USA > Iowa > Jasper County > Past and present of Jasper County, Iowa, Vol. I > Part 57
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CHARLES H. BRIDGES.
Among the native-born residents of Jasper county who have reached a well merited success must certainly be included the name of Charles H. Bridges, well known young business man of Newton He represents one of the county's old and influential families, and honesty and fair dealing having been his watchwords, these twin virtues having ever been personified in his active life. He has kept unsullied the fair name of his forbears and is in every way deserving of the high respect which is accorded him by all his acquaintances.
Mr. Bridges was born in Newton township, this county, April 16, 1877. He is the son of Absolom Green Bridges, commonly known as "Green" Bridges. He was born in Indiana and he married Sarah A. Reynolds, a native of Kentucky, who came to Iowa when twelve years of age, her parents having come direct to Jasper county from Kentucky in 1853. Green Bridges was also young when he came to this county, his advent here being in 1845 or 1846. He came with his mother and first wife, who died a few years after locating here. Here the parents of Charles H. Bridges, of this review, met and married. They devoted their lives to farming, their parents also having been farmers on both sides of the house. By thrift and untiring industry Green Bridges became one of the leading farmers of the county, at one time owning five hundred and forty acres of valuable land, all in Newton town- ship. Later, through his too generous nature and his kindness of heart and
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faith in his fellow men, he lost a considerable portion of this property. He was ever willing to heed the story of another's misfortunes and always willing to help. He frequently gave assistance that was not properly appreciated, and lost by so doing. He was a sturdy, true, likable character and few men in the country were better liked. A man of strong convictions, he was deeply in- terested in educational and church work, serving the church and his town- ship in many capacities. For years he was superintendent of the Sunday school and was always working to ameliorate local conditions, to make his fellow men better. Once he left the farm and came to Newton, where he con- ducted a general store for three years, but returned to the farm when he sold the store, dying soon afterwards at the age of sixty years. In politics he was a Republican and was active in party affairs, in fact, he was a local leader in his party and served it in many ways.
By his first marriage Green Bridges became the father of three children, but one of whom, Emoline, wife of Joseph Reynolds, of Des Moines, is living. Twelve children were born of his second union, five of whom are now living, namely : Freddy and Etta died when children; Oliver Perry died in Newton when twenty-six years of age; Hayden died on the home farm when twenty- five years of age; Absolom G. died there when twenty-four years old; Carrie May died at home when seventeen years old; Rilla Maud died at the age of fifteen. Those living are : Rebecca, .wife of John W. Foreman, lives in New- ton; Jennie is the wife of W. E. Smith, of Newburg, Iowa; Joseph M. lives in Plankinton, South Dakota; Charles H., of this review; Frank G., the youngest, lives with his mother in Newton. All the children by the second marriage were born in Newton township and all but two in the same house.
After the death of the father Charles H. Bridges was left to care for the home farm, and he managed the same very successfully for a period of five years, although a mere youth. He left the same when eighteen years old and came to Newton and engaged in the livery business. After about three years he added a transfer business, which combination was continued for eight years, at the end of which time, the transfer business becoming so large, he disposed of the livery business, and now devotes his attention exclusively to his transfer work, his patronage ever increasing. He handles all kinds of baggage and freight, moves household goods and pianos, and he is well equipped for prompt and first class service in every respect. He has only reliable and competent assistance and he has made a great success in this line by his courteous and fair dealing with the public. During the past four years, however, he has been agent at Newton for the American Express Company.
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On October 3, 1906, Mr. Bridges was united in marriage with Pauline Nugteren, daughter of Peter Nugteren, a native of Holland. Both parents are living near Prairie City. Mrs. Bridges was born near Pella, Iowa. She is a member of the Presbyterian church at Newton. Mr. Bridges and wife have one child. Earl LeRoy, who was born December 11, 1909.
Politically, Mr. Bridges is a Republican and fraternally he belongs to the Delta Lodge No. 53, Knights of Pythias, of Newton, being at present second lieutenant in the Uniform Rank. He was for four years a member of the Newton volunteer fire department.
A. W. HALL.
Of the able and enterprising business men of Colfax, none stands higher in the esteem of his contemporaries, or has shown more of business sagacity and capability in the management of affairs than has A. W. Hall, the record of whose success is briefly told below.
A. W. Hall was born at Junction, Louisa county, Iowa, on November 22. 1854, the son of James G. and Celeste A. (Miller) Hall. James G. Hall came to Louisa county, Iowa, in 1832, and the next year brought his wife and fam- ily from Crawfordsville, Indiana, and spent the remainder of his life on a Louisa county farm. His son, A. W., spent his boyhood in the usual pursuits of farm life, and in 1883 came to Colfax, where he has since resided. For nearly twenty years, until 1902, he was engaged in a general store which did a thriving business, his partner being his brother, W. F. Hall, and the firm being known as Hall Brothers. Here Mr. Hall gained that business experience which has stood him in such good account in his later ventures. In 1901 he became, at the organization of the Fry Bottling Works, a partner in the con- pany, is now the secretary and treasurer, and has since that time devoted his whole time to the company's affairs. This company deals in the celebrated Colfax mineral waters, which it bottles and ships all over the United States, their product bearing the brand "Fry's Pure Colfax Water," which is a guar- antee of its purity and reliability. The sales of the company are each year steadily growing, and much credit is due to the enterprise of Mr. Hall and his associates, who have founded and built up this new business in Colfax. Mr. Hall's attention, directed to his share of the management of the plant and affairs, has contributed a large part to the success of the venture, for he is a thorough and competent man of affairs, with a brain which can not only con-
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ceive ideas, but which can execute the ideas conceived and carry them out to fruition.
Mr. Hall married Ella Young, a native of Washington, Iowa. To this marriage five children have been born: Fred; J. N., a graduate of Grinnell College, now of Boston, Massachusetts; Harvey W., of Grinnell College; Dorothy Elizabeth and Marjory Celestia, now in school. Mr. Hall is much devoted to his wife and children, and has given to the latter the best advantages which could be afforded.
HENRY S. EFNOR.
The veterans of the great Union army that saved the nation from dis- ruption during its darkest period should be justly proud of what they have done for succeeding generations, having left an inheritance of which we should be very grateful; indeed we owe them a debt of gratitude that we can never pay. Now that the "sunset of life" is upon them and the "grand army of the republic" is continuously marching across the "great divide" to join "the phantom army in the silent land," let us of the aftermath accord them every courtesy and honor, and prove our gratitude for what they have achieved while we have the opportunity. One of this worthy number is Henry S. Efnor, long a well known business man and public official of Jasper county, now living in retirement in his cozy home in Newton, surrounded by every comfort of life as a result of his former years of industry and right living.
Mr. Efnor was born May 4, 1839, in Saratoga county, New York. He is the son of Samuel S. and Perlexy (Nims) Efnor, both natives of the state of New York, where they grew to maturity, were educated and married. The paternal grandfather came from Germany with two brothers, locating in the United States during the Revolutionary war, and they fought in the famous battle of Saratoga, one brother being killed there; subsequently another went west and the third, John, settled in New York, and from him sprang the subject's family. In his early life, Samuel S. Efnor, father of Henry S., of this review, was a lumberman. He came west and located in Jasper county, Iowa, in 1853, securing eighty acres of raw land in Elk Creek township; this he improved and here lived until his death, in 1868. at the age of fifty-eight years. His wife, who was a "down East Yankee," died in 1871, being also fifty-eight years old. The father was a man of splendid Christian character, of strict morality and integrity, having none of the so-called bad habits, never having used liquor. He was active in church, educational and political work.
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Henry S. Efnor was the only son in a family of seven children, five of whom are now living, namely: Electa, widow of Francis Butin, lives in Galesburg, Iowa; Fannie married H. M. Talbot and lives in Fargo, North Dakota ; Ella married John Minor and lives in Harlan, Iowa.
Henry S. Efnor was reared on the home farm and secured what educa- tion he could in the old-time schools. Up to 1860 he worked out as a farm hand and in the coal mines. He then began contracting for coal delivery in Fulton county, Illinois. On April 5. 1860, he was united in marriage with Esther M. Henry. of Pennsylvania, and this union resulted in the birth of seven children, of whom two are deceased ; Edwin resides in Newton ; Robert lives in Webster. South Dakota: George is farming in Buena Vista township, this county: Frank is farming in Fairview township: Ella married Ulysses Brown and they live in Wayland, Iowa ; Henrietta died when eight years of age and Fannie when a baby.
In the winter of 1860 Mr. Efnor came to Jasper county, Iowa, and began farming. He could not be content to remain at the plow when his country was in arms, consequently in August, 1862, he left his young wife and child and enlisted in Company K. Twenty-eighth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, under Capt. John Meyer. After short stops at Iowa City and Davenport, the regiment was sent to Helena, Arkansas, thence to Oakland, Mississippi, then was sent on the White river expedition to Duval's Bluff, Arkansas, and later took part in the famous siege of Vicksburg. Mr. Efnor took part in the bitter engage- ments of Grand Gulf, Port Gibson, Edward's Station, Baker's Creek and Champion Hills, having been desperately wounded in the last named engage- ment, having been shot through the right thigh and, being unable to walk, he was captured, and he was permitted to lie upon the ground with no covering of any kind for two weeks. The wounded prisoners were placed in lines of twenty-five each, and received little or no attention whatever. Their food con- sisted of but a half pint of thin soup to each man per day. Mr. Efnor's wound was not dressed for three days after the battle; in that time it was in a very bad condition, and then it was merely washed. In the group of twenty-five wounded Federal soldiers in which he was in, all died but Mr. Efnor. Two weeks later the subject was fortunate enough to be exchanged and was placed on a boat bound for Memphis. His leg and right side were swollen to twice their normal size and were a mass of vermine and clotted blood. After re- maining in a Union hospital three weeks, he was taken, along with some In- diana soldiers, to Indianapolis. Later Governor Morton sent him to St. Louis and from there he was sent home on a thirty days' furlough. He was using a crutch and cane when he returned to his regiment at Opaloosa, Louisiana,
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reaching there just as it was going into battle. Later he participated in the Red River expedition and fought at the battle of Sabine Cross-Roads. He was then transferred to the Eastern army, with which he marched over a large portion of the South. He was at the battles of Winchester, Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek, and he saw Sheridan make his famous ride. All told, Mr. Efnor was in fourteen general engagements, besides numerous skirmishes, in all of which he acquitted himself most creditably, according to his comrades After being honorably discharged at Davenport, lowa, he returned home and resumed farming, which he continued until 1887, when he began contracting county bridges. This he continued with a large measure of success for four- teen years, building bridges all over the county. Beginning in 1882, he served a term of three years as county supervisor. In 1890 he retired and moved to Newton. He owns considerable farm and city property, all well improved and desirably located.
Mr. Efnor's first wife died about 1906 and he subsequently married Anna Swank, of Jasper county, which union has been without issue.
Fraternally, Mr. Efnor is a member of the Masons and Knights of Pythias. He is a member of Garrett Post No. 16, Grand Army of the Re- public, of which he is past commander. He and his wife belong to the Con- gregational church, of which he was formerly a trustee and is now a deacon.
A. C. AUTEN.
Alex. C. Auten was born in Knox county, Ohio, July 20, 1839, and came of that stock which meant so much to the early history of this country. He is the second child in a family of eleven born to J. C. and Rebecca (Colley) Auten, both natives of Pennsylvania, of whom there are only seven now sur- viving besides the subject, namely : Mary E., who was the wife and is now the widow of Madison Boatright, living in Buena Vista township, Jasper county, Iowa: Jacob Wesley; William Allen; James Finley : and Alice, who married Wheeler Cole, all living in Ohio; and Almira, wife of George Hall, living in Pennsylvania. Those of the family who have departed this life are : Henry Clinton, who died some years ago; Louisa died at the age of six; John died in infancy ; and Emma, who married Stucker Robbins, died in 1875. Both father and mother died in Ohio, to which state they had removed soon after the birth of their eldest child, Henry Clinton, in the year 1837.
Alex. C. Auten and his sister, Mary E. Boatright, were the only members of the family that ever came to the West, and on January 16, 1862, Mr. Auten
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was united in marriage to Lois D. Foot, in Ohio, who was born in Knox county, that state, being the daughter of Aninijah and Elizabeth (Dilliston) Foot. She was one of fourteen children. One of her brothers, Wilbur Foot, enlisted in an Ohio company and served in the Civil war during the struggle between the North and South.
To Mr. and Mrs. Auten were born two children. The elder, Frank Mc- Clellan, was born in October, 1865, while the family lived in Ohio; and Jay C. was born September 1, 1872, in Buena Vista township, Jasper county, Iowa, but died at the age of sixteen years. In the spring of 1866 the family moved to Jasper county, Iowa, and for three years after coming west Mr. Auten rented land, after which period he purchased forty acres in Hixon Grove, Buena Vista township. Later he sold this land and in 1895 he and his son, Frank, purchased one hundred and sixty acres in section 1. in Buena Vista township, which they still hold. The son Frank lives near the home place, with his interesting family of four children. The wife and mother, Susie May (Morris) Auten, was called from this life on June 2, 1910, leaving to mourn her loss, besides her husband, a little daughter, Annie Lois, aged eight years ; two sons, Jay Morris, seven years old; Charles Winsor, four years old; and a baby daughter, Margaret, aged only two years.
Mr. and Mrs. Auten are well beloved and esteemed by all who know them, and are of the finest and best citizens of Jasper county. Both are faith- ful and consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
NOBLE J. FUGARD.
A citizen of Newton who has earned well merited success is Noble J. Fugard, for his life has been led along conservative, industrious and hon- orable lines and he has ever sought to do his full duty as a citizen. He is of German descent and a native of the old Buckeye state, his birth having occurred in Mercer county, Ohio, April 6, 1862, and he is the son of John M. and Clara (Tindall) Border, he having been adopted into the Fugard family. His parents were married at Deerfield, Mercer county, Ohio, and his father was a soldier in the Civil war, a member of a volunteer regiment from that state, in which he served throughout the struggle. Returning to Ohio after the war, he soon afterwards drove through from that state to Jasper county, Iowa, bringing his family in an old-fashioned covered wagon, the trip requir- ing seven weeks, the country through which they passed being wild and the roads very rough. The hardships of the trip were added to by almost con-
RESIDENCE OF NOBLE J. FUGARD
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY 1 ASTON LENNY. TILDES FOUNDATIONS
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tinuous rains, all of which greatly discouraged them; but the mother, a cour- ageous little woman, refused to be daunted and her admirable display of forti- tude kept up the courage of the others, frequently singing the old hymn, "We Will Stand the Storm, It Will Not Be Long." The family settled on a farm in Clear Creek township, this county, and besides farming, the father, who was an engineer, had charge of a stationary engine in that neighborhood, working in this capacity for a Mr. Richards. But a short time after reaching here disaster visited the home and the happy family circle was broken up by the sad death of the mother, who was burned to death. The father then left this part of the country, leaving his child, Noble J., of this review, to the care of neighbors. He was taken into the home of John F. Fugard when six years of age and remained with that family until after he became of age and he took their name. Having never been legally adopted by them, when he reached his majority, he secured an order from the court changing his name from Border to Fugard and he has since been known to everybody by the latter name. After the death of the mother of the subject, the father married again a Mrs. Young, and had a daughter, Mary Border, half-sister of the subject. She lives in Des Moines, and is now Mrs. Frank Ferris. His second wife is deceased, but Mr. Border is living in Des Moines. There was but one other child born to the parents of the subject, a daughter, who died in infancy.
Mr. Fugard knows but little of his mother's people. She was the daugh- ter of Jacob Tindall, the latter a brother of George Tindall, a soldier in the Revolutionary war. The family owned considerable land where the city of Trenton, New Jersey, now stands.
On June 6, 1886, Noble J. Fugard was united in marriage with Lou Mason, whose death occurred on September 12, 1888. On August 17, 1903, he was married to Mrs. Jennie Edwards, widow of Charles Edwards, and the daughter of John W. and Rebecca (Nichols) Bicknell. Her father was a native of North Carolina and was the son of Pleasant and Mary (Campbell) Bicknell. Her mother was the daughter of John and Mary Nichols and was born October 15, 1831, and died April 23, 1863. Her people were among the earliest settlers in Jasper county and a full mention of them will be found in the sketch of Hannah Nichols, appearing elsewhere in this work.
To John and Rebecca Bicknell five children were born, namely: Wilford S., Wesley C., William H., Elias M. and Mary Jane, the wife of Noble Fugard, of this review. She was born June 25, 1859. After her mother's death her father married Valinda Blackwood, and to this union two children were born, Frank, and Lester W., who died in 1911.
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Mrs. Fugard's father, John Bicknell, was a well known man in this local- ity. He was a successful farmer, carpenter and also owned a livery barn in Newton for a number of years. His death occurred very suddenly on Sep- tember 27, 1895, in Buena Vista township.
Mary Jane Bicknell was married to Charles Edwards, May 22, 1882. and to this union was born one child, Etta May Edwards, now the wife of Guy A. Hammer, son of Nathan Hammer; they have three children, Lois, Bessie and Lawrence.
Not having any children of their own, Mr. and Mrs. Fugard took a little girl from the orphans' home in September, 1907, when she was six weeks' old. They have adopted her and named her Daisy: she is much beloved by them and is the sunshine of their home.
Mr. Fugard at one time owned what is known as the old Nichols place in Buena Vista township, but sold it a few years ago and moved to Newton, where he purchased a cozy home, known as the Springer property. This at- tractive and pleasant home is surrounded by two acres of valuable land.
Mr. Fugard is independent in politics, but is in sympathy with the Pro- hibitionists. He is a member of the Baptist church, as is also his wife. They enjoy the friendship of a wide acquaintance and their home is known as a hospitable one.
JAMES K. TURNER.
For various reasons James K. Turner, of Newton, Jasper county, is deemed eligible for specific mention in this volume, not the least of which is the fact that he was one of the brave "boys in blue" who offered his services in defense of his country during the dark days of the early sixties. His life has been one of honest endeavor and certainly not devoid of good to his fellow men, as many of them will freely attest. He has always been a hard worker and has never permitted obstacles to turn him from his course when once he knew that he was right. He was born in July, 1845, in Henry county, Indiana, the son of James and Priscilla (Ferrow) Turner, the father born in Guilford county, North Carolina, and the mother in Virginia, the latter's people at one time being very prominent in their locality and owning a large plantation along the Blue river. Her father was a slave holder, owning about one hundred slaves, and at his death these and his estate fell to the subject's mother and her brother, John C. Ferrow. later a general in the Confederate army. After Priscilla Ferrow married Mr. Turner, most of the slaves were
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set free, largely in view of the fact that James Turner, father of the subject, was a Quaker minister and opposed to holding slaves. In an early day the Turners moved to Indiana, but did not remain there long, having returned to High Point, Guilford county, North Carolina. In 1856 he again took his family to Indiana and lived there until his death, which occurred a few years later at the age of sixty-eight; the death of the mother of the subject oc- curred there two years after the family located there, at the age of fifty-eight years.
James Turner followed farming, and also engaged in the distillery busi- ness for some time, which in those days was universally regarded as a respect- able vocation. His family consisted of ten children, of whom James K., of this review, was the youngest ; four of the sons were soldiers in the Civil war, John, the eldest, having been with Morgan ; he died at Eddyville, lowa. The other children were named as follows: Elizabeth, who married a Mr. Smuck, is now deceased; Jane married Mace Bectle and lives in Jay county, Indiana ; Mary A. is the wife of Philip Oxley; George lives in Gas City, Indiana; he was a soldier in Company C, Eighty-ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry ; Lewis, who was a soldier in the Thirty-fourth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, is now living in Texas; Priscilla, who married Thomas Tadlock, also lives in Texas; Nancy, who married Thomas Mann, lives in Michigan; Malinda died in In- diana.
James K. Turner, of this sketch, attended school for a time at Buck Creek, Indiana, also at Fairmont. When less than seventeen years of age he enlisted in the Union army, in April, 1862, and served until the close of the war with honor and distinction, seeing much hard service, having taken part in over thirty of the most sanginuary battles of the war, besides a number of smaller engagements. He was shot through the body at Jackson, Mississippi, February 6, 1864, and was there taken prisoner, and it was some time before he recovered. As a private in Company C, Eighty-ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, he fought in the following engagements, among others : Green River bridge, where he heard his first cannon, although he had been in previous en- gagements ; Murfreesboro, Lafayette, Guntown, Tupalo, Coldwater. The two months that he was in prison he subsisted. mostly, on pea bread and water and during that time his wound was dressed only once; however, in the house where he was confined, which was guarded by the Confederates, was a bright young girl, who, feeling sorry for the wounded Northern lad, sometimes se- cretly gave him substantial food and brought him water. After he was ex- changed he was sent home. As soon as he was able to be upon his feet again he reported for duty at Indianapolis, but was told that he was unable to return to
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