USA > Iowa > Lucas County > Past and present of Lucas and Wayne counties, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume II > Part 3
USA > Iowa > Wayne County > Past and present of Lucas and Wayne counties, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume II > Part 3
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39
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were General James B. Weaver, Captain Couch. the postmaster of Oklahoma City, and the United States land commissioner. There were present at the time twelve Indian chiefs. As the years have passed Mr. Smith has become one of the most successful farmers, one of the largest stock-raisers, and one of the wealthiest business men of the county. Beginning by earning his wages in a humble way, he has amassed a fortune and his prosperity is to be aseribed entirely to his energy and perserverance. Mr. Smith owns in partnership with his brother, E. A. Smith, three hundred acres of choice land in Benton township with one set of improvements, which include sub- stantial and modern buildings and the most up-to-date farm machinery. Mr. Smith also owns over two hundred and fifty-five aeres in Washington town- ship, upon which he lives, and considerable property in Russell. Moreover, he is connected with financial interests of the city, being a director and vice president of the Russell State Bank, in the management of which he is helpful by virtue of these positions. Mr. Smith has also been successful along another line, having received a patent on a road drag, which he now extensively mannfactures in his own plant at Russell. This drag has been used in many parts of lowa and Missouri and has proven successful from the start. How- ever, Mr. Smith gives most of his attention to his stock-raising interests. On his farm of two hundred and fifty-five acres, located on section 4, Washington township, which is one of the most valuable properties in the entire county and modernly improved. can be found many barns and sheds for the great number of head of live stock that he cares for each year. He has full-blooded Duroc-Jersey swine and handles a good grade of other classes of stock. He enjoys the reputation of raising more hogs in Washington township than any other man engaged along that line.
In Wayne county, lowa, on May 7. 1896. Mr. Smith was married to Miss Betty M. Wilson, who was born at Warsaw, that county, July 3. Istis. She grew to womanhood in that locality and there attended common school. Being particularly gifted, she studied musie at Allerton, this state, and afterward at Kansas City. She also acquired a serviceable business education, taking a course in stenography and typewriting at Des Moines, lowa. Her parents, Greenberry and Mary Jane ( Rankin) Wilson, were among the early pioneers of Wayne county and natives of Indiana and Ohio respectively. The father died in Wayne county, passing away in carly manhood at the age of thirty-eight years, but the mother now resides in Des Moines. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson became the parents of the following children, all of whom were born in Wayne county: Mrs. Cora O. Palladay, born May 11, 1867, who died in Oklahoma in 1906: Mrs. Clinton D. Smith : and Elmer F., born December 16, 1871, who died at Allerton, June 23, 1894. Mrs. Wilson married again, her second mion being with John W. Rankin, their home now being in Des Moines. Of this union was born, in 1880, one son, Charles Glenn Rankin. a resident of Spencer, lowa. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have four children: Vogel Wilson, born January 21, 1898; Lorita Colette, born March 31, 1900: Dorothy Margaret, January 1. 1902; and Theodore J. born September 1. 1904. Miss Lorita Smith was born in El Paso, Texas, where the parents then sojourned. but the other children are natives of Washington township. All have been roared in Russell and are at present attending the public schools of the city.
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Mr. Smith took a prominent part in the campaign of 1836, using his inthe- enee for the election of Samnel JJ. Tillen for president. He is a democrat in his political beliefs and adheres to the principles of the party. Public- spirited and progressive, his attention has been given to public office and he has been a member of the school board and school treasurer of Washington township for twenty-four years. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church of Russell and takes an active and helpful interest in its work. At varions times he has traveled extensively over the western and southern sections of the United States, visiting Oklahoma, California. Texas and other divisions of this great country. He has thereby greatly enhanced his outlook upon life and has gathered valuable information and experience which have helped him to attain that position which he now occupies as one of the wealthiest men of the county. His interest in agricultural matters is also evident from the fact that he is a life member of the Farmers' National Congress. Mr. Smith is also one of the men known as commissioners from whose ranks the executive com- mittee of the Farmers' National Congress is chosen. Mr. Smith is the member of that committee from fowa. The foregoing is but a brief account of what Mr. Smith has achieved in Lucas county, but those who can read between the lines readily perceive the chief characteristics which have led him to success. These are honest and fair methods, frugality, self-control, energy, perseverance and incessant watehfulness for opportunities, of which he has taken advantage as they have presented themselves. There is no one in Lucas county who begrudges Mr. Smith his attainments and who does not recognize that they have been fairly won and are well merited. They are what every American citizen tries to achieve, and that he has reached the goal is proof of his extraordinary qualifica- tions. It must not, however, be presumed that Mr. Smith has viewed his plans only from the point of his own progress, for he has always considered others and is much guided by the effect of his actions upon the general welfare. He has contributed much toward the satisfactory conditions that now prevail in Lueas county and Washington township, and his name will find a place in the annals of the history of this county among those men who have labored for feasible and lasting achievements. Ilis citizenship is highly commendable and should serve as an example to the present and coming generations.
J. H. CLARK.
.I. II. Clark, who has lived in this section of the state for almost six decades. is one of the prosperous and popular citizens of Corydon, where for a number of years he was engaged in the mercantile business. During the past few years. however, he has been employed as a traveling salesman for Chicago, Pennsylvania and lowa wholesale houses and in this connection has also won a gratifying measure of success.
Mr. Clark was born near Fort Wayne, in Adams county, Indiana, on the 28th of April, 1850, his parents being John and Elizabeth ( Little) Clark. The father was born in Scott county, Indiana, on the 22d of February, 1817, while the mother's birth occurred in Muskingum county, Ohio, in August, 1820. In 1852 they made the overland journey to the west and on the 24th of October, 1854,
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took up their abode among the pioneer settlers of Wayne county. lowa. entering land in U'nion township. Only two houses stood between Corydon and Chariton at that time, and all kinds of wild game abounded. The family did all their trading at. Keokuk and Eddyville. In 1858 John Clark abandoned general agricultural pursuits and embarked in the mercantile business at Freedom. A serupulously honest man himself, he took it for granted that all people were to be relied upon and thus parted with his goods with but little security. In a short time, therefore, he found himself withont either funds or goods and his children were obliged to seek work in the community. He endured all the hardships and privations of pioneer life and hore his full share in the work of early develop- ment and upbuilding here. His demise occurred in Page county. lowa, in 1881. while his wife passed away at Van Wert. lowa, in September. 1895. Their chil- dren were as follows: Mrs. JJ. 3. Edwards, who was born in 1837 and resides in Clarinda, lowa : David, born in 1840. who passed away in 1900; Mrs. William Barnett, whose birth occurred in 1843 and who is deceased : %. T .. born in 1847. who is a resident of Portland, Oregon: d. H .. of this review; John L., who was horn in 1853 and makes his home in Nebraska: Mrs. Isabelle Carver. born in 1855, who is a resident of Clarinda, lowa : Mrs. Rosa Rash, whose birth occurred in 1858, and who is a resident of Derby. lowa: A. B., born in 1860, who is a resident of Ottumwa, lowa : and Mrs. Lusetta Searl, deceased. The four younger children were born in Lucas county and the older ones were natives of Indiana.
J. 11. Clark was a little lad of two years when the family home was estab- lished in Wayne county, and his youth was spent amid pioneer conditions and surroundings. He was six years old before he saw a piece of bacon and eight years of age before he saw an apple. It was also at the age of six that he saw his first newspaper. The South Tier Democrat, the first year's subscription of which was paid for by his father with a few timber squirrels. Possessing a retentive memory and a keen sense of humor. he has offen given amusement by his recital of some of the experiences of his early life. He was one of a large family of children, who had such a wide range over which to roam that ou Sunday morning his mother was obliged to send out a dog in order to find them and bring them in for a bath. Clothing was extremely scarce. not owing 10 style, but necessity, and Mr. Clark has said that among the children there was often not sufficient cloth to make a respectable tea jacket for a mosquito. Ile also avers that they ate so much mush and cornbread that all the children had husky voiees and that their cars grew abnormally large. Because of his father's unfortunate business venture the children, as above stated, were obliged to assist in the support of the family. A good farm hand at that time received thirteen dollars per month, but this was paid in orders on stores at Chariton and Cory- don and not in cash. There was a surplus of cereals and prices were extremely low.
Leaving the farm. Mr. Clark went to Chariton and there drove a stage for I. D. Runnells & Company and also for the Great Western Stage Company. He traveled in all directions out of Chariton. Indianola, Afton, Corydon and Garden Grove and carried mail to Last Chance, thus becoming well acquainted with all the old settlers of Lucas and Wayne counties. Subsequently he was for a mim- her of years engaged in the mercantile business at Corydon, but during the past righiteen years has been a traveling salesman for Chicago, Pennsylvania and
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Iowa wholesale houses, in which connection his excellent qualifications and his energy have won him success. He has covered every part of the United States west of Chicago, and, being a close observer, has gained a comprehensive knowl- edge of the country. He possesses a rich fund of original wit and humor and is considered one of the best story tellers in lowa, being in great demand at all the old settlers' meetings and the social and fraternal organizations of which he is a member. He is one of the men who discovered the musical talent in Blind Boone, the famous negro pianist, and encouraged him to go before the public.
On the 30th of Ine, 1870, at Corydon, lowa, Mr. Clark was united in mar- riage to Miss Angeline Me Vay, who was born near Sandspring, lowa, in Novem- ber, 1850. her parents being John and Betty ( Hardesty) MeVay, natives of Ohio. They became early settlers of Jones county, Iowa, and in 1865 took up their abode in Delaware county, this state. Both passed away at Corydon, Iowa. Their children were as follows: Mrs. Nancy Todd, whose demise occurred in Ohio; H. H .. a resident of Drakesville, Iowa; Mrs. Jane Tilly, of Kokomo, Indiana ; Mrs. Angeline Clark ; Mrs. Edward Lane, of Mercer county, Missouri; L. P., who has passed away; and Mrs. M. E. Freeland, whose demise occurred at Mount Ayr. Mr. and Mrs. Clark have four children, namely : Merritt W., who was born on the 12th of August, 1872, and is a photographer of Corydon, Iowa : Mrs. Hollie Semple, born in 1874, who is a resident of Pasadena, Califor- nia : Fred L., whose birth occurred in 1876 and who is a merchant tailor of Cory- don; and Mrs. Bertha Morris, born in 1880, who makes her home at Kahoka, Missouri. All are natives of Corydon and all attended the public schools of that town, two of the children being graduated therefrom. All possess musical talent. While Mr. Clark has given his children every educational advantage, he was obliged to learn to write while seated on the floor, and the only book he used in the schoolroom was a speller. The family home, which he owns, is a. commodious and well appointed residenee in Corydon.
In politics Mr. Clark is a democrat, while fraternally he is identified with the Knights of Pythias and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Corydon. He and his family are members of the Christian church at Corydon. During practically all of his life he has been closely identified with the region where he now lives. He is one of its best known residents and no man stands higher in the estimation of the people of the community. He has attained success through the application of perseverance and a good judgment that have seldom failed to accomplish the object which he sought, and today he enjoys the results of his well directed endeavors.
GEORGE McCULLOCH, M. D.
No history of Wayne county would be complete without a record of the career of Dr. George McCulloch, who, throughout the years of an upright and honorable life, has left a deep impress upon the professional and business history of Humeston, where for forty years he has made his home. Throughout a longer period he has been active in this section of the state, and as the years have
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passed has proved his worth as a public-spirited citizen who never sacrifices the general good to individual interests. At present he is not only honored in his profession, but as president of the Home State Bank is one of the dominating figures in the business life of the city, his honesty, enterprise and resolute work having gained him wealth and prosperity. Dr. MeCulloch was born in Holmes county, Ohio, October 24. 1848, and is a son of Joseph and Naney (Miller) MeCulloch, natives of Pennsylvania. The father died in Ohio when the subject of this review was only seven years of age, and the mother passed away in the same state at the age of seventy-nine. In their family were thirteen children : One who died in infancy : Hugh and James, both of whom have passed away ; Miller R., who was a captain in the Second Kentucky Cavalry and was killed at the battle of Murfreesboro in the Civil war: David and Mrs. Nancy JJane Painter, who have also passed away ; Albertus P., a veteran of the Civil war. who served during that conflict as a member of an Ohio regiment ; Mrs. Martha Ann Sherlock, residing in Indiana. Joseph, who died in infancy: George. of this review : AlFred D., postmaster at Humeston, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work : Joseph C., whose home is in Cleveland, Ohio; and Mrs. Elizabeth Slagle, of Millersburg, Ohio.
Dr. George McCulloch acquired his early education in Hohnes county, Ohio. and in 1871 moved to Brooklyn, in Poweshick county, lowa, where he began the study of medicine. He remained in that section until the fall of the same year and then entered Rush Medical College of Chicago. After the destruction of this institution by fire in 1871, he, together with practically the entire student body, attended the medical department of the Michigan State University at Ann Arbor, but completed his professional studies in Rush Medical College, graduat- ing from that institution with the class of 1873. He located first for practice in Malcolm, Poweshick county, and remained there for a short time, coming to llumeston in 1873, and has since made this city his home. At that time there were no plastered houses in the community, although there was one railroad, and conditions of life were extremely primitive. Dr. MeCulloch has therefore seen the development of this section of lowa and has to a great extent been iden- tified with it. He first came to the section in order to look after eight hundred acres of choice land in Richman township entered by his father, and. being attracted by the future possibilities which he recognized, he established his resi- dence here, He is especially fitted for the duties of a physician. for in his char- . arter ready sympathy and quickness of perception combine with a broad and comprehensive knowledge of the principles of medical science. Consequently he has seenred a gratifying and representative patronage and is classed among the efficient and successful physicians in Inmeston.
Dr. MeCulloch has also attained unusual success in the business world and few if any business men of Humeston are better known throughout this section than he. He stands as a central figure in banking eireles here, being president of the Home State Bank, and his name is known and honored among the leading financiers. The Home State Bank of Humeston was founded as a private insti- tution in 1580 by Mr. Hasbronk and Dr. MeCulloch, who conducted it in its original form until 198, when it was incorporated. At present it has a capital of sixty thousand dollars and is one of the sound, safe and conservative financial institutions of southern lowa. As its president Dr. McCulloch's line business
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and exeentive ability have been called forth and the success of the bank is largely due to his efforts. Ile has given his best energies to the advancement of the enterprise and is widely known as one of the leading financiers in this part of the state. Ile has other important business interests and extensive property hold- ings. owning at the present time twelve hundred and twenty-four acres of choice land in Wayne county, upon which there are seven sets of good improvements. Upon these farms Dr. MeCulloch carries on the breeding and raising of high- grade stock. having a herd of two hundred head of registered Angus cattle. Upon one of his traets on section 21. Richman township, the state of Iowa experiment station has been established. By judicious investments and the wise use of every opportunity Dr. MeCulloch has secured a comfortable competence which to a great extent has been used in a publie-spirited way, since he aids and sup- ports all movements which have for their object the development and advance- ment of his community.
In Holmes county. Ohio, in 1880, Dr. MeCulloch married Miss Drusilla A. Maxwell. a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Maxwell. natives of that section. In this family were nine children: Robert, deceased; John T., who for three terms was circuit judge of Hohes county and who is still a resident of his native section : Mrs. Emily MeCulloch, deceased : Mrs. Mary Ann Lower, of Indiana ; Mrs. Mary Ann Lewis: Mrs. Martha Vorhees and Mrs. Lauretta Kingman, both deceased. the latter passing away in Des Moines: Mrs. Elvira Mitehell. of Millers- burg. Ohio; and Mrs. MeCulloch. the wife of the subject of this review. Dr. and Mrs. McCulloch became the parents of two children, the elder of whom died in infancy. The younger son, Milan Ellsworth, was born in lumeston on the 6th of January, 1883, and was graduated from the Inmeston high school. Later he attended the State Agricultural College, studying seientifie farming, and was for one year in Drake University and for a similar period of time in the State University of Iowa. For one year he acted as instructor in agriculture at Ames, but resigned this position in order to go to Chicago, where he completed a law course in the Chicago University. During the period of his residence in lowa he was one of the leading figures in agricultural circles and recognized as an authority upon everything connected with practical, scientific farming. He visited every county in the state and afterward reported agricultural statistics for the national government in January. 1911, and was also overseer of the civil service department of the department of agriculture, Washington, D. C. He retired from this position in March. 1912, when he located in Ihmeston to look after his father's farms.
Dr. McCulloch has extensive fraternal relations. Hle is a member of Chap- paqua Lodge, I. O. O. F., and of Fidelity Lodge, No. 228, F. & A. M., of Iumeston. He belongs to the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine at Cedar Rapids, but was initiated in that body at Des Moines. In official circles. too, he is a dominating and com- manding figure. He gives a loyal support to the men and measures of the republican party, and was for twelve years a member of the Iumeston town council. He was in the Iowa house of representatives as a member of the nine- teenth. thirtieth and thirty-first general assemblies, proving himself at all times high in his ideals of public service and incorruptible in his integrity. In 1908 he was elected state senator and in this connection he served four years. Ilis vote may be relied upon in support of all progressive measures and he regards
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public office not as an avenue to personal advancement, but as a trust reposed in him by his fellow citizens. Over the record of his official career there falls no shadow of wrong or suspicion of evil. for in this relation as in all others his work is that of a loyal, conscientious and high-minded man.
JUDGE W. H. TEDFORD.
Judge W. H. Tedford was born in Blount county, Tennessee. November 8, 1844, a son of John and Elizabeth (Hamill) Tedford, who were of Scotch descent. All of his great-grandfathers fought on the side of the patriots in the Revolutionary war. It was during that war that John Tedford, one of his great-grandfathers, was mited in marriage to Mary Paxton. Mary Paxton belonged to that celebrated family of Virginia Paxtons from which sprung General Sammel Houston of Texas and other historie characters in the ministry and the profession of law. James Tedford. the grandfather on the paternal side was a cousin of General Houston, their mothers being Paxtons. This grandfather of Judge Tedford served in the War of 1812. under General Jack- son, with the rank of captain. After the close of the Revolutionary war JJudge Tedford's great-grandfather with all his brothers moved to East Tennessee, which place for seventy years was the home of Judge Tedford's ancestors, The family came to Louisa county, lowa. in 1851, and located on a farm, where the educa- tion of the young man was seenred, the same being such as was afforded by the common schools of that early day. At the age of sixteen Judge Tedford enlisted in Company F. Eleventh lowa Infantry, and served his country four years. taking part in the great battles of Shiloh, Corinth. Vicksburg and Atlanta. Be was in every battle and skirmish in which his regiment was engaged, and was with Sherman on his great march to the sea.
When the Civil war ended JJudge Tedford at once returned to his home in lowa, and a short time thereafter entered the lowa State University, graduating from the law department thereof at the end of two years, with the degree of LL.B. This was in 1869, and in September of the same year he settled at Corydon, lowa. and commenced the practice of law. Within a few years he built up an extensive practice, and had a leading part in all the important litigation in the county. The firm of Tedford & Miles, of which Judge Tedford was a member, in the case of the State of lowa vs. Kabrich, 39th lowa, page 277. first took the position in the lowa supreme court, that the character of one charged with an offense is not in issue, unless he introduces some evidence relative thereto in his defense. This point was sustained by the supreme court, making this the leading case on this point, the same being cited and referred to by all the leading anthorities and text writers on criminal law.
The Judge has always been a republican and was elected one of the presi- dential electors for lowa in 1884. He was elected one of the judges of the third judicial district of lowa in 1890, and with his associate, Judge Towner. was unanimously renominated in 1894. The democratic party in the district ratified the nomination, and their names were placed on both tickets, so that their el ction was unanimons. They were both again reelected in 1898. As an interpreter
JUDGE W. IL. TEDFORD
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of the law Judge Tedford has had few equals and no superior on the bench in the state. In his long career on the bench, his record was remarkable, his deci- sions being affirmed in a very large majority of the very few cases appealed from his court. In no equity case appealed from him was he ever reversed, so that the bar of his district finally quit appeals from his court, where the points involved were of equitable proceedings.
Judge Tedford has done much active work for his party, having spoken in many parts of the state. He has been called upon to address the people year after year in different parts of the state on occasions of importance. He is a member of the celebrated Crocker Brigade Association, and delivered the biennial address at the large reunion of the organization at Ottumwa, łowa, September 26, 1894, of which address it was said by the Ottumwa Courier: "It was a scholarly and masterful effort. It is unhesitatingly pronounced the finest address ever heard at a Crocker Brigade reunion."
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