USA > Iowa > Jasper County > Past and present of Jasper County, Iowa, Vol. II > Part 23
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It is an excellent thing to be born to great wealth, like a Vanderbilt, but it is also excellent to be born to a good name. When ancestors through many generations have lived useful and distinguished lives and have made a splendid name for themselves by devotion to duty and honor, it is one of the biggest inheritances that can be left to descendants. And so the families who had ancestors in the Revolution or other early wars of our Republic or in other lines of service of the country in its formative period boast of such services and found organizations of the descendants, with the record of their fathers
E. P. MENDENHALL
MRS. SARAH KITCHIN
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RESIDENCE OF E. P, MENDENHALL
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for the foundation stone. And so descendants of families that came to the ʻ
wild, untamed and seemingly interminable planes of Iowa when it was the land of the red man and wolf and carved out fine farms and comfortable Christian homes from the primeval wilds may well boast of the deeds of their fathers and mothers who conquered the land and made the soil blossom with flowers of industry and peace. When in addition to all this they have behind them a name of honor and a principality of acres, their children may well rise up and call them "blessed." This has been the inheritance of E. P. Menden- hall, well-known agriculturist of Lynn Grove township, Jasper county.
Mr. Mendenhall was born in Hendricks county, Indiana, May 21, 1858; and he is the son of Temple and Sarah (Newlin) Mendenhall, the father born in North Carolina, November 22, 1806, and the mother in Clinton county, Ohio, April 10, 1815. The Mendenhalls came to America from England with the famous William Penn, there being three brothers of them, and from one of the three is descended the subject of this sketch; the trio were Benjamin, John and George; the latter returned to England, the first two named remain- ing in the new world and here reared families. It is believed that they spelled their name Mildenhall, later members of the family corrupting it to Menden- hall, or perhaps these brothers changed their name upon establishing them- selves in America, for it is known that they owned a splendid country home in England, called Mildenhall. From the early colonial days to the present time the members of this house have figured more or less prominently in many sections of the Union.
When thirteen years of age, Temple Mendenhall, father of E. P., of this review, accompanied his parents, Richard and Polly Mendenhall, from the old home in North Carolina to Indiana and there the mother died. The maternal grandparents, John and Esther Newlin, moved to Indiana in a very early day and there reared a family and spent their lives, the grandmother dying there; the death of the grandfather occurred in Ohio. The parents of the subject of this sketch were married in Indiana on January 20, 1835, and there they remained until 1859, when they came to Jasper county, Iowa, and bought a small farm which Mr. Mendenhall developed and to which he added more land as he prospered until he became the owner of nine hundred and thirty acres in Jasper county, and was known as one of the leading farmers and citizens of his day. He was well-known and influential among the early settlers here. Although his business interests were large and required much attention, he found ample time to aid in the general development of the locality and was regarded as one of the most useful men in this corner of the county. He was public spirited and always gladly supported any measure calculated
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to be of general good. He was kind-hearted, neighborly and useful in times of sickness, misfortunes, deaths or wherever the services of a strong-minded, sympathetic spirit was needed. He was a well-informed man and, in fact, he was doctor and dentist to his children, of which there were an equal number of sons and daughters, fourteen in all, but only three of them are living at this writing, namely: Temple, of Plainfield, Indiana; Jeremiah, who lives at Lynnville, Iowa; and Enos P., of this review. A twin brother of the latter, Calvin W., died in January, 1908. The death of Temple Mendenhall occurred on December 14, 1874, in his sixty-eighth year; his wife died on September 20, 1891, having reached the age of seventy-six years They were a fine old couple and held in high esteem by all who knew them
E. P. Mendenhall, of this review, grew up on the home farm and when of proper age he made himself useful about the home place, especially during crop seasons, attending the public schools in the wintertime, after which he took four terms in Penn College. Since leaving school through his home study and reading he has become well educated. He took up farming for a livelihood on the old home place and at one time he owned in partnership with his brother, Calvin W., seven hundred and twenty acres. Upon the death of the latter the estate was settled and the subject bought the home place of two hundred and eighty acres, and sold all the rest of his land in Richland town- ship, this county, and in Poweshiek county. He farmed and raised live stock on a large scale for many years, and prospered by reason of close application and good management. For nearly four years he has been practically retired from active life, though he still manages the home place and maintains his residence on the same. He has made a specialty of stock and grain farming and has quite a local reputation as a corn raiser. He has kept well up on modern methods of farming.
Politically, Mr. Mendenhall is a Prohibitionist and is an active worker in the party. He was reared among the Society of Friends and he has not departed from that faith.
Two of his sisters made their home with the subject until their deaths, each of whom owned some good land here. Then a third sister, Mrs. Sarah Kitchin, widow of Joseph J. Kitchin, and a blood relation of John G. Whittier. kept house for him until her death, on August 17, 1910. Since then her daughters, Blanch and Nellie, have remained with Mr. Mendenhall. They are two of a family of seven girls, the others being Etta, Chla, Anna, Julia and · Lillian. Gurney and Furney, twin brothers, died in childhood. Blanch and Nellie, who are looking after the home, are popular young ladies in the com- munity, both well educated and talented musicians. having attended Penn College at Oskaloosa for some time ..
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ABRAM CARRIER.
The gentleman of whom the biographer now writes is widely known as one of the honored citizens of Jasper county, and for many years has been actively identified with the varied interests of his community, in fact, his work and influence have been woven into the very warp and woof of this locality's last half century of history. His well directed efforts in the practical affairs of life, his capable management of his own business interests and his sound judgment have brought to him well merited prosperity, and his life forcibly demonstrates what may be accomplished by the man of energy and ambition, who is not afraid to work and has the perseverance to continue his labors, even in the face of seemingly discouraging circumstances.
Abram Carrier was born in Shenandoah county, Virginia, December 25, 1825, and his long, useful and honored career is a continuous chronicle of thrift and activity. His parents, Solomon and Elizabeth (Holvey) Carrier, were both natives of Virginia and were of that hardy stock from which the pioneers of this continent sprang.
In 1835 this family moved to Ohio. at that time largely a wilderness, through which roamed wild beasts and from which the whoop of the Indian had not entirely died away, and it was in the midst of such wholesome condi- tions that the subject grew up. Following the peaceful pursuit of farming, the father remained in Ohio until his death, which occurred on October 9, 1840, at the age of sixty-seven years. Six years later the mother died at about the same age. Thirteen children were born to them, Abram, of this review, being the seventh son and today the sole survivor.
Receiving a common school education in the subscription schools of his day, Mr. Carrier supplemented this by learning the blacksmith's trade at Hills- boro, Highland county. Ohio, where he remained about a year after the death of his father. From there he went to Fayetteville. Brown county, Ohio, starting a shop of his own. Here, on March 24, 1846. he was united in mar- riage with Sarah Jane Anderson, daughter of John and Mary (Lemon) Anderson, both of whom were natives of York county, Pennsylvania. From Fayetteville, Mr. Carrier moved to Belmont county. Ohio, where he continued blacksmithing, remaining there a little over ten years. In April, 1857, he started westward and located at Newton, Jasper county, Iowa. purchasing a farm soon afterwards just south of the town, which place he still owns. While he has done some blacksmithing since he came here, his attention has been very largely devoted to agricultural pursuits and stock raising, and today, hav-
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ing prospered through close application and good management, he is one of the county's largest land owners, being the possessor of over six hundred acres of valuable land, well improved and admirably adapted for high grade farm- ing.
Eight children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Carrier, namely : Mary Ellen, born July 12, 1847, died in infancy ; William Alexander, born March 14, 1848, died in 1849; Emma Elizabeth, born April 5, 1851, married on October 27, 1905, to Isaac Templin, and they are both now deceased; Amanda, born February 28, 1853, is the wife of C. K. Bumell, of Newton; Frank, born May 21, 1855, resides at this time on the home farm; he married Sophia Har- bold; Milton A., born August 1, 1859, resides in Newton; he married Fanny Hart and is engaged in the mercantile business; William, born in Jasper county, Iowa, September 17, 1864, is a partner of his father in many of his enterprises and is one of the well known and prominent young business men of the county. He is the active manager of all his father's landed interests, comprising nine hundred acres in all. Besides this he devotes much attention to stock buying, raising, feeding and shipping. He is also a well known breeder of shorthorn cattle and Percheron horses. He has sold many car loads of these fine cattle in various parts of the Union. in fact, in nearly every state. On September 26, 1890, he was united in marriage with Dillie Brown, daughter of Joseph Brown, of Jefferson county, Pennsylvania. Mr. Brown came to Jasper county, Iowa, in 1887, and died at the home of Mr. Carrier some years later. Mrs. Brown is at present making her home with her daugh- ter, Mrs. Carrier.
William Carrier is a member of the Shorthorn Breeders Association and the Percheron Society. He is also a member and director of the Jasper County Agricultural Society and vice-president of the Fine Stock Breeders Associa- tion of this county. He is also a member of the Newton Business Men's Association, and fraternally belongs to the Delta Lodge No. 53, Knights of Pythias, at Newton.
Besides his farming interests, Mr. Carrier has an ice business which has attained extensive proportions, selling about two thousand tons annually. He owns one-half of the building in which his brother's dry goods store is located, and he has valuable city property in Everett. Washington. He has made frequent trips to that state, in fact, has traveled extensively throughout the West and in British America. His wife is a member of the Presbyterian church of Newton and is a niece of Rev. Mr. Brown, who was pastor of that church for nine years.
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Carrie Anna Carrier, youngest child of Abram Carrier and wife, was born October 2, 1870, married J. H. Moscrip, and is now residing with her parents in Newton.
Mr. Carrier has always been prominently allied with the agricultural and business activities of Jasper county. For six years he was president of the Jasper County Agricultural Society. He is also a breeder of fine live stock, especially shorthorn cattle. He is a member of the Shorthorn Breeders As- sociation. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. In politics he is a Democrat, and while he has never aspired to be a political leader he has always stood ready to support all laudable movements looking to the betterment of this locality in civic, material and moral matters and he and his wife have the esteem of a wide circle of friends,-in fact, no family in the county is more prominent socially and in business circles than the Carriers.
JOHN N. WILSON.
The term success is relative, depending often upon mere individual con- ditions, but it is seldom we find a man whose life work has been of that high character which merits the stamp of human approval. In a material way, John N. Wilson, of Newton, Jasper county, has succeeded to an extent not usually reached by the average man, and, apart from this interesting phase, his life story is full of much that is best and noblest. Whether as soldier in the great Civil war or as private citizen or head of his family, he has always striven to know and advocate the right, and his example has been one well worth imitating .-
Mr. Wilson was born in Hendricks county, Indiana, February 5, 1843, and he is the son of Squire H. and Martha (Blanton) Wilson, the father a native of North Carolina and the mother of Kentucky. The former came from his native state to Hendricks county, Indiana, in early life and there pur- chased land and engaged in farming until 1850 when, with his wife and four children, he emigrated to Jasper county, Iowa, where he purchased one hun- dred and sixty acres in Buena Vista township, entering the forty adjoining it from the government, this being the land now occupied by the county in- firmary, being sold by the elder Wilson to Jasper county in 1867. Following this transaction he bought forty acres in Newton township, upon which he lived until his death in 1881, when he was sixty-two years of age. He had been very successful as a farmer and stock man and at one time had owned
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nearly five hundred acres of land near Killduff; his wife survived until 1884, dying at the age of sixty-four. They were the parents of eight children, John N., of this review, being the third in order of birth; the eldest, William Thomas, died at Deadwood, South Dakota, where he had been engaged in the lumber business, having formerly been a farmer in Jasper county, Iowa; Hester J. married C. L. Roberts, a prominent grain dealer and at one time postmaster as Grinnell, Iowa, where they still reside; J. S. lives in Newton; M. J. owns and resides on a ranch near Lusk, Wyoming; H. C. is a farmer and stock man in Cherokee county, Iowa ; Emsley M. lives in Des Moines; Alice is the wife of C. W. Stahl and they live in Los Angeles, California.
When a mere child John N. Wilson walked two miles to attend school at Adamson and Hickson Groves, the way often being through the deep snow. He also attended old Hazel Dell Academy for a year.
In August, 1862, he responded to his country's call and enlisted in Com- pany E, Fortieth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, in which he served with gal- lantry for three years. His regiment was the first to enter Little Rock, Arkan- sas. He saw much hard and dangerous service, serving under General Steele in Arkansas and Kentucky and participated in the memorable Red River expe- dition. also the great siege of Vicksburg. following which he was taken sick and was sent home. His regiment then moved upon Helena, Arkansas, and after defeating Confederates there, moved upon Duvall's Bluffs, capturing that point, going from there to Little Rock, at which place Mr. Wilson re- joined his regiment. Here they spent the winter and the following spring started on the Red river expedition, but being defeated at Red river were driven back into Little Rock, which city they guarded until the spring of 1865, when they went to Fort Smith, and in June of that year were sent to Fort Gilson, where a regiment of semi-civilized Indians, who hunted all the time, were stationed. Mr. Wilson recalls the fact that his regiment did more work in guarding the red men than they did in restraining the Confederate prison- ers. Mr. Wilson was honorably discharged at Fort Gilson, August 12, 1865.
Returning to Jasper county, Mr. Wilson began farming, having pur- chased eighty acres in Buena Vista township during the war, for which he paid five dollars per acre. Selling this three years later, he purchased two hundred and forty acres in the same township, which he sold a year later and purchased eighty acres in Newton township, which he held four years and sold: He then bought one hundred and twenty acres just west of Newton, to which he sub- sequently added until he had at one time four hundred and sixty acres. Later he sold all but one hundred and eighty-four acres, which he still owns. In 1901 he quit active farming. after being very successful, and moved to his
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beautiful home in Newton, buying property there. Since leaving the farm he has been engaged in buying and selling land very extensively and at the present writing is one of the county's large landowners. He has one hundred and sixty acres near Peru, Madison county, Iowa; two hundred and thirty-seven acres in Kellogg township, this county ; also six hundred and forty acres in Canada. At one time he and some associates were interested in twenty-two sections of land in Canada. Six years ago he operated a Reeves thirty-two horse-power steam plow on this land. It is doubtful if Jasper county can claim a citizen who is a better judge of land and land values than he, and he is a careful and successful business man in all lines. For years he has been a breeder of fine horses and cattle. In 1889, with others, he purchased the Alcyon roller flouring mills, of Newton, of which he subsequently became sole proprietor. This property, however, he later disposed of. At one time he was engaged at cabinetmaking at Des Moines.
In 1866 Mr. Wilson was united in marriage with Nancy Jane Green, daughter of Willis and Mary (Kirby) Green, both natives of Kentucky. Leav- ing that state, they went to Missouri, and later to Fairfield, Jefferson county, in January, 1843, and there Mrs. Wilson was born on May 7th of that year. Two years later the family moved to Jasper county, locating in Newton town- ship, purchasing one hundred and twenty acres of land on which they lived until the death of the mother in 1877, when she was fifty-six years old, the father surviving until 1904, having attained the unusual mile-post of ninety years. At the time of his death he was living at Meringo, Illinois. Their family consisted of four children, one of whom, Sarah Ann, died at the age of eighteen years; Rebecca F., widow of William H. Pardoe, a former business man of Newton, resides in Fargo, North Dakota; John L., who was a soldier in the Civil war, was killed during the siege of Vicksburg.
Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, all living : Fan- nie May, born November 23, 1869, is the wife of Albert Brown, a farmer near Kellogg, and they have a daughter and two sons; Frederick Earl, born March 5, 1877, lives on a farm in Madison county, and he has two daughters; Guy Everett, born December 16, 1882, lives on the place west of town.
Politically, Mr. Wilson is a Republican. He belongs to Garrett Post No. 16, Grand Army of the Republic, at Newton.
Mrs. Wilson is a woman of talent and culture. She was a student in old Wittemberg College, and she has been of great service to Mr. Wilson in his life work, her encouragement and sympathy helping him over many a difficult place. She was reared in the Methodist faith and her life has been wholesome and helpful to all with whom she has come into contact.
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JOHN R. WOODROW.
Among the substantial and enterprising business men of Jasper county who have won success by untiring effort and rightly directed talents is John R. Woodrow, who is deserving of conspicuous mention in this work, along with other public-spirited local citizens, because they have shown themselves to be the possessors of superior qualities, the qualities that win, and are not discouraged at obstacles.
Mr. Woodrow was born May 27, 1852, in Lee county, Iowa, and he is the son of Benjamin and Lorina (Jackson) Woodrow, the father born at Nor- wich. Norfolk county, England, in 1807, and there he grew to maturity and was educated, coming to America in 1828. He was a tailor by trade and upon arriving in this country he located in New York City, where he worked at his trade for a few years, after which he moved near Rochester. About 1850 he came west and located in Lee county, Iowa, where he bought a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, and there he remained ten years, when his wife died, after which event Mr. Woodrow returned to England. His son, John R., of this review, was then seven years of age, and he is the only surviving child of his mother. Upon returning from England he located in Mount Pleasant.
Henry county, Iowa, and there engaged in the boot and shoe business with J. W. Woodrow, a son by a former marriage, and half brother of the subject. Benjamin Woodrow's first marriage was with Frances Sprague, which union resulted in the birth of two children. After continuing in the boot and shoe business for a year or two, the father moved to Baltimore, Maryland, and there married Mary Rodgers, who died in 1878, without issue. After an ab- sence of twelve years, Mr. Woodrow came to Jasper county, locating at New- ton, purchasing an interest in the Jasper County Bank, with which he was still connected when he died in 1896. He was a man of excellent business ability and high integrity and was influential in whatever community he lived in.
Upon the death of his mother, John R. Woodrow, of this review, went to live with his aunt, Laura J. Ives. He attended school two years, and when thirteen years of age he came to Newton, where he worked in the summer and attended school during the winter, obtaining a public school education, and prepared himself for a teacher, which vocation he followed four terms, all taught in Jasper county, south of Newton, and he was very successful as an instructor.
In February, 1879, Mr. Woodrow married Phoebe Hanson, who was born in England in 1857, the daughter of Thomas and Jane (Brothers) Han-
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son, who came to America and located at Newton, Iowa, in 1869, and here the father's death occurred in 1879. He was sixty-three years old. He was a brickmaker. His wife lived to be eighty-three years of age, dying about five years ago, in Newton.
After his marriage, John R. Woodrow purchased forty acres where his present home is now located and which is just outside the city limits of New- ton. To this he has subsequently added forty acres adjoining where his home is now situated. He has also added twenty acres in Palo Alto township, one-half mile south of his residence. His dwelling, which was built in 1878, has been remodeled and made an attractive, commodious and cozy modern home, in fact, as it now stands it is easily one of the most beautiful residences in the county, and here the many friends of the family frequently gather, always finding a genuine hospitality prevailing. Besides general farming, Mr. Woodrow is extensively engaged in fruit growing, being regarded as an authority on horticultural topics in this locality.
Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Woodrow, namely: Albert Edward, born January 27, 1880, died at the age of three years; George Mer- itt, born September 8, 1882, is at home; Ella V. is the wife of Charles E. Hotchkiss and resides in Newton; she was born November 16, 1887; she is a musician of some ability and has been given an excellent musical education ; Morris was born January 6, 1886, and he is connected with the Jasper County Savings Bank ; Mabel L., born August II, 1894, is in school; Robert Ransom, born September 17, 1896.
Mr. Woodrow is a stockholder in the Jasper County Savings Bank, also a director in the same. Both he and his wife are members of the Congregational church. In politics he is a Republican.
WILSON M. ROBB.
The success achieved by Wilson M. Robb, a worthy citizen of Newton, Jasper county, proves the force of his nature and illustrates the persistency of an honest purpose, and he is eminently entitled to the high esteem in which he is held as a citizen of one of the foremost communities of a great common- wealth, which he has ever sought to promote in whatever manner possible.
Mr. Robb was born in Muscatine county, Iowa, June 23, 1854, and he is the son of James E. and Elmira (Freeman) Robb, natives of Indiana, who were the parents of four children. of whom Wilson M. was the third in order
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