USA > Iowa > Jasper County > Past and present of Jasper County, Iowa, Vol. I > Part 49
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Mr. Ramsey was born in 1827, in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, and he is the son of Thomas and Sarah (Weaverling) Ramsey, both natives of Pennsylvania. The father, who devoted his life to farming, was an old-line Whig and a man of upright character. His death occurred on December 20, 1861, at the age of fifty-nine years, while his son, E. B., was away from home, fighting for the flag which they both loved. The mother lived to be seventy- seven years of age.
E. B. Ramsey, who was the third child in a family of six children, is of Scotch-Irish ancestry ; the other children are : James, now deceased, formerly a wagon maker in Pennsylvania; John died in Bucyrus, Ohio, when twenty- eight years of age; Henry W., who served in the Union army, enlisting in a Pennsylvania regiment, is a shoemaker and lives in that state: Sophia is also living there: Oliver, now deceased. also served in the Civil war from Penn- sylvania.
E. B. Ramsey, of this sketch, received his education in the public schools in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, but his educational advantages were limited. When fifteen years of age he was apprenticed to a tailor, and after learning the trade he worked at it for a period of fifteen years in different towns in Pennsylvania and Ohio, and won a reputation for very skilled workmanship. When the Civil war began he was one of the first to offer his services to the Union, April 25, 1861, in Company G. Thirteenth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He was stationed at York, Pennsylvania, and later at Chambers- burg, Pennsylvania. He was accidentally wounded by the carelessness of Lieut. William Barndollar. The subject found a revolver while doing picket duty and having seen one similar in the hands of his lieutenant, he took it to him, the latter carelessly taking hold of the weapon which was discharged as he did so, the bullet passing through Mr. Ramsey's hand. The lieutenant was also injured. The result was that the subject received a discharge for dis- ability and was sent home. On February 20, 1863, leaving his young wife at home ( for he had in the meantime married), he re-enlisted, this time in Com- pany E, One Hundred and Eighty-sixth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He was in various engagements and skirmishes, but most of his duties were performed while on detached service. After the close of the war he received an honorable discharge and was mustered out in August, 1865. in Philadel- phia.
Mr. Ramsey was married on February 18, 1862, to Sarah E. Widell, who was born in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, the daughter of George and Mary ( Millborn) Widell, both natives of Pennsylvania. Her parents were of Ger- man and English extraction. They came to Iowa and located in Newton in
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1867 and here Mr. Widell lived until his death, on December 20, 1888, at the age of seventy-two years. His widow survived until April 30, 1901. dying at the age of seventy-eight years. They were the parents of six children ; the eldest, Sarah E., who married Mr. Ramsey, was born on November 26, 1840; Amanda died when twenty-two years of age : Mary is the wife of Hess Par- sons, a prominent stock man and farmer in Malaka township, this county ; Georgia, wife of James Woods, lives in Newton: Henrietta, who married Charles Clark, lives in the state of Washington, where he owns a fruit ranch ; William lives in Newton.
E. B. Ramsey came, unaccompanied, to lowa in the fall of 1867. reach- ing the city of Newton on November 23d. his family following soon after- ward. He was able to foresee a great future for Newton and decided to settle here. First he worked at his trade, that of tailor, later conducting a dray and express business for over thirty years, or until he retired from active life. he having been sole owner of the same. By careful and honest manage- ment he succeeded in building up an extensive patronage and accumulated a competency for his old age.
Three children were born to Mr. Ramsey and wife, named as follows: Elmer Elsworth lives in Des Moines; Charlie Preston, who makes his home with his father here in Newton, married Almira Stewart, and they have two children, Katherine W., who teaches school. and Florence E., who is attend- ing high school in Newton. They keep house for their grandfather, the sub- ject, his wife being deceased. William Albert, the youngest child of the sub- ject, died in infancy.
AAfter traversing happily and harmoniously the winding path of life to- gether for nearly a half century, Mr. Ramsey was called upon to undergo his greatest sorrow, that of parting from his faithful life companion, who passed to her rest on August 9, 1910. She was a woman of remarkable intellect. broad-minded, kind-hearted and who was always willing to lend her assist- ance in forwarding any good cause. By her efforts, probably more than those of any other woman, was the public library in Newton established. There being much local prejudice against it, she was compelled to work for it for a number of years. She presided over the "reading room," patiently working with other right-minded citizens, until the public library became a fixture in Newton. She was its first librarian, and served as such for a period of thir- teen years in a manner that reflected much credit upon herself and to the sat- isfaction of all concerned. She was a faithful member of the Lutheran church, a charter member of the local congregation, and she was a teacher in the Sunday school until ill health compelled her to resign.
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Mr. Ramsey is a member of the same church, having been loyal to this denomination for a period of sixty-seven years, and he was an officer in the church for a period of forty-five years, having been elder until recently, when his hearing grew too poor to perform his duties adequately, but he is still elder emeritus. He is a member of Garret Post, Grand Army of the Republic. When he enlisted for service in the army he was postmaster at Everett, Penn- sylvania ; his wife, having been made his deputy, looked after the office while he was at the front. She was a member of the Woman's Relief Corps, also the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. Politically. Mr. Ramsey has al- ways been a stanch Republican. He owns a pleasant cottage on Farmer and Washington streets, and is spending his declining years in peace and comfort.
J. B. OWINGS.
The history of Jasper county is not a very old one. It is the record of the steady growth of a community planted on the wild prairies scarcely more than a half century ago and has reached its magnitude of today without other aid than those of industry. The people who redeemed it from the primeval state were strong-armed sons of the soil who hesitated at no diffi- culty and for whom hardships had little to appall. Among this class is the prominent retired farmer and enterprising citizen by whose name this article is introduced. The county was in its infant state of development when he came upon the scene, and he has done much to assist in advancing its won- derful resources and brought it up to the proud position it now occupies among the most progressive and enlightened sections of Iowa.
J. B. Owings was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, December 25, 1837. He is the son of Beal and Miranda ( Young) Owings, both natives of Mary- land, from which state they came to Ohio about 1815 and became prominent among the pioneers there, spending the rest of their lives on a farm there, the father dying in April, 1839, and the mother in 1844: they were the par- ents of eight children, three of whom are living, namely: Mary Ann died about 1908: Ellen also died about 1908: John died at Trinity Center, Cali- fornia, in 1911 ; Denton died in childhood; Mckensie lives in Newton, Iowa; Jesse died when twelve years old : Minerva lives at Carbon Cliff, Illinois, and is the wife of a Mr. Barton : J. B., of this review.
The subject grew to maturity and was educated in his native state, remaining there until 1855, when he came to Jasper county, Iowa, where he has since resided. He settled nine miles east of Newton and followed
J. B. OWINGS
THE NEW YORK ;PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTON, LENOX TLEEN FOUNDATIONS
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farming successfully until 1892, when he moved to Newton and retired. He lived to see and take part in the great transformation of the county, for when he first came here the wild prairies were scarcely touched by a plow- share and the town of Newton was very small, there being no square and the court house was small and built of wood ; there was not a brick building in the town. Land was then worth only three. six and eight dollars per acre. Mr. Owings is the owner of a finely improved and productive farm in Kellogg township, consisting of one hundred and thirty-four acres. On this he did unusually well as a general farmer and stock raiser.
On December 27, 1860, Mr. Owings was married to Martha Mills, daugh- ter of John Mills, of Keokuk county, lowa. She was born in Tennessee, March 13, 1844, and from there she removed to lowa with her parents when she was one year old. To Mr. and Mrs. Owings three children have been born, namely : Shafer .A., who was born May 12, 1862, married Allie Miller, of Jasper county, and they live on the parental homestead, nine miles east of Newton : Gertie J., born July 27, 1865, is the wife of J. B. Case, a traveling salesman, residing at Jackson. Mississippi: Arrie D., born December 12, 1869, married Charlie Miller, living near Kellogg, Jasper county ; she is now deceased.
Mr. Owings has been a worker in the affairs of the county, having held a number of township offices in Kellogg, and he was overseer of the poor in Newton township. In all of these he discharged his duties most faithfully and creditably. Fraternally, he is a member of Newton Lodge No. 59, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; politically, he is a Republican, and he and his wife are faithful members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
MARION R. HAMMER, M. D.
The life history of Dr. Marion R. Hammer, prominent citizen of Newton, Jasper county, is one of romance and tragedy. Born in this county, the son of very early settlers, his career has been one of strenuous action and full of human interest : but, being endowed with sterling qualities, he has successfully met and overcome many obstacles that would have defeated the purposes of others less courageous. Determining early in life to become a physician, he let nothing stand in the way of his ambition and after years of toil and self-sac- rifice he attained the end sought for, becoming a successful practitioner, hon-
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ored among his fellows. From this position he was stripped of all honors and subjected to such humiliation and disgrace as falls to the lot of a convict, then, to be pardoned by the governor, restored to citizenship, and again win back success and honor. He clearly belongs to that class of men made of the stuff that does not bend easily and who refuse to be downed by untoward ircum- stances, who, in fact, being natural fighters, thrive on opposition.
Doctor Hammer traces his ancestry back to Aaron Hammer, who was born in Celacia, Germany, from which country he emigrated to America in 1725. settling in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, in which county his son Abra- ham was born in 1731. He adopted the Quaker religion and became a worker in that faith and the next three generations of Hammers adhered to the same. His son Isaac was born at Guilford Court-house, North Carolina, in 1764. whither the father. Abraham, had emigrated with his family. Elisha, son of Isaac, was born in North Carolina, May 1. 1789, and at an early age moved with his parents to Tennessee, settling in Jefferson county. He was a miller and owned a mill on the historic stream of Lost creek. He was a minister of the Friends church. His family consisted of ten children, of whom. Jesse. the father of the subject, was fourth in order of birth. In 1846 the Rev. Elisha Hammer soll his mill, loaded up his earthly belongings and drove over- land to Fowa, bringing his wife and six sons, four of whom were married, and they brought their families : also two daughters. The Rev. Mr. Hammer came along, leaving but one member of the family in Tennessee. The Ham- mers wintered in Richland. Keokuk county, Iowa, where the father taught school. In the spring of 1847 Rev. Elijah Hammer came to Jasper county and settled in the neighborhood of Hammer's Grove and there he organized the Friends church and became its first pastor, serving without pay. and there he continued to reside until his death, in 1847, and he was buried at Pleasant Plains. He was a useful man and accomplished much good wherever his løt was cast. He was a Whig and a strong Abolitionist.
Jesse Hammer. father of the Doctor, was born October 4, 1820, in Jef- ferson county, Tennessee. There he grew up, received what education he could in the rude schools of those early days and there he married, his wife dying in early life, leaving him with two sons. In 1846 he joined his father, who de- cided to leave that country since he was opposed to slavery and his views had been resented by his neighbors, and they all came to Iowa. He settled in Jasper county and was destined to become quite prominent and influential. Here he married Margaret W. Sparks, daughter of John R. Sparks, who owned a flour mill at Lynnville, of which mill Jesse Hammer later became miller, operating the same successfully for a number of years. He later
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became miller of Doctor Warren's mill near Oskaloosa. He was the owner of two hundred acres of land in Newton township. He was elected the first sheriff of Jasper county, but refused to serve. His marriage with Margaret Sparks was the first of record in this county. His brother Seth was the first recorder of the county, having been elected in 1846 or 1847; another brother. Elisha, was captain of Company G. Seventh Iowa Cavalry, in the Civil war. Jesse Hammer was married four times, his first wife having been a Miss Hackney, of Tennessee, and they were married in Jefferson county, Mr. Ham- mer's wedding suit having been cut out by Andrew Johnson, later President of the United States, who lived in the adjoining county. By his second wife. Margaret Sparks, was born Dr. Marion R. Hammer, of this sketch, he being their oldest child. In all. Jesse Hammer was the father of fourteen chil- dren. John R. Sparks, mentioned above, was not only known as the pro- prietor of the mill at Lynnville but he was also a large land owner, and at one time paid the largest tax of any one in Jasper county. He was prominent in the early industrial life of the county, having established the first flour mill, the first saw mill and the first carding mill in Jasper county, all being erected near Lynnville. Two sons of his, William Henry and Mathew T .. uncles of the subject, were soldiers in the Civil war, having served in the Fifth lowa Volunteer Infantry ; they were captured at Tunnel Hill in 1864 and in- carcerated in Andersonville prison, where they died. The death of Jesse Ham- mer, father of the Doctor, occurred on September 2. 1873, at Richland, lowa. whither he had gone on a visit.
Dr. Marion R. Hammer, the immediate subject of this sketch, was born January 26, 1853, about a quarter of a mile north of the Amboy school house in Kellogg township. When he was eight years old his mother died, and his early education was neglected, in fact, at the age of fifteen he could scarcely read or write, but early in boyhood he had shown a preference for the medi- cal profession and would not permit anything to turn him from his course, and he consulted with Dr. I. A. Hammer, a brother of his grandfather, as to the proper course to be pursued and was informed that he must obtain an educa- tion, so the boy set about to do so. Saving his earnings by working out on the farm, he attended school ten terms at Hazel Dell Academy and at Lynnville three terms. He also taught one term in the Lynnville Academy and three terms of public school in the county. In 1876-7 he entered the lowa State University and took his first course in medicine. He studied assiduously and made a brilliant record in his studies, both in the academy and the university. and thus well equipped he began the practice of medicine at Adamson Grove in 1877. Later he located in Reasoner. In order to further fit himself for his
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calling, in 1880. he entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons at St. Joseph, Missouri, taking the prescribed course of medicine. Before he had finished there was a split in the faculty of that institution and a number of professors and students seceded and established the Northwestern Medical School. Of the seventy-seven students in the College of Physicians and Sur- geons, more than fifty went with the new college, Doctor Hammer being one of the number and he graduated fourth in a class of twenty-seven on Febru- ary 17, 1881. He was elected vice-president of the Alumni Association of the last-named institution. Following his graduation, he came to Newton, lo- cating here in March, 1881. In the spring of 1884 he went to Kingsley, Iowa, and taught in the schools there for three terms He was first principal of these schools for one term. He was appointed professor of physiology of King College in Des Moines, which position he held for four years, and he lectured for two years on diseases of children in that college. In March, 1889, he was graduated from the King Eclectic College. He taught the branch of physiology in the Newton College for seven or eight terms. As a teacher he gave the utmost satisfaction in all capacities.
On October 22, 1876, Doctor Hammer was united in marriage with Mary Emma Dooley, the daughter of a Jasper county farmer, and to this union two children were born : Marion R., Jr., born August 22, 1878. is prac- ticing law in Newton; Jesse Marion, born at Kingsley. October 18, 1884, is farming in Jasper county and is an optician.
In the year 1901 Doctor Hammer was so unfortunate as to become em- broiled in a quarrel with a young man of Newton which resulted very disas- trously, for a time checking his career, and bringing much sorrow into his life. Doctor Hammer's own story of the troube follows :
The two men in question met on the public square and after a few bitter words the Doctor's opponent struck him five times in quick succession, the fourth blow knocking him to his knees ; while he was still on the sidewalk, the fifth blow knocked him into the street, some distance from the curbing. His opponent then followed him up and as he approached Doctor Hammer drew a sheathed knife from his pocket and struck him with the knife sheathed, but his assailant continued to rain blows upon the Doctor's head and shoulders. The latter's opponent was a much younger and larger man, twenty-eight years of age, six feet and one inch tall and weighing two hundred and forty pounds. while the Doctor was forty-eight years old and weighed but one hundred and fifty pounds at that time, and was but five feet seven inches in height. Be- lieving that his life was in danger and not being able to cope with his opponent unassisted, he unsheathed his knife and cut him several times or
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until his assailant desisted from his attack. For this he was arrested, tried and convicted of attempted manslaughter, before Judge Bishop, who was ap- pointed to hear the case and on Friday, March I. 1901, was sentenced to serve three and one-half years in the penitentiary. The case was then ap- pealed and was sustained by the upper court, and on April 22, 1902, he was taken to Fort Madison by Sheriff Hook and Deputy Agnew, who showed him every possible courtesy. During the first ten months of his 'term in prison he was a messenger man or "lumper." and as such was allowed freedom to go to all parts of the penitentiary : the last twenty months he was gate-keeper at the lower gate and was outside the walls every day. His wife remained faith- ful during his trouble and never ceased in her efforts to work for his pardon. .A petition containing over three thousand names, being one-third of the voters of the county, was presented to the governor, together with petitions from persons from various states of the union to the number of four thousand. The latter names were secured through the editor of the Blue Grass Blade. the Rev. C. C. Moore, of Lexington, Kentucky, who interested himself in the case and espoused it. These seven thousand names were presented in a peti- tion to the governor, asking for his release, and after the men who had been most interested in his prosecution and conviction had joined in the petition, the governor acted upon it, and on September 12, 1904. the Doctor's sentence was conunted to take effect on September 15th, three days later. He had received eight months off for good time. He came back to Newton on the same train which had carried him to prison, reaching home on the 22d of that month, just two years and six months after leaving home. When the train upon which he was returning arrived at the local station he was met by a delegation of five hundred persons, who tendered him an ovation, assuring him that they believed he had been wrongfully sentenced. On April 18. 1905. Doctor Hammer was restored to citizenship by the governor. The Doctor does not believe that his case was properly handled by his attorney. After his return home he again took up the practice of medicine, in the same office in the Myers block, which he had retained during his absence : in fact, this has been his office since 1885. He has been very successful since his return home, enjoying a large and growing practice, and he has sent his son, M. R. Ham- mer. Jr., through Drake University. Doctor Hammer is independent of his practice, but he continues it because of his liking for the work. He owns a good farm near Kapple Station, as also does Mrs. Hammer. He has served as health officer of the city of Newton for two years, and he has been physician to the county jail for four years, all told: at the present time he is assistant physician to the county. He has been president and secretary of the Jasper
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County Eclectic Society of Physicians and Surgeons, and in 1910 he was elected vice-president of the Jasper County Medical Society. He was president of the Kingsley Medical Society and president of the Teachers Association of that institution. While confined at the state penitentiary he formed a medi- cal society and was made its president. It consisted of five other physicians. At present he is a member of the Jasper County Medical Society, the Iowa State Medical- Society and the American Medical Association. He is a dimitted member of the Masonic order, Lebanon Lodge No. 127, at Lynn- ville, Iowa. He is also a dimitted member of the Knights of Pythias. He belongs to the Pioneer Lodge, Des Moines Homesteaders.
Politically, Doctor Hammer was reared a Republican, became a Demo- crat, afterwards embraced the Greenback theory, and later became a Populist, and is now a Socialist. He voted for Belva Lockwood for President, and is an ardent supporter of woman's suffrage. While he has always been an abolitionist, he is an uncompromising Confederate, and is in possession of the only Confederate flag in Jasper county. Religiously. he was reared a Quaker (Friend), became a Methodist, then a Universalist, later an infidel and now a confirmed atheist.
CHESTER SLOANAKER.
One great exemplification of the fact that wealth attends upon industry and that comfort is a close follower in the wake of thrift is shown in the life career of Chester Sloanaker, the popular and able vice-president of the First National Bank of Newton and a potent factor in the financial circles of the locality for many years, being regarded as one of the leading and substantial citizens of Jasper county ; however, his is a plain record. rendered remarkable by no strange or mysterious adventure, no wonderful and lucky accident, and no tragic situation. Mr. Sloanaker being 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 their posterity, and leave the impress of their in- dividuality upon the age in which they live.
Mr. Sloanaker was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, January II. 1856, of a sterling old New England family, members of which have figured more or less prominently in various walks of life since the old colonial days. He is the son of Isaac Morgan and Mary Trego (Hartman) Sloanaker, the father a native of Chester county. Pennsylvania, where he grew to maturity
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and was educated, and for many years he engaged successfully in the whole- sale mercantile business in the city of Philadelphia, under the firm name of Sloanaker, Kilpatrick & Company, wholesalers and importers, which firm did an extensive and thriving business. His wife was the daughter of Maj .- Gen. George W. Hartman, who took a conspicuous part in the war of 1812. His father, Major George Hartman, was a drummer boy when fourteen years of age at the battle of Brandywine, during the Revolution, and he was wounded in that engagement. His father was Major Peter Hartman, an officer in the patriot army. Peter Hench, the great-grandfather of Mrs. Isaac M. Sloan- aker, lived at Valley Forge during the war for independence, and while Washington's army was camped there, and he turned out his herd of cattle to the commander, to be used as food for the soldiers. for which worthy ser- vice the government later voted him money. His wife baked bread for the army.
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