USA > Iowa > Jasper County > Past and present of Jasper County, Iowa, Vol. I > Part 38
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ADDENDA .- Since the foregoing sketch was prepared, General Weaver passed away on Tuesday afternoon, February 6, 1912, while visiting at the home of his daughter, Mrs. H. C. Evans, in Des Moines. Though he had been ill for a couple of days, suffering severely from an attack of acute indigestion, it was not thought his condition was critical, and his sud- c.cn death came as a profound shock to the whole community in which the
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General had for so many years been a familiar figure. Funeral services were held at the First Methodist Episcopal church, Des Moines, where the body lay in state for several hours prior to the services. The Rev. Dr. Pruitt, of Colfax, General Weaver's pastor, was in charge of the services, and the Rev. O. W. Fifer and Rev. Father James Nugent made appropriate addresses, touching eloquently on the life and character of the deceased. The active pallbearers were the two sons, J. B. Weaver, Jr., and A. C. Weaver, three sons-in-laws, Charles Sullenberger, of Colfax, Edward Cohart, of Traer, and H. C. Evans, and a nephew, D. H. Payne, of Bloomfield. Honorary pall- bearers were survivors of the Second Iowa, the General's old regiment.
JUDGE WILLIAM G. CLEMENTS.
Standing out distinctly as one of the central figures of the judiciary of Iowa is the name of Hon. William G. Clements, of Newton, Jasper county, the able and popular retiring judge of the sixth judicial district of lowa, com- prising Jasper, Poweshiek, Mahaska, Keokuk and Washington counties. Prominent in legal circles and equally so in public matters beyond the con- fines of his own jurisdiction, with a reputation in one of the most exacting of professions that has won him a name for distinguished service second to none of his contemporaries, there is today no more prominent or influential man in the district which he has long honored by his citizenship. Achieving success in the courts at an age when most young men are just entering upon the formative period of their lives, wearing the judicial ermine with becom- ing dignity and bringing to every case submitted to him a clearness of per- ception and ready power of analysis characteristic of the learned jurist, his name and work for years have been allied with the legal institutions, public enterprises and political interests of the state in such a way as to earn him recognition as one of the distinguished citizens in a locality noted for the high order of its talent. AA high purpose and an unconquerable will, vigorous mental powers, diligent study and devotion to duty are some of the means by which he has made himself eminently useful, and every ambitious youth who fights the battle of life with the prospect of ultimate success may peruse with profit the biography herewith presented.
Judge Clements was born January 2. 1847, near Flushing, Belmont county, Ohio. He is the son of a sterling old family of the Buckeye state, his parents, John R. and Malinda ( Ramage) Clements, being natives of Bel-
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mont county, in which they grew to maturity, received their education and were married, beginning life on a farm. In October, 1855, they came to Jasper county, Iowa, and settled first in Monroe, where they remained three years, then took possession of an undeveloped farm northeast of Newton, where they became well established and well known, the father dying there on November 17, 1888, being survived by his wife, who is now eighty-six years old and is living with her son at Harvey, Iowa. Mr. Clements was an ardent anti-slavery man, and he was a "conductor" on the "underground rail- road" through Iowa before the war. There were six children in his family, namely : William G., of this review : James M. lives in Helena, Montana, and is judge of the district court there, having held this position for eight years; L. R. is a manufacturer of excelsior at Harvey, Iowa; O. J. lives at Minneapolis, Minnesota, and is in the transfer business; John S. is an engineer and lives at Ames, Iowa : Josie died in 1885 at the age of eighteen years. It is a singular fact that the five sons are all living, the youngest being past fifty-four.
The Clements family is of Scotch-Irish lineage. Grandfather James Clements settled in Belmont county, Ohio, in 1803 and began life there as a pioneer. He was born in Maryland and was a fuller by trade. He married Eliza Merritt and they became the parents of nine children. Josiah Merritt, the Judge's great-grandfather, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, hav- ing enlisted from Pennsylvania, and he became a sergeant. On the maternal side, the great-grandfather, William Ramage, Sr., was also a soldier in the war for independence, having enlisted from New Jersey, and he settled in Ohio in 1802. His son. William Ramage, Jr., was the grandfather of Judge Clements, and he was a soldier in the war of 1812. He came to Iowa with his son-in-law, father of the subject, and lived here until his death, at the age of eighty, on March 17, 1874, and he is buried at Monroe, Jasper county.
William G. Clements was eight years of age when he accompanied his parents to Jasper county, Iowa, in 1855. Hle received his primary education in the common schools of Monroe and in the rural schools north of Newton and at the old College Farm, or Wittemberg College, near Newton. This was supplemented by a course in Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa; he was also graduated from the lowa Business College at Des Moines. For a few years he taught school, and was later appointed deputy county recorder, in the meantime beginning the study of law under Judge O. C. Howe, who was afterwards an instructor in the state law school. Thus he taught school and studied law until November, 1869, when he was admitted to the bar. In the spring of 1870 he began the practice of law at Prairie City, having formed a
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partnership with Sidney Williams, which lasted two years. While there he was mayor of that town for one year. In 1876 he formed a partnership with Hon. B. C. Ward, which existed for eighteen years. Leaving Prairie City in 1887, where he had built up a very satisfactory clientele, he removed to Newton, in order to secure a broader field for the exercise of his talents, maintaining an office also at Prairie City until 1893 In 1888 he was elected county attorney, and he performed his duties in such a commendable manner that he was re-elected in 1890, serving four years. He continued to practice law until 1898, his career presenting a series of continued successes such as few lawyers achieve. As a careful and painstaking student he has availed himself of every opportunity to familiarize himself with his profession in its every detail to the end that he might better serve his fellow men and render justice to those who appeal to the courts for redress.
Judge Clements is a Republican and as such has been active in public and political affairs and an influential force in his party not only in local matters but in the larger and more important theater of state and national affairs. He comes of Republican ancestors, but he does not attribute to this fact his strict adherence to the principles which he supports, but rather to history, also to reflection, judgment and conscience, all of which have combined to make him not only an able and judicious counselor, but a moulder of opinion and leader of men in what concerns the best interests of the body politic. While loyal to his power to promote its success, he believes that a man can be an earnest and active politician and yet be strictly honest in his methods and above reproach in all that he does to advance the interests of his cause. He has ever acted upon the principle that he who serves his country best serves his party best, and with this object in view his political efforts, although strenuous and in the highest degree influential and successful, have been above the slightest suspicion of dishonor and his counsels have not only met with the approval of his party associates but commanded the respect of the opposition as well.
Partly as a reward for his unselfish public service and partly because of his universally recognized ability, Mr. Clements was elected judge of the sixth judicial district in the fall of 1898. and his record was so highly satis- factory that he was re-elected in 1902 and in 1906, making a continuous service of twelve years, during which time he was called upon to try many important cases, one of which was the noted Sarah Kuhn murder case, in which there was a state-wide interest and one of the most important ever held in Keokuk county, in fact, was one of the noted poisoning cases of the country. She was convicted and given a life sentence, which was affirmed by
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the supreme court, but she committed suicide in prison by swallowing con- centrated lye. Another case was that of Chester Tyler, tried for the murder of Dr. Benjamin Tailor, who was convicted and affirmed by the supreme court and he died in prison, his case having been tried in Newton. The de- cisions of Judge Clements shows a smaller percentage of reversals by the supreme court than any other judge who has occupied the bench in this dis- trict-reversed less by proportion of cases determined by the supreme court ; in fact, as a judge he more than met the expectations of his friends and the public, and so discharged the duties of the office as to receive the hearty ap- proval and warm commendation of the bar, in his own and other circuits, without regard to party. He brought to the bench a dignity becoming the high position, and in the line of duty has ever been industrious, careful and singularly painstaking, which, combined with his sterling honesty and fear- lessness of purpose, made him one of the most efficient and popular men ever called to preside over the courts of this district. It is but just to say, and greatly to his credit, that no political prejudice, bias or zeal was ever allowed to deflect his mind from its honest convictions, and while discharging his official functions, personal ties and friendships, as well as his own interests and opinions, were lost sight of in his conscientious efforts to render equal and exact justice to those whose affairs were adjudicated in his court. His opinions and decisions attested his eminent fitness for judicial positions, being always lucid, unstrained and vigorous, his statements full and comprehensive and his analysis and interpretations of the law conspicuous and complete.
At the expiration of his term of office. Judge Clements resumed the practice of law January 1. 1911, in partnership with his son. He has always stood high in his profession. No one knows better than he the necessity of thorough preparation for the trial of cases, and no one more industriously applies himself to meet the issue than he: he is uniformly courteous and deferential to the court, and kind and forbearing to his adversaries. . Is a speaker he is earnest and impressive.
The Judge's domestic life began on February 6, 1871, when he was united in marriage with Harriet I. Halferty, a lady of talent and culture, the daughter of James F. Halferty, an influential citizen of Richland county, Ohio, where Mrs Clements was born. This union has been blessed by the birth of one son, Frank H. Clements, a popular and successful lawyer in Newton ; he married Clara Bewyer and they have one child, William B. Clements.
The Judge has a beautiful, modern and attractive home in all its appoint- ments at No. 209 South Vine street, where the many friends of the family
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frequently gather, finding here genuine hospitality and good cheer. Fra- ternally, the Judge has been a Mason since 1869, and has attained the Knights Templar degree : for five years he was master of Preston Lodge No. 218. at Prairie City. He and his wife are members of the Congregationalist church, of which the Judge was one time trustee and of which he has always been a liberal supporter.
PERRY ENGLE, M. D.
Deserving of a worthy and conspicuous place in the history of Jasper county is Dr. Perry Engle, of Newton, whose active and eminently worthy career, covering a residence of forty years in this locality, has been fraught with much usefulness since he came to the community.
Doctor Engle was born near Findlay, Ohio, July 16, 1841, and he is the second child of Jacob and Louisa (Probst) Engle, natives of the state of Pennsylvania. He is one of seven children, was left an orphan when fifteen years of age, and he began the study of medicine while working on a farm. He afterward attended the University of Michigan, graduating from the medical department of that institution with the class of 1871, supplementing this by a course in the Long Island College at Brooklyn, New York, where he also graduated. In 1872 he had charge of the Third Street Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio. Doctor Engle has been an honored resident of Newton for many years and during this time has been a potent factor for the general good of the community. He has held various local offices and always with credit. In 1876 he established The Neweton Herald and was its editor and proprietor for twenty-four years. The Doctor is a fluent and forceful writer and during his regime the editorial columns of the Herald reflected a brilliancy rarely met with. and his paper grew to be one of the leading journals of cen- tral lowa, under his judicious management. In 1887 he established the Jord Referendum, this being the first paper in America that advocated the initiative and referendum.
In 1889 Doctor Engle was nominated for state senator by the Union Labor party and was afterwards nominated by the Democrats. In the latter campaign his seemed to be a hopeless fight, as Jasper county was strongly Republican, but he was elected by about two hundred majority, which is evidently criterion enough of his high standing in the county. He was the first man elected to the Legislature from Jasper county in opposition to the Republican nominee. He served in the twenty-third and twenty-fourth Gen-
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eral Assemblies, and was a commanding figure in that distinguished body, always making his influence felt for the good of his county and state and proving his sagacity in civic affairs and the wisdom of his constituents in selecting him for such an important office. In the twenty-third General As- sembly he introduced a bill for the Australian ballot, which was finally merged into a committee bill and eventually became a law. He also introduced the bill which established the Industrial School for the Blind, at Knoxville, Iowa, which has since been made a home for inebriates. He was the People's party candidate for Congress in 1892, and a candidate for lieutenant-governor in 1901.
Doctor Engle is a man of fine learning and scholarly attainments. A student of all that is richest and best in literature, his abode is a mecca for a wide circle of friends who love to commune with one so profound in thought and so delightful in entertainment. Possessing a heart mellowed by human sympathy and having a keen appreciation of the great social conditions of our day, he is an earnest advocate of such principles as may hasten the dawn of the long-hoped-for brotherhood of man. He is a profound student and is a vigorous investigator and has the courage of his investigations on all questions on which men and parties divide-in fine, he is a splendid example of that energetic, public spirited, genteel, virile, unassuming American manhood that pushes forward the car of civilization.
The domestic life of Doctor Engle began in 1871 when he was united in marriage with Kate Madison, and to this union two children were born, Dr. Harry P. Engle, an eye, ear and nose specialist who is practicing in New- ton, and Bert J. Engle, an attorney. They are both graduates of the Iowa State University, and are young men of much promise.
JOE HORN.
In nearly every community are to be found individuals who, by innate ability and sheer force of character, rise above their fellows and win for themselves conspicuous places in public esteem. Such an one is the well known gentleman whose name appears above, a man who has been identified with the history of Jasper county for many years, during which time his life has been closely interwoven with the material growth and development of the county, wielding a potent influence in financial circles, while his career as a progressive man of affairs has been synonymous with all that is honorable
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and upright in citizenship. In all life's relations he has commanded the re- spect and confidence of those with whom he has been thrown into contact and his friends are in number as his acquaintances, for he is, with all of his genial disposition, business acumen and commendable traits, entirely unas- suming.
Joe Horn. president of the Citizens' State Bank, at Newton, is the scion of a sterling old family of the Keystone state, and he himself was born in Bedford county, Pennsylvania. April 16, 1855: he is the son of Frederick and Ann (Long) Horn, both natives of Pennsylvania, where they grew to maturity, were educated and married. They came to Cedar county, lowa, in 1855, where they lived on a farm for twelve years, becoming quite well established and well known in that community and then removed to Kansas where they remained one year, then came back to Cedar county, lowa, for a short time, later removing to Knox county, Illinois, where the father's death occurred in 1866, the mother surviving until 1895. reaching an advanced age. They were the parents of eight children, six of whom are living, namely : Lydia, wife of A. D. Briggs, of Union county, Iowa; Joe, of this review ; Ella, wife of James Goddard. of Union City, Iowa; Eliza, wife of James Adams, of Kansas City, Missouri: Minnie is the wife of Henry Rayl. of Union City : M. D. lives in Jasper county.
Joe Horn was reared on the farm where he lived until fourteen years ago. 1897. He received a good common school education, which has since been supplemented by general home study and actual contact with the business world He maintained a fine farm in Richland township, this county, which, under his able management, yielded rich harvests from year to year and he also handled a good grade of live stock of various kinds, being known for many years as one of the progressive agriculturists of his township, and there he maintained his home until he became deputy county auditor in 1897, which position he held very creditably for two years, being elected auditor in 1899 on the Republican ticket. and he gave such eminent satisfaction that he was re-elected, serving four years in a manner that reflected much credit upon his ability as a conscientious, painstaking public servant and won the hearty approval of all concerned. After his tenure of office had expired Mr. Horn opened a real estate office, which he continued for two years, then became cashier of the Citizens State Bank at Newton ; a year later he was made vice- president, having in that time given conclusive evidence of a peculiar and rare ability as a financier, and in 1910 he became president, the duties of which he has continued to discharge in an able and conservative manner. rendering this one of the soundest, most popular and safest institutions of its kind in central Iowa.
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On November 25, 1880, Mr. Horn was married to Margaret A. Koons, daughter of Felix and Agnes ( Ragan) Koons. Slie was born of an excellent family in Knox county, Illinois, and she is a woman of many pleasing char- acteristics which have gained for her a wide circle of friends.
Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Horn, namely : Allen Roy : Fay is deputy recorder: Edna is the wife of Alva Griffin, of Newton; Ethel is a stenographer in the bank with her father: Walter L. is a student in the agricultural college at Ames, Iowa; Hollis is attending school. Fra- ternally, Mr. Horn is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
Mr. Horn has been very successful in business, being energetic, a keen observer and a good manager. He is a stockholder and director, also treas- urer in the Newton Disc Plow Company. He is also director and treasurer of the American Construction Company at Newton. In each of these rapidly- growing concerns he is a potent factor, and owing to his scrupulously honest methods and his genial address he has won the esteem and good will of the people of Jasper county.
EMMET AWTRY.
The march of improvement is accelerated day by day, and each successive moment seems to demand of men a broader intelligence and a greater discern- ment than did the preceding, showing that successful men must be live men in this age, bristling with activity. The purpose of biography is to preserve the records of such men for the edification of succeeding generations ; thus the lesson of biography may be far-reaching to an extent not superficially evident. A man's reputation is the property of the world, for the laws of nature have forbidden isolation. Every human being either submits to or rises above the controlling influence which touches, controls, guides or misdirects others. If he be honest and successful in his chosen field of endeavor, investigation will brighten his reputation and point the way along which others may follow with like success. The career of Emmet Awtry, well known business man of Sully, Jasper county, is of that class of enterprising citizens whose example is calculated to be an incentive to others. for his efforts have met with a fair measure of success in life's affairs.
Mr. Awtry was born in Marion county, Iowa, July 29, 1873, the son of Simon P. and Margaret A. (Flaugh) Awtry, the father born in Kentucky and the mother in Ohio, and they came to Iowa in a very early day, and the ma- ternal grandparents, Elisha and Tissue Flaugh, who were natives of Ohio, came to Jasper county, Iowa, when the country was wild and settlers few.
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It is believed that they entered land from the government and here they estab- lished a good home, after the usual hard work and discomfiture, and here spent the rest of their lives, reared a family and took a leading part in the county's affairs. Mr. Flaugh was a surveyor and, there being a great deal of this work done in his day, he was kept busy, though he managed to operate successfully his one hundred and sixty acre farm. Giles Awtry, the paternal grandfather, was also a pioneer of lowa. he having come from Kentucky to Lick Prairie township, Marion county, and there entered government land. He was a cooper by trade, which he followed in connection with farming and he became an influential citizen in that county. On his farm the father of the immediate subject of this sketch grew up and when the Cvil war came on he enlisted for service in the Federal army, in Company C, Fifteenth Iowa Volun- teer Infantry, in which he served very faithfully for three years and ten months. He was wounded at the battle of Shiloh and came home on a fur- lough, after which he returned to his regiment and served out his time, re- ceiving an honorable discharge. After coming back to lowa from his army career he was married and soon afterwards began farming, buying a part of his father's homestead. Through close application and good management he prospered from year to year and added to his holdings until at the time of his death, on July 25, 1891, he owned four hundred and forty acres of valuable land, which he had brought up to a high state of improvement and cultivation. His widow survived until in August, 1910. Simon P. Awtry led a quiet home life, preferring to give his attention to his farm and his family rather than seek precarious public honors. His wife was a member of the Christian church, and known as a kind-hearted, noble-minded woman. Their family consisted of eight children, six of whom are living at this writing.
Emmet Awtry grew up in Marion county, assisted his father with the general work about the place and received his education in the public schools there, and there he took up farming, which he followed for a period of five years, getting a good start the meanwhile. In September, 1902, he came to Sully, Jasper county, and there entered the live stock business with Macey Brothers & Gove. Mr. Gove having later retired, the Maceys and Mr. Awtry are conducting the business, which has assumed extensive proportions and they are widely known over this locality, in fact, are among the leading and most successful stock men in this section of Iowa.
Politically, Mr. Awtry is a Republican, and he has served his township as trustee.
In March, 1897, occurred the marriage of Mr. Awtry with Nellie C. Boat, a native of Marion county. Iowa, and the daughter of a highly respected fam- . ily. This union has been blessed by the birth of one child, Margaret.
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JUDSON H. FUGARD.
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