USA > Iowa > Jasper County > Past and present of Jasper County, Iowa, Vol. II > Part 39
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Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, namely : Helen May, born November 27, 1901 ; Eddie Beryl, born February 16, 1904; Clyde Herbert, born January 30, 1908. The two eldest children are attending school in the home district.
Politically, Mr. Wilson is a Republican and he is a member of the board of education in Independence township. Fraternally, he belongs to Unity Lodge No. 520, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons ; Baxter Lodge No. 168, Knights of Pythias. of Baxter; he and Mrs. Wilson are both members of Baxter Temple No. 202. Pythian Sisters, of Baxter. He was formerly a member of Baxter Camp, Modern Woodmen of America. Mrs. Wilson is a member of the Christian church.
Mr. Wilson has been very successful in his business life. During several years that he was engaged in the livery business at Baxter and Rhodes he enjoyed a liberal patronage. Turning his attention to agricultural pursuits, he moved to his newly acquired farm of one hundred acres in Independence township. Jasper county, on March 1, 1911, and here he has since been en- gaged in general farming and stock raising in a manner that has brought definite rewards. He is a type of those young men who do not wait for op-
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portunities to come to them, but who go out to the arena of action and made his chance to win success. His farm is well improved and he has a pleasant home.
Mr. Wilson has among his collection of curios a copy of the New York Herald, issued at the time of Lincoln's assassination, April 15, 1865, which graphically describes the events of those stirring times.
AUGUST GAUCH.
One of the thrifty and highly respected Germans who cast his lot with the people of Jasper county in its period of rapid development and has since prospered by his close application and the exercise of sound business principles is August Gauch, a distinctive type of the successful self-made man. Not a pretentious or exalted life has been his, but one that has been true to itself and to which the biographer may refer with feelings of satisfaction and respect. He has shown himself to be a man of strong and alert mentality, deeply inter- ested in everything pertaining to the advancement of the community along ma- terial lines and today is recognized as one of the representative men of the county.
Mr. Gauch was born in Baden, Germany, August 18, 1859. He is the son of Christian and Mary Ann (Blink) Gauch, both natives of Baden, Ger- many, where they grew to maturity, and were married and there the father spent his life, dying in the fatherland at the age of fifty-five years. The mother came to America with her son August, of this review, in the spring of 1868 and she died at Montour, Iowa, when sixty-two years old, and her re- mains rest in the cemetery at State Center.
Three sons and two daughters were born to Mr. and Mrs. Christian . Gauch, namely : Anton died in Marshall county, Iowa, in 19II; Mrs. Pauline Dischner died in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Mrs. Catherine Kuckert lives in Eden township, Marshall county ; Joseph lives in Clear Creek township, Jasper county ; August, of this review, is the youngest. They were all born in Germany and there spent their early childhood, being reared principally in Eden township, Marshall county, Iowa, the subject having been nine years old when he came here.
August Gauch received his education in the common schools and early in life he turned his attention to farming, which has been his chief life work. He was married on September 25, 1894, to Minnie Schorman, who was born
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in Allamakee county, lowa. September 17, 1866, and there she grew up and was educated. She is the daughter of Fred and Henrietta (Dravis) Schor- man, both born in Germany, the mother in Detmold, Lippe, and there they grew up and were married and from there emigrated to America in early life and here became well established and here spent the rest of their lives, the father dying in June, 1878, and the mother on November 27, 1907. They were the parents of four sons and three daughters, named as follows: Fred, of Baxter, Jasper county : Minnie, wife of Mr. Gauch, of this review : William is a well known merchant of the town of Baxter, Iowa : Mrs. Goodman, Henry, Herman, Sophia. They were all born in Allamakee county except the young- est. whose birth occurred in Jasper county.
To Mr. and Mrs. Gauch have been born three daughters, as follows: Anna, born March 22, 1896; Henrietta, born January 16, 1897; Irene, born in Melbourne. September 29, 1899. The two eldest were born in Baxter, and all three are now attending the public schools here.
August Gauch remained at home until he was twenty-two years old, then he went to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he remained about ten years, then returned to Jasper county. Iowa, where he has continued to reside to the present time. He has been very successful in a business way and is the owner of considerable valuable property, including a substantial business block in Baxter, a modern and well furnished home here, eight acres within the city limits of Baxter, and three hundred and twenty acres of excellent land in Texas. He believes in securing the best of everything for his family, giving his children every advantage, and in a public way he supports all measures having as their object the general good. Politically. he is a Democrat and was reared a Catholic. Mrs. Gauch and children attend the Christian church. He belongs to Baxter Lodge No. 188 of Melbourne, and Baxter Lodge No. 168. Knights of Pythias. This is one of the highly respected and influential families of Baxter and this part of the county, having here a host of warm personal friends.
CHRISTOPHER C. BARBEE.
For sixty years an honored resident of Jasper county, or practically all his life. Christopher C. Barbee, well known hardware merchant of the town of Tra, Independence township, is entitled to special mention with the suc- cessful and representative men of the county. He has for nearly a half . century been inseparably connected with the agricultural and industrial growth
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and development of the county and in the equally important matter of edu- cation and public morals he has also taken a leading part. While primarily attending to his own interests, his life has been devoted, as much as possible, in the ordinary course of every-day events, to his fellow men, having sought to inspire a proper respect for law and order and ready at all times to do his full duty in furthering any movement having for its object the general better- ment of his community. His career contains few mistakes and abounds in much that is honorable and of good report, containing the record of an un- tarnished name and a character above reproach, which is much more to be desired than great riches.
Mr. Barbee was born in Hendricks county, Indiana, March 8, 1852, and when two years old he was brought by his parents to Jasper county and this has been his home ever since. The long, tiresome trip was made overland in an old-fashioned wagon, and they camped along the rough roads and forded the unbridged streams. He is the son of John and Ollie (Newton) Barbee, the father born in Kentucky and the mother in Indiana. They came to Jasper county, Iowa, in 1852 and here became well established on a farm, spending the remainder of their lives here, the father dying on March 9, 1889, and the mother in 1892. Eleven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. John Barbee, six of whom are living at this writing.
Christopher C. Barbee, of this sketch, began life for himself on the farm which he has made his chief life work; he also learned the blacksmith's trade which he followed successfully for a number of years. He has for some time maintained a hardware store in Ira where he keeps a large and carefully selected stock of general hardware and farming implements, and he enjoys a very liberal patronage with the surrounding country, his customers, many of them, coming from remote localities. He also owns a modern and comfort- able home in Ira, and through his industry and good management has become very well established in a material way.
Mr. Barbee talks interestingly of the days when the family first settled here. Wild game was abundant and Indians formed the major portion of the population. He says that often when the larder was empty of meat the father would give notice to the family that he intended to go out and kill a deer and that the rest of the family might be required to help bring it in, many of the deer being so large that it required more than one person to carry it home.
Mr. Barbee was married on May 26, 1873, to Angeline Sparks, who was born in Minnesota, September II, 1858, the daughter of Joseph and Amilda (Parks) Sparks, the father born in Kentucky and the mother in Indiana. They
,
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moved to Minnesota in an early day and there the mother's death occurred on June 12, 1900. The father was a soldier in the Union army and died while in the service.
Mrs. Barbee has one full brother, John Sparks, who resides at Benidji, Minnesota, and two half brothers, Ernest and Charlie Clemmons, of Benidji, Minnesota, and one full sister and two half sisters, deceased.
Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Barbee, four of whom are living at this writing, namely: Bertie died in infancy; Mrs. Maude L. Reddick, born December 31, 1877, lives in South Dakota; Otis C., born December 21. 1879, and Clarence J., born January 4, 1882, were killed in a train wreck while journeying to Dakota : J. Clifford, born December 26, 1884, is a blacksmith at Mingo, Iowa ; Ray H., born February 9. 1889, lives in Ira ; James Edward, born January 18, 1895, is assisting his father in the store at Ira. These children were reared and educated in Jasper county.
Politically. Mr. Barbee is a Republican, and while he has been too much engrossed with private affairs to seek public offices, he has always been in- terested in his party's welfare. He and his family are members of the Latter- Day Saints church.
WILLIAM J. MILLER.
In every life of honor and usefulness we find much interesting incident and yet in summing the career of any person the biographer needs touch only the most salient points, giving only the keynote of the character, but eliminat- ing much that is superfluous. So in presenting the life record of William J. Miller, one of the leading farmers of Jasper county, who is the owner of a model farmstead in Mound Prairie and Newton townships, no attempt shall be made to recount all the important acts in his useful life, nor recite every incident in his praiseworthy career, for it is deemed that only a few of them will suffice to show him to be eminently worthy of a place in this volume along with his fellows of high standing and recognized worth.
Mr. Miller was born in Sherman township, this county, April 9, 1858. He is the son of John, Jr., and Lucretia Jane (Cannon) Miller, the father born in Fulton county, New York, December 29, 1833. and the mother in Boonesboro, Kentucky, July 6, 1834. When sixteen years of age the father of the subject came with his grandfather, John Miller, Sr., to Kendall county, Illinois, by boat over the Great Lakes. In 1853 John. Jr., with his mother and
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brother George and sister Sarah, drove through to Jasper county, Iowa, and located in Sherman township, John Miller, Sr., having died in Illinois in 1852. His sons, John and George, bought two hundred acres of land for their mother and they all lived on the place until 1865, when John Miller, Jr., moved to Newton township and bought one hundred and forty acres. From there he moved to Sherman township in 1865 and bought one hundred and forty acres. At the time of his death in 1899 he owned three hundred and sixty acres. Politically, he was a Republican. His family consisted of four sons and three daughters, namely: The two oldest died in infancy; Mrs. Louisa E. Hanson, Mrs. Nancy J. Henney ; Lemuel J. and Oscar E. are de- ceased ; and William J., of this review.
William J. Miller grew up on the home farm and he began working the fields when but a lad. He attended the rural schools in Sherman township, and remained at home until his marriage, then rented land a year, after which he bought eighty acres. He has met with continued success as a gen- eral farmer and stock raiser and he became the owner of six hundred and twenty acres, all in Mound Prairie township. This he sold largely to his sons and bought two hundred and thirty-seven acres in Newton township, one- half mile from the corporation. He has kept his land under an excellent state of cultivation and modern improvements, and has built good barns and out- buildings. He has kept and bred Aberdeen-Angus cattle for twenty years, and he keeps from seventy-five to one hundred and fifty stock cattle for breed- ing. He has bred and fed more Angus steers than any other Angus breeder in America. Those who have a knowledge of such matters will readily acquiesce in this statement. He is widely known for his fine cattle and a large part of his competency has been gained in this manner, for he is an excellent judge of the bovine division of live stock and understands well their care, so his stock always finds a very ready market. He has fed several car loads of cattle annually for the past twenty years, and he keeps nothing now but regis- tered cattle. He also raises Percheron horses of an excellent grade.
Mr. Miller is a Republican and he has been a member of the county board of commissioners for two terms in the past.
Mr. Miller was married on February 28, 1878, to Emma A. Leeper, who was born in Ohio, the daughter of John Leeper, an early settler in Jasper county and a substantial and highly respected citizen. To the subject and wife the following children have been born: Mrs. Jennie Traxler, Ralph Leroy, John, Mrs. Edith Pink, Florence and Floyd.
Mr. Miller is one of the most prominent cattle breeders in central Iowa (72)
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and every year he carries away many premiums at the Iowa state fair. Per- sonally, he is a genial, companionable, honest gentleman who has won the confidence and respect of all who know him.
THOMAS J. JEFFERS
In such men as Thomas J. Jeffers, farmer of Independence township, Jasper county, there is peculiar satisfaction in offering their life histories as justification for the compilation of works of this character-not that their lives have been such as to gain them particularly wide notoriety or the admir- ing plaudits of their fellow men, but that they have lived upright lives and been true to the confidence reposed in them, having shown such integrity as to entitle them to the regard of all.
Mr. Jeffers was born in this township on April 22, 1873, and here he grew to manhood and received his education, and, with the exception of a short time in the West, he has been a continuous resident in this vicinity. He is the son of Joseph Jeffers, who was born in Ohio. He was among the early settlers of Jasper county and here spent his last days on a farm in Independence township, dying in 1877; his wife died in 1876. They were the parents of five children, two daughters and three sons, namely: Mrs. Clara Beels, born March 11, 1857, lives in Baxter ; Mrs. Edward Patterson lives in Independence township; William, born June 15, 1853, lives in Nebraska; Thomas J., of this review : Walter, born May 23, 1874, lives in Independence township. These children were all born and reared in this township and were educated in the local schools.
Thomas J. Jeffers was reared on the home farm and there he assisted with the general work about the place during the summertime, and he has made ยท farming his life work. He owns thirty acres of good land in Independence township and has a comfortable home there. In connection with his farming he operates a threshing machine and corn-shelling outfit. doing a big annual, business with each, being one of the best known threshers in the county, en- joying substantial returns from a large territory.
Mr. Jeffers was married on November 1I, 1894, to Lillie Blanche Stier, who was born in Clear Creek township, Jasper county, Iowa, August 6, 1876, and here she grew to womanhood and was educated. and with the exception of five years has been a continuous resident of the county. She is the daugh- ter of John and Polly (Emery) Stier. the father born in Michigan on April
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25, 1849, and died in Clear Creek township, this county, on December 31, 1897; the mother was born in Wisconsin on August 7. 1859, and is living in Mingo, Iowa. They were early settlers of this county.
There were seven children in the Stier family, five of whom are living. namely : Amos and Mamie, twins, born in 1878, the former residing in Minne- sota, the latter having died in infancy; Albert, born in 1880, lives in Mingo; Mrs. Minnie Densmore, born in 1889, lives in California; Ileon, born July 4, 1897, lives in Mingo; Lee died in infancy. These children were born in Clear Creek township, the rest in Jasper county.
To Mr. and Mrs. Jeffers has been born one daughter, Zella, whose birth occurred on May 31, 1896; she is attending the rural schools of this com- munity.
Politically, Mr. Jeffers is a Republican. He is a member of Jasper Lodge No. 168, Knights of Pythias, of Baxter. Mrs. Jeffers is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church of Clear Creek.
WILLIAM A DEPPE.
Throughout an active and interesting career duty has ever been the motive of action of William A. Deppe, one of the progressive agriculturists of the vicinity of Baxter, Jasper county, and usefulness to his fellow men has not been by any means a secondary consideration. He has performed well his part in life, and it is a compliment worthily bestowed to say that this locality is honored in his citizenship, for he has achieved definite success through his own efforts and is thoroughly deserving of the proud American title of self-made man, the term being one that, in its better sense, cannot but appeal to the loyal admiration of all who are appreciative of our national institutions and the privileges afforded for individual accomplishment, and it. is a privilege, ever gratifying, in this day and age, to meet a man who has the courage to face the battles of life with a strong heart and steady hand and to win in the stern conflict by bringing to bear only those forces with which nature has equipped him, self-reliance, self-respect and integrity.
Mr. Deppe was born in Newton, Iowa, March 2. 1864. He grew to man- hood in this county and has made farming and stock raising his principal vocation. For a complete history of the Deppe family, long one of the best known in the county, the reader is referred to the sketch of Peter Burkey, appearing on another page of this work.
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William A. Deppe was married in June, 1899. to Caroline Waterman, who was born at Kellogg, this county, January 28, 1872. She grew to womanhood in Jasper county and received a good common school education in her native community. She is the daughter of Herman and Louisa (Win- termeier) Waterman, both natives of Lippe-Detmold, Germany. They grew up in their native land and in the year 1870 emigrated to America. They are residing at present on a farm in Malaka township, this county, having, through their thrift and close application, become very well established in the New World. and, like the Deppe family, are highly respected by all who know them.
Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Herman Waterman, of whom Caroline, wife of Mr. Deppe, was the eldest; the others were, August, who lives in Marshall county, Iowa; Mrs. Emma Deppe lives in Malaka township, this county: William lives in Malaka township, Jasper county. These chil- dren were born and reared in this county.
To Mr. and Mrs. Deppe two children have been born, Hilda Clara, born September 4, 1904, who is attending the rural schools in the community, and Raymond Huldrich. born October 5, 1908.
Mr. Deppe is an independent thinker and he prefers to vote for the men whom he deems best fitted for the office sought, consequently advocates no special party in politics. He and his family are members of the German Re- formed church in Independence township.
By energy, honest dealings and perseverance Mr. Deppe has secured a competency, and his fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Malaka township is well improved and here he carries on general farming success- fully and an excellent grade of live stock may always be found about his fields. He has a pleasant home and good outbuildings.
JOHN ALLAN.
From the beautiful heath and bluebell country, the land of Bruce and . Burns,-bonnie Scotland,-the land that has sent to our shores so many ster- ling citizens, who have been of incalculable estimate in furthering our civiliza- tion. hails John Allan, one of the most progressive and highly esteemed citi- zens of western Jasper county, a man whom has outcropped many of the sterling attributes of his worthy ancestors. He has been very successful since taking up his abode in his adopted country to whose institutions he has ever been loyal and, while laboring for his own advancement, has not neglected his
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obligations to the community in general, and, his character being exemplary, he has therefore merited the high esteem in which he has ever been held by the wide circle of his acquaintances.
Mr. Allan was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, July 7, 1861. He is the son of James and Joan (Davidson) Allan, both natives of Scotland, who grew to maturity, were educated and married there, and in 1871 they emi- grated to America, locating in Jasper county, Iowa, in June of that year and here they became well established. They lived on what is known as the Mckenzie farm for one year, then moved to the present Allan homestead, the father having developed an excellent farm on which he still lives, with the subject, being now seventy-six years of age.
Eleven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. James Allan, seven of whom are living, namely : John, of this review ; Mrs. Margaret Yule lives at New- castle, Colorado; Mrs. Charles Davy lives in Baxter, Iowa; William lives at Seattle, Washington; Charles lives at Newcastle, Colorado; Fred is a resident of Independence township, this county; Mrs. Jessie Cool, born January 22, 1885, lives in Baxter. Four children of this family died when quite young ; the elder ones were born in Scotland, but the family was practically reared in Jasper county, Iowa.
John Allan was ten years old when he accompanied his parents and the rest of the family to Jasper county, Iowa, and here he grew to manhood and received his education. He assisted his father on the home place when a boy and early in life turned his attention to farming, and he has been operating the home place, tilling ninety acres in Independence township. There are two sets of buildings on the place, the home occupied by his father and mother, and the one occupied by himself and family. He carries on general farming and stock raising, and makes a specialty of full-blooded short-horn cattle, besides the best grade of hogs, horses and other stock.
Mr. Allan was united in marriage to Miss Janet Galloway, who was born in Scotland on March 23, 1879, of which country her parents, James and Jane (Strachan) Galloway, were also natives. They grew up and married there and finally emigrated to the United States, at present making their home in Seattle, Washington. There were five children in the Galloway family, all living, named as follows: Mrs. Robert Johnson lives in Independence town- ship; Mrs. Lizzie Meiklejohn, of Washington; Mrs. Agnes Allen lives in Seattle, Washington; Arch lives in Riceville, Iowa; Janet, wife of Mr. Allan, of this sketch, being the youngest. These children were all born in Scotland.
To Mr. and Mrs. Allan have been born six children, all living named as follows : Daisy Jane, born April 12, 1900; Albert, born March 3, 1903;
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James, born May 19, 1904; Joseph, born July 9, 1905; William, born August 26, 1906; Bessie, born February 7, 1909. They were all born in Indepen- dence township.
Politically, Mr. Allan is a Democrat, and he affiliates with the Con- gregational church at Baxter. Fraternally, he is a member of Unity Lodge No. 520, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of Baxter, being a present wor- shipful master of the same; also a member of Baxter Camp No. 5642, Mod- ern Woodmen of America, of Baxter. That Mr. Allan is held in high con- fidence and esteem is evidenced by the fact that he has been placed in such a responsible position in one of the world's leading secret orders.
JOHN DAVID JICKLING.
The best title one can establish to the high and generous esteem of an intelligent community is a protracted and honorable residence therein. John David Jickling, one of the best known and most highly esteemed men of the western part of Jasper county, has resided here since the pioneer epoch and his career has been a most commendable one in every respect, well deserving of being perpetuated on the pages of a historical work of the nature of the one in hand. Like his sterling father before him, he has been a man of well defined purpose and never failed to carry to successful completion any work of enter- prise to which he addressed himself. Beginning life in a new country and under many unfavorable auspices, he has let nothing deter him, and before the lapse of many years he had a fine farm under cultivation. Knowing that the country was destined to take a very high rank in the productive and rich localities of the North. he applied himself very closely to his work and waited for the future to bring its rewards, and today he is one of the substantial and influential men of the county.
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