USA > Iowa > O'Brien County > Past and present of O'Brien and Osceola counties, Iowa, Vol. II > Part 36
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Doctor Stearns is independent in his political belief and has never felt bound by any particular party ticket. On the other hand he casts his ballot for the best men rather than voting a party ticket. Fraternally, he is a mem- ber of the Ancient Free and.Accepted Masons and the Independent Order of
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Odd Fellows at Sutherland. He is also a member of the Order of the East- ern Star. Doctor Stearns is a wide reader of current affairs and a close ob- server of men and events and has kept in close touch with the issues of the times. He is considered one of the substantial and influential citizens of the locality which is honored by his residence.
SAMUEL BOYCE.
· Among the distinguished veterans of the Civil War who make their home in Hartley, O'Brien county, Iowa, there is no one deserving of a greater meed of respect than Samuel Boyce, a prosperous farmer of this county. He was born in 1839 in Allegany county, New York, and has lived a long and useful life, three years of which were spent in the service of his country during that long and bloody conflict, which determined that the Union was one and inseparable. He is the son of Samuel and Betsey Ann (Hall) Boyce. The father was born in Ireland and settled in Clayton county, Iowa, where he lived the life of a farmer. His mother was born in Ireland in 1812 and to their union were born six children: Mrs. Mary Ann Wood, deceased; Mrs. Elizabeth Dull, of Clayton county, Iowa ; Will- iam, of North Dakota; Robert, of Clayton county, Iowa ; James. deceased, and Samuel, whose life history forms the theme of this narrative.
Samuel Boyce remained with his parents until twenty-one years of age. He received a good common school education and when a small lad went with his parents to Iowa. He was living in Iowa when the war broke out and was then seized with that same patriotic feeling which seized the youth of the North. He enlisted in Company H, Sixteenth Regiment, Iowa Vol- unteer Infantry, and his company was assigned to service under General Sherman. He fought in the battles of the eastern part of Tennessee and then followed Sherman on his march to the sea, participating in the battles of Resaca, Dalton and Atlanta, and was at Savannah with Sherman when they took the city on Christmas day, 1864. He was finally mustered out in the spring of 1865 in Tennessee.
Immediately after he was mustered out of the service, Mr. Boyce re- turned to lowa and settled in Allamakee county. He purchased one hun- dred and sixty acres of land. This land was unimproved and was known as "grub land." For seventeen years he lived upon this farm, improving it in such a way that when he sold it in 1863 he realized a handsome profit
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upon his investment. He came to O'Brien county in 1883 and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of prairie land at twelve dollars an acre. Since buying this land he has made five thousand dollars worth of improvements on it, consisting of houses of various kinds, fencing. drainage and groves of fruit and orchard trees. He continued to operate his farm until 1900, when he retired from active farm life and moved to Hartley, where he is living in a handsome residence of his own. He owns six lots in Hartley besides other property.
Mr. Boyce was married in 1866, immediately after the close of the war, to Philena Young, who was born in Iowa in 1844. To this union have been born four children : Thomas, deceased; Adam, a logster in Mississippi ; William and Charles, who are farming the home place.
In politics, Mr. Boyce is a Republican and, while he has always been interested in politics, he has never been a candidate for any public office. He and his wife are zealous members of the Methodist Episcopal church and have been earnest and consistent supporters of that denomination. He is a member of the Grand Army post of Hartley. His life since coming to this county has been such as to win him the commendation of his fellow citizens.
JOHN F. O'DONNELL.
Among the enterprising and prosperous citizens of Irish extraction whose energy and strength of character have gained for them a prominent place in O'Brien county, Iowa. is John F. O'Donnell, a retired farmer and stock- man of Sutherland, Iowa. A residence of thirty years in the county has given his friends the opportunity to estimate his character and worth as a man, and they willingly accord him a place among the representative citizens of the county. While in active life his influence was all exerted for the ad- vancement of his fellow citizens, and for this reason his life history is briefly set forth in this volume.
John F. O'Donnell, the son of John and Bridget (Hoben) O'Donnell. was born in 1848 in Ireland. His father was born in that country in 1816 and lived the life of a plain farmer until 1869, when he left his native land and came to America, settling in Dubuque county, Iowa, where he follow- ed agricultural pursuits until 1882, when he came to O'Brien county, Iowa, and lived with his son until his death, which occurred in 1889. His widow is still living in Dubuque county, this state.
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John F. O'Donnell is one of seven children born to his parents, three of whom are deceased. He was given a meager education in the schools of Ireland and when 'nineteen years of age started to come to America to seek his fortunes. He arrived in Dubuque county, Iowa, in 1867. and immediately found employment as a farm hand. After working for farm- ers for years and getting thoroughly acquainted with the practical ideas of American farming. he rented land for himself and continued to farm in Dubuque county until 1882. when he removed to this county and worked on a ranch in Union township for the Paullin brothers. In 1882 he pur- chased land in Summit township and in the course of the next three years he bought and sold several different farms, and finally permanently lo- cated in Liberty township, on a farm of his own, and continued to reside there until 1911, when he retired from active farm life and moved to Suther- land. He is the owner of three hundred and six acres of well improved land. as well as ten acres and a handsome modern home in the north part of the city of Sutherland. As a farmer he raised all of the crops common to this latitude and took a special pride in breeding pedigreed live stock. As a breeder of thoroughbred Poland China hogs he has taken prizes at the Sutherland county fair and has also won prizes on draft horses at the fair. He owns a share of stock in the Co-operative elevator at Sutherland, an elevator which is owned by the farmers of that community.
Mr. O'Donnell was married in 1884 to Ella Zehring, the daughter of Adam Zehring, and to this union have been born seven children : Agnes, de- ceased : Walter, who lives in Colorado: Ruby, who is living in Colorado with her brother; Mrs. Ella Wilkerson, of Gaza, Iowa, and Earl, Murl and Iva, who are still with their parents.
Mr. O'Donnell has been a stanch supporter of the Democratic party and has been honored by his party by being given various offices. He has served as road supervisor and school director in his home township and filled both . of these offices to the entire satisfaction of the citizens of the township and community. He and the members of his family are loyal and earnest mem- bers of the Catholic church and give to it their earnest and zealous support at all times. Fraternally, he is a member of the Yeomen and the Home- steaders and takes an active interest in these fraternal organizations. Mr. O'Donnell is a man of optimistic views of life and possesses to a marked degree those characteristics which win friends. He is a man of high moral character, persistent industry and excellent judgment, and throughout the locality where he has lived for more than thirty years he occupies an en- viable position among his fellow men. .
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JOHN THIETJE.
Among the prosperous farmers and stockmen of Lincoln township, O'Brien county, Iowa, of German parentage is John Thietje, a prominent citizen of Lincoln township. It is an inspiration to read the careers of men who came to this country with no visible assets except ability to work and their honesty of purpose, and in the course of a few years accumulated a comfortable competence for their declining years. John Thietje was born in 1856. in Germany, the son of Henry and Charlott ( Petersen) Thietje. The father was born in 1824 and lived and died the life of a farmer in his native land, passing away in 1908. To Henry Thietje and wife were born eight children: Fred, of Germany: Henry, of Germany: Paul, of Germany; Mrs. Anna Meier, of Minnesota: Mrs. Dora Burer, deceased : August, deceased : Crist, who is farming with John in this county, and John. whose history is here briefly presented.
John Thietje received a common school education in his native land and learned the carpenter trade. Upon reaching the age of twenty-three he wished to better his condition and with this end in view sailed for America. After arriving in this country he first went to Jackson county, Iowa, and worked on a farm and did some carpenter work. Upon marrying, in 1885. he came to Union township, O'Brien county, and purchased eighty acres of land. He and his young wife worked diligently to bring the farm to a state where it would yield a comfortable living, and spent ten years of their lives upon this farm, then sold it in 1896 and moved to Kossuth county, in this state, where they again bought a farm. After six years they sold it and moved back to O'Brien county, buying one hundred and twenty acres of land in Lincoln township, on which they are still living. He plant- ed five acres of grove and orchard trees and raises a high grade of live stock of various kinds. He raises all the crops which are peculiar to this section of the state and finds a ready market for any of his surplus grain.
Mr. Thietje was married in 1885 to Anna Koock, and to this marriage have been born six children: Mrs. Charlott Pouersen, of Spencer, Iowa ; Henry. of Spencer, Iowa: Albert; Dora; Emiel and Louise. The three younger children are still at home with their parents. Politically, Mr. Thietje is a member of the Democratic party but has never been actively in- terested in the affairs of his party. He votes for the best man at election and in so doing he believes he is performing the best service for his state. Religiously, he and his family are earnest members of the German Lutheran
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church and contribute generously of their means to its support. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America at Hartley, Iowa. Mr. Thietje is a fine example of the self-made man who came from a foreign country with no knowledge of the English language and in the course of a few years accumulated a comfortable fortune for his declining years. He is a man of pleasant personality and easily makes friends wherever he goes. He is highly regarded by everyone who knows him because of his upright character and cleanliness of life.
MICHAEL P. MULLIN.
The citizens of O'Brien county who claim Ireland as their native land. or who are descendants of natives of the Emerald isle, are among the sub- stantial and enterprising citizens wherever they are found in this country. Someone has said that an Irishman never died in the poor house and it is certainly a tribute to the people of that country to make such a statement.
Michael P. Mullin, a prosperous farmer of Carroll township, O'Brien county, was born in Ontario, Canada, in 1870. He is the son of Dennis and Margaret ( Mahoney ) Mullin. Dennis Mullin was born in Ireland in 1823 and farmed in his native land until he was twenty-four years of age and then came to this country and worked in Massachusetts for about ten years in railroad construction work. While living in Massachusetts he married and in 1857 went to Canada, where he engaged in farming until 1885. He then moved to O'Brien county, Iowa, and homesteaded in Carroll township and lived there until his death in 1909. Dennis Mullin and wife were the parents of fourteen children, five of whom died in early infancy. There are only five of the children who are now living: Dennis, of Montana; Jerry, who is living a retired life in Minnesota: Mrs. Mary Wilsey, of Sheldon. Iowa : Mrs. Maggie Haynen. of Sioux City, Iowa, and Michael P., with whom this narrative deals.
Michael P. Mullin lived in Canada until he was fifteen years of age and there received a good common school education. He came with his parents to this county in 1885 and worked with his father on the farm until the latter's death in 1909. He then took the home place and has made many improvements upon it within the past five years. He has set out three acres of orchard and forest trees and has the whole farm of two hundred acres in a high state of cultivation. He is an extensive raiser of live stock and
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finds this a profitable source of income. He is a director in the Farmers Elevator at Archer, Iowa, who is also secretary of the Farmers Telephone Company in this county.
Mr. Mullin was married in 1904 in Sheldon, Iowa, to Nellie Griffin, and to this marriage have been born four sons. Dennis, Earl. Michael and Daniel, all of whom are at home.
Politically, Mr. Mullin is a stanch Democrat and is now serving as clerk of Carroll township, an office which he is filling to the entire satis- faction of everyone in the township. He and his family are earnest mem- bers of the Catholic church and contribute generously to its support. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus and the Modern Woodmen of America. Mr. Mullin is a man of good judgment and enjoys a wide ac- quaintance throughout his township and the remainder of the county be- cause of his genial disposition and uniform courtesy to everyone with whom he is associated. His excellent personal character and integrity have made him respected and highly esteemed by a host of friends and acquaintances.
ALBERT H. AGAR.
One of the most prosperous and substantial farmers of West Holman township is Albert H. Agar, who has always taken a great deal of pride in being a plain, every-day farmer. Everything which he has today has been gained solely through his own unaided efforts and therefore he deserves a great deal of credit for his substantial position in the affairs of his county.
Albert H. Agar, the son of Thomas and Sarah (Rowan) Agar, was born November 29. 1867, in Muscatine county, Iowa. Thomas Agar was born in Lincolnshire, England, and came to this country in 1847. He had followed the cabinet-making trade in his own country, but after coming to the United States he worked on a farm by the month. He first worked in New York state for seven years and then became manager of a large thirteen-hundred-acre farm owned by David Pifford. For ten years he worked here as foreman and in 1864 came to Iowa, where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres in Muscatine county. Here he lived until 1897 and he moved to Montpelier, where he lived until his death. August 29, 1906. His wife. Sarah Rowan, was born near Cincinnati, Ohio, and came to Iowa in 1848 with her parents, John A. and Catherine Rowan. They went on a steamboat down the Ohio river to Cairo, Illinois, and then up the Missis-
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sippi to Iowa and landed at Buffalo, building a log house there and lived as did the other pioneers at that time. Thomas Agar and wife were the parents of seven children: Elizabeth, the wife of C. F. Sauerman : Henry ; Anna, the wife of G. W. Van Camp: Lollie, the wife of Fred Grimm, de- ceased : Albert H., whose life history is here presented; Eugenia, the wife of O. A. Bohnsack, and Thomas.
Albert H. Agar received a good common school education in the schools of Muscatine county, Iowa, and lived at home until he was twenty-nine years of age. He then rented two hundred and sixty acres of land in his home county for three years, later moving to his present farm in Osceola county which he had purchased in 1889. He now owns two hundred and forty acres in section 2 of West Holman township, which he purchased in 1898, and eighty acres which he has since added in East Holman township. When he moved upon his farm in 1898 it was very much run down, but he has increased its productivity by a system of scientific crop rotation. He has built a comfortable and convenient country home, two large barns and a granary which will hold seven thousand five hundred bushels of grain. He has also fenced his farm and installed a complete system of drainage, there- by adding greatly to the value as well as to the attractiveness of the farm. He has not neglected to provide shed room for all of his tools and imple- ments, thereby demonstrating that he is a careful and methodical farmer.
Mr. Agar was married April 26. 1900, to Lena Drumm. She is the daughter of Thomas and Minnie Drumm, and was born February 7, 1872, in Muscatine county, Iowa. Her parents were both natives of Germany and reared a family of five children. Henry, Rosa, Lena, Minnie and Jacob. Mr. and Mrs. Agar are the parents of two children, Alice and Edward, both of whom are still living under the parental roof. Alice was born February 26, 1901, and Edward was born June 16, 1906.
Mr. Agar is a Democrat in politics but has been content to devote all his time and energy to his agricultural interests. He raises all the crops of this section of the state and in addition raises a large amount of stock and poultry. He is a man who takes a great deal of pride in his farming and is thoroughly in love with his chosen life work. He is a member of the Modern Brotherhood of America and is a charter member of that or- ganization at Sibley. His wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and while he has never formally identified himself with the church, yet he has always lived a life which conforms to the rules of Christian ethics. He is a man who has won a host of friends throughout this com- munity because of his genial and unassuming manner.
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FRED NOTT.
Peculiar interest attaches to the history of Fred Nott, from the fact that he is a native of the county where he has spent his whole career. He is a man of education and culture, as well as a man of business ability, and has been a prominent factor in the history of his county for the past forty years and in that time has never failed to give his hearty support to all measures which he felt would benefit his county. He has never been seized with the wanderlust but has been content to stay within the limits of his native county, believing that it offered as many opportunities for advancement as any other county in the state. AAs a citizen of the city of Calumet he has been active in bettering its welfare in many ways and is responsible for the efficient electric lighting plant which is in use at the present time.
Fred Nott. an automobile dealer of Calumet, O'Brien county, Iowa, was born in O'Brien county in 1874 and is the son of Thomas B. and Flora A. (Kelley) Nott. Thomas B. Nott was born in Devonshire, England. February 10, 1841, and is the son of Thomas and Ann Lucy ( Bucknell ) Nott. Thomas Nott, Sr., was born in England in 1806. To Thomas B. Nott and wife, who were married in 1870, have been born five children, of whom four are living.
Thomas B. Nott, the father of Fred, whose history is here delineated, was a soldier of the Civil War. a member of Company H, Fifth Regiment Wisconsin Infantry. He was mustered in as a corporal in 1864 and was as- signed to duty in Virginia, where he participated in the campaigns of Gen- eral Grant against Petersburg and Richmond. He received his honorable discharge at Madison, Wisconsin. in the summer of 1865. In 1870 he came to O'Brien county and he and his young wife homesteaded in Liberty town- ship. Here they lived for the next thirty years and upon their retire- ment from the farm, in 1901, they were the owners of a fine farm in the township. Thomas B. Nott died in 1910 and his wife is still living in this county.
Fred Nott was given a good common school education and later grad- uated from the Sutherland high school. While going to school he assisted his father upon the home farm and after graduating from the high school his father sent him to business college at Cedar Rapids, where he took the com- plete course in the business department. He then became assistant cashier of the bank at Calumet and rendered the bank faithful and efficient service for
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four years. After this he built an automobile garage and took the agency for different kinds of automobiles and has been engaged in the business up to the present time. He maintains a repair shop, with competent me- chanics, and is doing a flourishing business in the city of Calumet and the surrounding country. In the installation of an electric light plant for the benefit of the citizens of Calumet he has performed a public favor which is worthy of mention. The residents of Calumet are now receiving a twenty- four-hour lighting service at a rate which is as low as any in this section of the state.
Mr. Nott was married in 1907 to Beatrice Henderson, and to this union has been born one daughter, Ruth.
Mr. Nott is independent in politics and as a public-spirited citizen votes for the best men regardless of their political affiliations. Mr. Nott is a public-spirited citizen who is widely interested in the welfare of his home city and has done everything he could to advance its interests. For this reason he is justly regarded as a representative man of his city as well as the county which is honored by his residence.
WILLIAM H. SCHOELERMAN.
One of the most progressive of the younger farmers of O'Brien county is William H. Schoelerman, who is a son of German parents. Consequently it may be expected that he has been a prosperous citizen of his township, and such proves to be the case. While he has attended strictly to his own busi- ness and accumulated considerable of this world's goods, yet he has not neglected to take his full share in the public life of his community.
William H. Schoelerman was born in 1870 in Benton county, Iowa, the son of Nicholas and Sophia (Voss) Schoelerman. Nicholas Schoeler- man was born in 1839, in Germany, and was a shepherd in his native land. When eighteen years of age he decided to cast his fortunes with the thou- sands of emigrants who were leaving his native land for America. He settled in Davenport. Iowa, where he worked for two years as a day laborer. In 1859 he went to Benton county. Iowa, and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of prairie land for three dollars an acre. He and his brother, Jacob, were working together at this time and for some years they added to this tract until they owned a good farm when they divided their interests. Nicholas made many improvements and rapidly brought his farm to a place
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where it yielded him a goodly return on his investment. Mr. Schoelerman had been a farmer, who did not neglect to take advantage of the latest develop- ments in farming machinery and the most approved methods of farm man- agement, until he retired, owning many hundred acres of well improved land, as well as the home in Keystone, Benton county. He is now living a retired life in Keystone, where he moved in 1905. He married. in 1866, in Durant, Iowa, Sophia Voss, who was born in Germany in 1858. To Nicho- las Schoelerman and wife have been born eleven children: Peter F., a farmer of Everly, Iowa; John, who is a farmer of Royal, Clay county. this state : Fernand, a farmer of Benton county, this state: August, who is living a retired life in Everly ; Mrs. Caroline Mussman, who is a resident of Key- stone. Iowa: Henry. a farmer of Clay county; Cecelia, deccased : Reimer, deceased : George, who is a farmer of Benton county, and Herman, a farmer of Benton county, this state.
William H. Schoelerman remained with his parents on the home farm in Benton county until he was twenty-five years of age, receiving a good, common school education and then worked with his father until he left home. at which time he rented a part of his father's farm and when his father moved to Keystone. in 1905. he purchased the farm. Since coming into control of the old homestead he has put fifteen thousand dollars worth of improvements on it. He has always kept a high grade of cattle and feeds from sixty to one hundred head for the markets each year. He is a stock- holder in the Hartley Elevator Company and also in the Hartley Lumber Company.
Mr. Schoelerman was married in 1898, in O'Brien county, Iowa, to Sophia Jensen, who was born in Benton county in 1880, and to this union have been born four children, Alfred, Clara, Nicholas and Cecelia. Politi- cally, Mr. Schoelerman is identified with the Democratic party and has al- ways taken an interest in public affairs. He has been particularly interested in educational affairs and as a member of the school board of Hartley town- ship he has rendered efficient service. He has also been road supervisor of Hartley township, in this county. He and all the members of his family are earnest and devoted adherents of the German Lutheran church and subscribe generously to the support of their denomination. Fraternally, he is a mem- ber of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and takes an interest in the various activities of that fraternal organization. Mr. Schoelerman is a man who has won many friends because he has tried to live a life which would be consistent with the Golden Rule.
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