USA > Iowa > O'Brien County > Past and present of O'Brien and Osceola counties, Iowa, Vol. II > Part 24
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E. L. Helmer was born April 7. 1851, in DeKalb county, Illinois, and is the son of James and Charlotte (Crippen) Helmer, both of whom were natives of New York. James Helmer was born in 1816 and was the son of
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John A. Helmer, who was born and reared in Herkimer county, New York. and died in the state of his birth. James Helmer came to DeKalb county. Illinois, in 1840, although he had previously come west and settled in Michi- gan in 1838. He met his wife in DeKalb county, Illinois. and they were married there and shortly after their marriage they entered land. In 1855 they sold their DeKalb county farm and came to Iowa and settled near Anamosa, in Jones county. The first two years after coming to Iowa Mr. Helmer followed the carpenter trade and then went on his farm, where he remained until his death, in 1893. Mr. and Mrs. James Helmer were the parents of the following children : Emily C., deceased: E. L., with whom this narrative deals: Frank, deceased ; Jesse, deceased; May, deceased ; Mrs. Leona Hart, of Anamost, Jowa.
E. L. Helmer was only four years of age when his parents left Illi- nois and settled in Jones county, Iowa. He received his education in the Jones county schools and remained there until 1885. when he came to O'Brien county and located at Sanborn. He worked for a railroad company a short time and then opened a retail meat market, which he conducted until October, 19II. Mr. Helmer conducted his retail meat market for twenty years in Sanborn.
Mr. Helmer was married in June, 1875, to Anne Ryan, of Jones county, and to this union has been born one son. James, who is now a farmer of South Dakota, living near Chester. Politically, Mr. Helmer is a Democrat and has always taken an active part in politics. His services to his party. as well as his worth, were recognized by President Wilson in his appoint- ment to the postmastership at Sanborn on July 23. 1913.
JULIUS F. EICHNER.
One of the influential citizens of Hartley is Julius F. Eichner. who ranks as one of the city's leading merchants and representative citizens. He is a man of excellent endowment and upright character and is a valued factor in local affairs. having ever commanded the confidence and esteem of his fellow citizens. He takes an active and intelligent interest in public affairs and as a member of the city council is doing everything he can to further the interests of his home city.
Julius F. Eichner was born in Davenport, Iowa, in 1875 and is the son of Claus and Hannah ( Peters) Eichner. His father was born in Germany
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in 1851 and came with his parents to Scott county, Iowa, in 1861. He assisted on the home farm until he was twenty-three years of age and then went to Dixon, Iowa, where he managed a hotel and opera house for eight years, after which he bought a meat market and in connection with this business he bought and sold cattle in Dixon. In 1888 he disposed of his meat market and came to O'Brien county, where he farmed and operated a threshing machine. In 1898 he purchased two hundred acres of improved land, for which he paid thirty dollars an acre. He farmed this land until 1905, when he retired from active work and removed to Hartley, where he owns three acres of land and improvements, which are easily worth four thousand dol- lars. He was married to Hannah Peters in 1873 in Davenport. Iowa. She was born in 1853 in Germany and came to the United States when thirteen years of age with her parents. To Claus Eichner and wife were born four children : Leonard, who is a farmer at Spring Valley, Minnesota; William, who is in partnership with his brother, Julius F. : Amil, who is with the Fail- ing Hardware Company, of Hartley, and Julius, whose history is the theme of this narrative.
Julius F. Eichner remained with his parents until twenty-four years of age. After completing his common school education he assisted his father with the farm work. He then married and rented two hundred and forty acres in this county which he farmed for ten years, after which he came to Hartley and bought a share in the clothing business with his brother-in-law, William Vogt. They carry a stock valued at fourteen thousand dollars and liave a large trade in Hartley and the surrounding country. The store is well arranged and presents a very attractive appearance. They are courteous in the treatment of their customers and by their honesty in all of their deal- ings they have won the confidence of everyone with whom they have trans- acted business. Mr. Eichner also owns a share in the Moneta Elevator Company of Moneta, Iowa.
Julius F. Eichner was married in 1900 to Anna Vogt, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Vogt, of Traer, Iowa, and born in 1878. Mr. and Mrs. Eichner have four children, Sadie, Melvin, Edna and Milo, all of . whom, except the youngest, are now in the public schools of Hartley.
In politics, Mr. Eichner is a stanch Republican and has taken an interest in politics since reaching his majority. An indication of the esteem in which he is held by his fellow citizens is shown by the fact that he was elected a member of the city council of Hartley and in this position he finds many opportunities to assist in the material advancement of his community. He is also interested in music and is the president of the Hartley Band at the
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present time. His main diversion is found in connection with the Gun Club of Hartley, of which organization he is president. He and his family are members of the German Lutheran church and give it their earnest support at all times. In his fraternal relations he is found affiliated with the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows and the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. Mr. Eichner is still a young man and in the prime of life. He takes an active part in the life of the city and as a public-spirited citizen never neglects to give his support to everything which he feels will benefit the city and render it a better and happier place in which to live. It is needless to say that such a man is justly entitled to a place among the representative men of his city and county.
HUGO EWOLDT.
It may be taken for granted that in every history presented in this volume which deals with the life of a German settler or his children, the two words "successful" and "prosperous" are the keynotes to their life history. It is said that only the most enterprising and ambitious people have the cour- age to leave their native land and journey thousands of miles to a strange land of which they can possibly know but little. This may account for the fact that every German resident of O'Brien county has made an excellent citizen in every sense of the word. Such a word as failure was not in their vocabulary. They dropped it into the ocean on their way across, for it is a word that is never found in current use among the Germans or their children who are today living in O'Brien county. Iowa.
Hugo Ewoldt, the proprietor of the retail meat market in Hartley, and a prosperous stock dealer, was born in Scott county, Iowa, of German par- entage, and is a son of J. H. and Lena Ewoldt, both of whom were natives of Holstein, Germany, the father being born in 1846 and the mother in 1848. J. H. Ewoldt came to this country when eighteen years of age and came direct to Scott county, Iowa. where he engaged in farming. A few years later he went to Tama county, in this state, where he rented land, and from thence came to O'Brien county, where he purchased a half section of land in Liberty township in 1892. He planted an acre of fruit and forest trees. and put eight thousand dollars worth of improvements upon his acreage. In 1905 he felt that he had worked hard enough to earn a rest for the remainder of his days and accordingly purchased a house and lot in Sutherland, Iowa, and moved there in that year, having built an attractive home on his place. His
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son, Emil, is now operating his farm in Liberty township. J. H. and Lena Ewoldt were married in 1865, and to their union were born seven children : Mrs. Augusta Tehelman, whose husband has a book store in Davenport, Iowa ; Adolph, who is with his parents; Emil, who is operating the home place ; Cora: Hattie: James, who has a hardware store in Calumet, Iowa; Hugo. whose history forms the theme of this sketch.
Hugo Ewoldt received a meager education in the public schools and from the age of ten he began to work on the farm. He married at the age of twenty-four and at that time began to rent land and for the next seven years followed the life of a farmer. He saved his money with true German thrift and in 1907 moved to Hartley and purchased a meat market and now owns the only retail meat market in the city. Since moving to Hartley, he has bought and sold stock and realizes a handsome return from his stock sales each year. He owns a handsome home in Hartley, where he and his wife dispense genuine hospitality to their many friends.
Mr. Ewoldt was married in Cherokee county, Iowa, in 1890, to Lelia M. Cleghorn, and to this union has been born one daughter, Lillian, who, after graduating from the Hartley high school, entered Oberlain and later, Grinnell College, where she is now taking a course in piano and voice culture.
Politically, Mr. Ewoldt is a Republican and has been honored by his party by being nominated and elected as councilman of the city of Hartley. While in this position he found opportunity to advocate such measures as would benefit his city and he never failed to espouse those movements which would redound to the credit of the town. Religiously, he and his family are loyal and faithful members of the German Lutheran church and take an active interest in all of the affairs of that denomination. Fraternally, he is a mem- ber of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, in which he has taken the consistory degrees, and the Knights of Pythias and Mystic Shrine. Mr. Ewoldt has been working for himself from a very tender age, and has never ceased from hard labor from the time that he began to make his own fortunes. He was one of the youngest pioneers in Tama and O'Brien counties, and ex- perienced many hardships while living on the farm. Nevertheless the ob- stacles which he met and conquered made him stronger to overcome succeed- ing trouble and disaster, and he stands today an excellent type of the self- made man and has the satisfaction of feeling that although he has won ma- terial success that he has not done it at the expense of his fellowmen. He has always been fair in his dealings and for this reason has won the admiration of his fellow citizens and everyone with whom he has been connected.
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WILLIAM C. VOGEL.
In the daily laborious struggle for an honorable competence and a solid career on the part of a business or professional man there is little to attract the casual reader in search of a sensational chapter, but to a mind thoroughly awake to the reality and meaning of human existence there are noble and im- perishable lessons in the career of an individual who, without other means than a clear head. strong arm and true heart, directed and controlled by cor- rect principles and unerring judgment, conquers adversity and finally wins not only pecuniary independence, but what is far greater and higher, the . deserved respect and confidence of those with whom his active years have been spent.
William C. Vogel, a prosperous shoe merchant of Hartley, Iowa, was born in Marshall county, this state, in 1858, the son of William and Freder- icka ( Mosehanka) Vogel. Both his parents were natives of Germany, his father born in 1823 and coming to this country at the age of thirty-one years of age. He had learned the trade of a stone mason in his native land and followed this occupation after coming to Marshall county, this state. Later he bought a farm in that county, on which he lived until 1902, when he retired from the active duties of life and moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he is now living. He was married in 1853 to Fredericka Mosehanka, who died in Kansas, and to this marriage were born five children: Bertha, whose husband, W. B. Marsh, is pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church at Taco- ma, Washington : Matilda, wife of John H. McNamara, who lives in Minne- apolis : Mrs. Lulu Williams, of Hutchinson, Kansas : Henry, a newspaper re- porter of Des Moines, Iowa, and William C., whose life history is here delineated.
William Vogel remained with his parents until he was twenty-four years of age and was given an excellent education, and after leaving school assisted his father on the home farm. He then married and accepted a clerkship in a general mercantile establishment at Quarry, Iowa. where he remained for twelve years. In 1887 he bought a general establishment at Dillon, in Mar- shall county, which he managed for three years, after which he bought a farm of eighty-seven acres: but. not finding the pursuit of agriculture to his liking. he sold out his land interests and went to Latimer, Iowa, where he managed a general merchandise store for Williams Brothers, of Primghar. Iowa, and after spending three years at this place he came to Hartley, O'Brien county, in 1895, where he continued to work for the same firm for eight
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months. He then went into business for himself by establishing a novelty store, and gradually increasing his stock until he had a general merchandise store. He then disposed of this business, and, in partnership with Edward Ewoldt. purchased the general merchandise store of Williams Brothers. The firm of Ewoldt & Vogel prospered for fifteen years, and in 1911 they sold to the Lemke Brothers. Mr. Vogel then opened a shoe store in Hartley and has continued to manage this business up until the present time. He carries a complete stock of the latest styles in shoes and has his full share of the patron- age of Hartley and vicinity.
Mr. Vogel was married January 1, 1883, to Elizabeth Steeptelon, who was born in 1862, in Mahaska county, Iowa, and to this marriage have been born four children: Mary, the wife of H. C. Guenther, of North Dakota : Lessie, the wife of W. F. Arrowsmith, of Melvin, Iowa ; Lucile and William D., who are still in school.
Politically. Mr. Vogel is a member of the Progressive party, or, rather, lie is an independent in politics with progressive tendencies. He takes an active interest in all public affairs and has been a member of the council of the city of Hartley for four years. In his religious relations he is found affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal church, while, fraternally, he is a member of the Masonic order and the Yeomen. Mr. Vogel is a man of edu- cation and has the command of seven languages. German was the language of his parents, and to this he has added six other languages, an accomplish- ment which is little short of remarkable. In every relation of life Mr. Vogel has conducted himself as a true American citizen, taking his full part in the public affairs of the day and throwing his influence to all measures which are calculated to benefit his community.
JOHN C. MANSMITH.
A retired farmer and stockman of Hartley. O'Brien county, Iowa, who has long been identified with the agricultural and business life of this county, is John C. Mansmith. A residence of more than twenty-five years in this county has given him a reputation for honesty and strict integrity which has made him a man of prominence in his community.
John C. Mansmith was born in 1866 in Ohio, the son of Anthony and Amanda (Oswald) Mansmith. Anthony Mansmith was also a native of the Buckeye state, his birth having occurred there in 1829, and he followed the
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trade of a cabinet-maker. In 1869 he came to Marshall county, Iowa, where he purchased two hundred and forty acres of unimproved land. After im- proving this land and greatly increasing its value, he sold it and bought an- other quarter section, which he farmed until his retirement in 1876. He then moved to Hartley, O'Brien county, where he is now living at the ad- vanced age of eighty-five years. He was married to Amanda Oswald. who was born in Ohio in 1822. and to this marriage have been born two children. Levi. deceased, and John C., whose life history is here presented.
John C. Mansmith received a good, common school education in the schools of Marshall county, Iowa, and when thirteen years of age he came to Iowa and settled in Marshall county. In 1887 he came to O'Brien county. where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres which he improved and then sold at a handsome profit. after which he purchased the west one-half of section 35, which he still owns. He has placed ten thousand dollars worth of improvements on the farm since he became the owner of it, including buildings of all kinds, fencing, drainage and groves of fruit and forest trees. He has always kept a high grade of live stock, and has made a specialty of the breeding of Hereford cattle. He is now the owner of three hundred and fourteen acres of excellent farm land. besides four acres in lots in the city of Hartley.
Mr. Mansmith was married in 1874 to Julia Anna Paul, the daughter of David and Sarah ( Runkle) Paul, and who was born in Illinois in 1852. David Paul was born August 20, 1829, was a native of Germany, and was a farmer in Pennsylvania for many years. He died February 11, 1901. He was married to Sarah Runkle in 1857, in the state of Indiana, and to this union were born ten children, all of whom, except two. Mrs. Mary C. Beye and Mrs. Ida M. Martin, are living in Marshall county, Iowa. The eight children who are living in Iowa are as follows: James I., William H., John R .. George E., Fred. Charles C. and David H.
Mr. and Mrs. John C. Mansmith are the parents of eleven children : Mrs. Sarah Williams, who lives in Hartley, Iowa: Wilbur, of this county; John E., who is farming on the old home place; Mrs. Cora Loushen, who is a resident of Hartley: Mrs. Ethel F. Vilmek, whose home is in Hartley. Iowa: Jessie B .. of Arnolds Park, this state: Mrs. Bessie Hunt. of Hartley : Claude C., of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa : Ralph A .: Edith, deceased, and David, deceased. Ethel is a graduate of Morningside College. Des Moines, Iowa. and taught school for seven years in O'Brien and Cherokee counties. Her husband is a merchant. Mrs. Bessie Hunt has one daughter. Doris Violet.
Mr. Mansmith is a Republican in politics and has always taken an active
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interest in local politics. In fact, he has filled every township office except that of justice of the peace and constable, and in all of these important posi- tions he has rendered satisfactory services to his fellow citizens. He and his family have been loyal members of the Methodist Episcopal church and have given of their means and time to the support of this denomination at all times. Fraternally, he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America. He is a man who has a host of friends throughout the community, who have been attracted to him be- cause of his clean life and high character.
BEN OLSON.
O'Brien county has opened welcoming arms to all the world, and from all parts of this country and many sections of Europe have come stalwart, courageous men who were not afraid of the arduous labor required in a new country if with it came hope of future competence. Among these, some have come from the northlands of Europe, where the descendants of the mighty Vikings still are noted for their strength of sinew and high moral character. Among the numerous immigrants who have sought the smile of fickle fortune in this land of the free none have given more in return to the land of their adoption than these hardy sons of the north, and it is of one of these we would speak in this short article.
Ben Olson was born in the year 1856, in Sweden. His father, Ole J. Olson, was a prosperous Swedish farmer who was born in the year 181I, and spent his days in the land of his birth. He was the father of eight children, but three of whom are now living. Jens, Swan, Olof, Monse and Hagen are deceased, while Bessie, now Mrs. Johnson, is still a resident of that country. Sarah is now making her home with her brother Ben, the gentleman of whom we speak in this sketch.
Mr. Olson left his native land in the year 1872, finding his way directly to the city of Moline, Illinois, where he found employment in an iron foun- dry. Here he remained until 1884, toiling diligently and living economically. But Mr. Olson believed that greater opportunities for advancement awaited him in the work of the open country, and as he thought of the fields and meadows through which he had roamed in his boyhood the determination grew within him to return to the natural, wholesome life of the country. Hearing of the opportunities open to homesteaders in the state of Iowa, he
BEN OLSON
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journeyed westward and settled upon a tract of railroad land, taking a claim of one hundred sixty acres. In 1902 he bought a tract of the same size, which he sold at a profit in 1907. He reinvested this capital in Sum- mit township, but moved to Archer, where he is living retired. His home- stead at the present time comprises two hundred forty acres of well im- proved ground, all in a high state of cultivation, a comfortable house and all necessary buildings for the housing of his stock and the shelter of imple- ments and produce of various kinds. His sister Sarah has been a faithful friend and companion, keeping his house in order and performing the various duties which fall to the mistress of an establishment of this size.
Mr. Olson has never married, but takes much pride in his home. As he has demonstrated his ability to earn for himself a competence, so has he shown the ability to enjoy the fruits of his toil, and now, in his later years, he has retired from active farming, with its arduous labor, and husbands his strength for the years that are to come. He is a member of the Lutheran church, and is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Politi- cally, he is deeply interested in the success of the Independent Progressive party.
Mr. Olson is typically a self-made man, one who has started at the foot of the ladder and by his own efforts has risen to a position of affluence. Industrious, conscientious and persevering in whatever he undertakes, he is deserving of the position he now occupies in the community.
ISAAC M. SILVERTHORN.
One of the oldest patriarchs in O'Brien county, Iowa, and the first mar- shal of the city of Hartley, is Isaac M. Silverthorn, who was a man past middle age when the Civil War broke out. The threescore and ten years which is said to be the allotted time of the average man was passed twenty years ago by him and within the next ten years he will reach the century mark. He was a small boy running around when Thomas Jefferson was still living and was born only twenty-five years after the death of George Washington. This "grand old man" of Hartley was one of the earliest pioneers of O'Brien county, and since coming here he has the pleasure of seeing it emerge from a broad and treeless prairie to its present condition of prosperity.
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Isaac M. Silverthorn was born October 1, 1824, in Ohio, and conse- quently will celebrate his ninetieth birthday anniversary in the fall of 1914. He was the son of William D. and Polly ( Ringland) Silverthorn. His father was born in Pennsylvania and lived the greater part of his life in Ohio and (lied in the latter state. To William Silverthorn and wife were born nine children : John. deceased ; James, deceased : Jacob, who is a resident of Ohio ; Mrs. Lucretia Fields, who lives in Ohio; Lusia, a resident of Michigan : Augusta, who died in the Civil War; William fought in the Mexican War, but his subsequent history is unknown ; a daughter who died in infancy, and Isaac MI., whose history is here presented.
Isaac M. Silverthorn started out when he was but eleven years of age to make his living at the time when Andrew Jackson was President of the United States. He was tossed about from pillar to post until he came in touch with a family by the name of Thorn, in the state of Ohio, with whom he stayed two years, after which he went to. Ashtabula, Ohio, where he found work in a carriage shop with Jesse Phillips. By this time he was sixteen years of age and was a boy of sturdy constitution and eager to work. He remained in the carriage shop at Ashtabula four years and in that time learned the trade which earned him a livelihood for many years afterwards. He then worked in different places for the succeeding eight years and in 1856 journeyed on west and finally landed in Hardin county, Iowa, and here he settled down as a carpenter and wagon-maker and lived in this county for twenty-one years. He was married many years before, in fact, he was mar- ried the year before the Mexican War broke out. He traded a hotel property at Steamboat Rock, Hardin county, Iowa, for a section of land in O'Brien county, Iowa. He came to O'Brien in 1876 and to this tract he added from time to time. He made extensive improvements on his farm and set out eight acres of fruit and orchard trees. When the terrible grasshopper plague came on, in 1876. he had a fine prospect for crops. He had sixty acres of corn, ninety acres of wheat. ten acres of oats, and in the short space of a few days, during July of that memorable year, every vestige of his crop disappeared before the voracious appetites of the grasshoppers. By actual count he found that these insects ate two acres of potatoes in one hour. However, he was not to be discouraged by a mere grasshopper. He stayed by his farm and laid aside a very comfortable fortune in the course of a few years. He has now sold all of his farm with the exception of eighty acres, which he still retains. In 1888 he retired from active farm life and moved to Hartley, where he is still living. He is the owner of two lots in the city of Hartley.
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