to own his present large and well improved farm. He is a good manager and is very successful with general farming and stock raising. He devotes considerable attention to feeding stock, especially cattle, and he breeds some high grade stock, which, owing to their high grade and excellent quality, always find a ready market, and he is known as one of the leading stockmen of Windsor township. His attractive and commodious
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II86
FAYETTE COUNTY, IOWA.
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