USA > Iowa > O'Brien County > Past and present of O'Brien and Osceola counties, Iowa, Vol. II > Part 51
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Doctor Steelsmith was married in 1904 to Maud Rolston, of Marshall county, Iowa. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. S. H. Rolston and was born in Marshall county, Iowa. To this union have been born three chil- dren, two of whom died in infancy. The one daughter, Lola, is now two years of age.
The Democratic party has claimed the support of Doctor Steelsmith since he was old enough to vote and in the civic affairs of his community he has always taken a prominent part. His worth as a citizen is shown by the fact that his party nominated him for the prominent position of state representative in the fall of 1912 and his subsequent election gave added proof of his popularity in his home county. In the Legislature he was made
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a member of the committees on public health, fish and game, roads and highways and public schools. On these various committees be performed efficient service and was recognized as a man of progressive ideas in every way. He is honoring the county that elected him by throwing his influence in favor of all movements of merit and opposing such as he feels will not be to the benefit of his community or the state at large. He and his wife are attendants of the Methodist Episcopal church while the Doctor is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. Such is the brief history of Doctor Steelsmith, a man who, while serving his own interests. is at the same time performing his full duty as a member of the common- wealth in which he lives. He is a man of pleasing personality. is widely known throughout his county as a man of strict integrity and high ideals in life.
ENOCH PHILBY.
Enoch Philby. a well known farmer of Baker township, is one of the early settlers of the county who endured the arduous toil and privation of the pioneer. He was born in the year 1841 in Franklin county, Indiana. His father. James E. Philby, was a native of the state of Virginia, who emigrated to Iowa in the year 1849. In his youth he was united in mar- riage to Sidney Lyons, and to this union nine children were born. In 1861. when the foundations of our government were shaken and the call for volunteers was issued to fight for the unity of the nation and the integrity of its institutions, Enoch Philby and his father were among the first to offer themselves to protect the honor of the flag. Both father and son enlisted from Winterset, Iowa, and served in Company I. Fourth Cavalry. The follow- ing year, however, both were discharged on account of disability, the father receiving his discharge at Batesville, Arkansas. Both returned to Iowa, the son Enoch returning to Madison county. Here he remained. engaging in the pursuit of agriculture until 1870, at which time he came to O'Brien county and homesteaded on section 10, in Baker township. Here he labored to cultivate the land and erect necessary buildings for the shelter of himself and housing of the implements and produce of the place, and two years later he brought to his home a bride, whose maiden name was Martha Brown. This lady was a native of Ohio and was born in 1842. Four children were born to them, but in the year 1905 sorrow entered their midst, for at that time death claimed the wife and mother. The children are living, as fol-
MR. AND MRS. ENOCH PHILBY
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lows: Nevada ( Phil), at home; Enos, a farmer of Baker township; Will- iam and Elbert, both assisting in the labors of the homestead.
Politically. Mr. Philby espouses the principles of the Republican party. Together with his family, he attends the Methodist Episcopal church. He has not been interested in fraternal affairs and has membership in no secret societies, his energies and interests having been chiefly confined to his home and to those movements directly affecting the future of his children and their associates. School affairs have been of particular interest to him, and for sixteen years he served his community in the capacity of school trustee and for twenty years was treasurer of its board. In this capacity he gave without stint of his time and energy, fulfilling in every particular the trust reposed in him by his constituents.
Unassuming and conservative in many respects, his life has stood for purity and uprightness rather than for wealth and show, though he has been successful in his chosen calling, as is evidenced by the competence he has acquired. His homestead comprises two hundred forty acres of well culti- vated land, all improved and well stocked with choice live stock.
An honorable citizen, a devoted father and an official of unquestioned integrity, fulfilling each duty as life presented it to him, he is deserving the esteem in which he is held by a large circle of neighbors and friends.
HENRY DUNKELMANN.
Of all the emigrants who reach the United States from the countries of Europe, none show a greater aptitude in adapting themselves to our pecul- iar institutions than those who come from Germany. Having themselves lived in a country where one citizen is as good as another if he behaves himself as well, they almost immediately understand our political methods and customs and appreciate the advantages which are offered by our laws. The result is that they are at once contented and straightway proceed to make the most of their new surroundings. After their home is established and they have attained some degree of comfort, they look around and soon take a warm and intelligent interest in our form of government, in our schools, in our churches, in the affairs of our county administration, and so forth.
Henry Dunkelmann, the son of Willian and Helen (Stoltenberg) Dunkelmann, was born in Germany in 1841. William Dunkelmann was
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born in Germany in 1817 and died a year after his son, Henry, was born. The widow, who was born in 1824, came to America and remarried here, and she died in the year 1890 in Kansas.
Henry Dunkelmann has one sister, Mrs. Dora Carstensen, of Kansas. He came to this country with his mother in 1854 and settled in Clinton county, Iowa, where he farmed for his stepfather until the breaking out of the Civil War. He then enlisted in the Union army at Lyons, Iowa, in 1862, being mustered into Company A, Sixth Regiment Iowa Cavalry. His service was in the Northwest, where he was detailed to guard against the Indians. He served under General Solley in the Dakotas, participating in some dan- gerous fighting before he was finally discharged in 1865 at Sioux City, Iowa. He then returned to Clinton county, Iowa, where he farmed until 1872. In that year he and Joseph Von Suhm and August Carstensen started to drive from Clinton county in a covered wagon to Osceola county with the intention of homesteading. Mr. Dunkelmann homesteaded in section 20, in Baker township. During the first year he built a sod house and broke up his land for the first crop. He immediately set out a grove of fruit and forest treees, with the result that he today has plenty of fruit as well as timber sufficient for fuel. He has made many improvements upon the farm, so that today it ranks with the best farms of the township. He has added to his land from time to time, until he now owns two hundred and forty acres in this county. He has made his money by raising the crops of this locality and then feeding his grain to the live stock which he raised for the market. He retired from active work several years ago, but is still living on the home place, while his son, Adolph, is managing the farm.
Mr. Dunkelmann was married in 1868 to Lisette Stehir, who was born in Germany in 1849. They are the parents of five children : Francis, a school teacher of Ida county, Iowa ; Gustave, a salesman of Nebraska: William, a lumberman of South Dakota; Adolph, who is now farming the home place ; and Dora, a music teacher, who studied in the conservatory of music at Lin- coln, Nebraska.
Politically, Mr. Dunkelmann is allied with that large class of inde- pendent voters who vote for the best men irrespective of their political affilia- tions. Religiously, he and his family are loyal members of the German Lutheran church, and in the work of this denomination they have always taken a hearty interest. His fraternal connections are confined to the Grand Army of the Republic, Post No. 118, at Sibley. Mr. Dunkelmann has al- ways taken an active interest in the civic affairs of his community and has
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served on the school board and also as township trustee, in both offices giving entire satisfaction to his fellow citizens. Mr. Dunkelmann has, by his own efforts, overcome every obstacle, and has gained not only a competency, but an honest position in the community where he has lived so many years.
SIDNEY I. BRADRICK.
One of the prominent and successful business men of Ocheyedan, lowa, is Sidney Bradrick, a real estate and grain dealer. He has proven himself to be a man of force of character and intellect, of keen discernment and able to foresee with remarkable accuracy the future outcome of a present trans- action. It is this which makes success possible in the real estate business, and it is this quality which has given Mr. Bradrick his present high standing in his chosen line of business. His notably straightforward methods have gained for him the confidence and good will of all who know him, and he is in every way deserving of the high esteem in which he is held by all classes. He keeps well abreast of the times and never shirks his duty as a citizen of the commonwealth.
Sidney I. Bradrick, the son of William and Henrietta (Aldred) Brad- rick, was born at Belle Plaine, Iowa, in 1879. His father was a native of Ohio, his birth having occurred in the city of Mansfield, in 1828. He came to O'Brien county, lowa, in 1879, where he purchased land in Highland township. In 1901 he moved to Osceola county, where he died the same year. His wife was born at Salisbury, North Carolina, in 1838 and died in 1912.
Sidney Bradrick was one of the two children born to his parents and was less than a year old when his parents moved to O'Brien county, conse- quently practically his whole life has been spent here. He received a good, common school education and remained with his father on the home farm until his death, in 1901. He then farmed for himself until 1905, when he came to Ocheyedan as manager of the elevator company of this place. In I9II he became the manager of the Roth Implement Company, but a year later he severed his connection with this company and started in the real estate business at Ocheyedan. In addition to handling farm lands through his agency, he buys and sells a considerable amount of grain. He owns the elevator at Allendorf, this county, and is also a stockholder in the elevator at Ocheyedan. He is the owner of five hundred and sixty acres of land in
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Osceola county, on which he has made extensive improvements, so that his farms today are among the most attractive in the county. In addition to his other varied interests, Mr. Bradrick is financially interested in the bank at Allendorf.
Politically, Mr. Bradrick is a Republican with progressive tendencies, and while he keeps well informed on the current issues of the day, yet he has never been an aspirant for any public office. Fraternally, he is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and takes a deep interest in the work of that old fraternal organization. He has always stood for progressive ideas, wholesome living and clean politics, and while his life has been with- out incident of any unusual nature, yet it shows what can be accomplished by steady and conservative endeavor, coupled with an honesty of purpose.
LINCOLN ADAMS.
Practically every state in the Union has furnished citizens for O'Brien county, Iowa, and if it were possible to have a record of the United States census at hand it would probably be shown that at some time in the history of this county there had been residents from every state in the Union. It is not hard to find the reason why men have come from all over the United States to settle in this particular part of the world. Up until a few years ago land could be purchased at a moderate rate in this county, while land which twenty-five years ago was worth thirty dollars an acre is now worth two hundred dollars an acre. The onward march of civilization has brought hundreds of thousands of people from the Eastern states to the states lying beyond the Mississippi river. Much of the prosperity of the Western states is due to the fact that they receive the most ambitious and enterprising citizens of the older states in the East. Lincoln Adams, a prosperous far- mer and stock raiser of Waterman township, was born in Stevenson county, Illinois. on July 4, 1865. His parents were John Quincy and Julia (Van Brocklin) Adams, his father being born in 1831 in Newport Center, Ver- mont. John Quincy Adams settled in Illinois in 1851, where he engaged in farming until 1902, and then removed to Sutherland, O'Brien county, Iowa, where he lived a retired life until his death, in 1907.
Lincoln Adams was one of nine children, all of whom are now living but two. He received a good common school education in the schools of Illinois and remained at home with his parents and assisted with the work
MR. AND MRS. LINCOLN ADAMS
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on the farm until he had reached his majority. His father then purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Waterman township. O'Brien county, Iowa, for Lincoln, where he began to farm. After living a year or two in Iowa he came back to Illinois and looked after his father's farm until 1901. when he returned to O'Brien county and took charge of the farm which he acquired in 1886. Ile has put eight thousand dollars worth of improve- ments on the farm since purchasing it and has now brought it to a high state of efficiency. He raises a considerable amount of live stock, and always makes it a point to keep only the best breed. He found by experience that it pays to keep only pedigreed stock. He has a share in the Farmers Elevator Company, as well as the Co-operative store at Sutherland, two institutions which have been of great benefit to the farmers of Sutherland and com- munity.
Mr. Adams was married in 1898 to Bettie Pickering, and to this mar- riage have been born two children, Bernice Marie and Harold Quincy, who are still at home with their parents. The Republican party has always claimed the support of Mr. Adams, but although interested in political af- fairs, he has never taken an active part in local politics. Fraternally, he is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, the Brotherhood of American Yeomen and the Modern Woodmen of America, and takes an active interest in the work of these various fraternal organizations. He and his family are loyal members of the Methodist Episcopal church and give it their earnest support at all times. In every phase of life's activities since coming to this county. Mr. Adams has been guided by the highest motives and because of his integrity and high personal worth he has earned the con- mendation of all who know him, and enjoys a large circle of friends and acquaintances in and around the community in which he lives.
FRED ATTIG.
One of the most prominent farmers and business men of Osceola county is Fred Attig, who is of German extraction. He has made a pronounced suc- cess in agricultural pursuits since coming to this county and his career is eminently worthy of preservation in the biographical volume of this nature.
Fred Attig was born December 28, 1856, in Woodford county, Illinois, and is the son of Fred and Mary ( Schuman) Attig. They were born, reared and married in Germany and came to this country during the summer of
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1856. locating immediately in Woodford county. Illinois. They were the parents of ten children : Catherine. the wife of John Schneider: Fred, whose history is here presented: John: William: George: Crist, whose history is presented elsewhere in this volume: Sarah, the wife of Frank Losher: Mar- garet, the wife of William Salzman: an infant who died while they were crossing the ocean. and Lena. who died in infancy. They came to this country in a sailing vessel which took fifty-six days to make the trip and the little one who died aboard the ship was buried in the ocean. Fred Attig, Sr .. was a life-long Republican after coming to this country. He had been a Lutheran in the old country, but identified himself with the Evangelical Association in this country. He was always very much interested in church work and took an active part in it. His death occurred May 15. 1894. while his wife died November 19. 1901.
Fred Attig lived at home until he was married and then lived upon a rented farm for ten years. In the spring of 1892 he bought one hundred and sixty acres in section 22. Viola township. and the same year bought an- other eighty acres adjoining the farm. In 1895 he bought eighty acres and then owned a half section of land. where he has since erected a beautiful ten- room home. one of the most modern country homes of the county. In 1910 he purchased forty acres within the corporation of Sibley which is farmed by his son. He has since sold all of his land except two hundred acres. one hundred and sixty acres of which he still farms.
Mr. Attig was married January 25, 1881. to Mary C. Truckenmiller. who was born in Marion county. Ohio, January 23. 1859. and is the daughter of Michael and Martha ( Richerdon) Truckenmiller. Her parents were natives of Germany and have seven children: William F .. Charles C .. Edward. Emma, Jesse. Nellie, and Mary, the wife of Mr. Attig. Mr. and Mrs. Attig have two children. Ida May, the wife of Albert T. Newman. a farmer of this county, and Earl E., who married Alma Polly and lives in Sibley. Mr. and Mrs. Newman have one child. Marion, who was born July 26. 1904. Earl E. and wife have one son, Frederick. born July 8. 1909.
Mr. Attig had always been a stanch Republican until 1912, when he allied himself with the new Progressive party. He has had a remarkable career since coming to this county and has been township trustee for the past eighteen years and school director for a great many years also. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and have always taken an active part in church work. Mr. Attig has made a specialty of Shorthorn cattle, but is now practically retired from an active cattle business. His wife has always been very much interested in the raising of chickens and has had
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some of the finest White Plymouth Rock and Rhode Island chickens to be found in the county. Mr. Attig is one of the leading citizens of Viola town- ship and is well and favorably known throughout the length and breadth of Osceola county. He is charitable and generous, and no man is more highly esteemed in his community than he.
HENRY C. HASS.
Any person who will investigate the facts in the case will be surprised to learn of the great number of people of Germanic descent now living in the United States. Unquestionably the greatest number of emigrants reaching the shores of the new world come from that nation, and statistics show that there is more Germanic blood in the United States than any other. This being a fact it is easy to account for the prosperity and morality of this country. Not only that, but it will afford an explanation of the love of learning shown by the people of this vast nation. Germany is famous the world over for its remarkable universities. for its educated men. for its poets and philosophers, and for the industry, patience, intelligence, morality and sturdiness of its citizens. These qualities have been brought to this country by the immigrants, and are now part and parcel of our wonderful nation- its progress in domestic economy, its advancement in every branch of ma- terial improvement and its love of country and home.
Henry C. Hass, a retired farmer of Sutherland, O'Brien county. Iowa. was born in Germany in 1856 and is the son of Otto and Lucy ( Plies) Hass. Otto Hass was born in Germany in 1818 and lived there until his death in 1885. His wife was born in 1817 and after her husband's death she came to O'Brien county in 1887 and lived with her son. Henry. until her death in 1892. Otto Hass and wife were the parents of five children, the four oldest never leaving their native land: Mrs. Dora Buack. deceased: Mrs. Mary Schrader : August : Mrs. Sophia Paul, and Henry C., whose life history is here briefly reviewed.
Henry C. Hass received a good education in his native land and re- mained in his native country until he was twenty-nine years of age. then came to this country and went overland to O'Brien county, where he worked as a day laborer for three years. Later he rented one hundred and sixty acres of land and in three years purchased eighty acres which he farmed until two years ago, when he retired from active life and moved to Sutherland. He
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still owns the farm, which is now managed by his son. Mr. Hass was a farmer who followed up-to-date methods in his agriculture and in addition to raising the crops which are found in this locality, he added not a little to his annual income by the sale of stock which he raised upon his farm.
Mr. Hass was married twice, his first wife being Eleser Ehleis. The first marriage occurred in 1884 and the wife died five years later. One child. Henry W., was born to the first marriage and and he is now manag- ing his father's farm. In 1903 Mr. Hass was married to Augusta Radker, who was born in 1863.
Since acquiring the right to vote in this country, Mr. Hass has supported the Republican ticket in state and national elections. He has taken an active interest in political affairs and the various civic affairs which came up in his township particularly. The citizens have elected him road supervisor and school director and in both of these positions he has rendered efficient service, not only to those who elected him, but to the other citizens of the township. Fraternally. he is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and takes an interest in the various activities of this fraternal organization. He and his wife are zealous members of the German Lutheran church and render it their hearty support at all times. Mr. Hass is a plain and unassuming man, straightforward in all his relations of life, and by his clean and wholesome method of living since coming to this county has won a host of friends who admire him for his many good qualities.
ALEXANDER GILKINSON.
Among the men of a past generation of Osceola county, Iowa, who contributed in no small measure to the present prosperity of the county there is no one more worthy of mention than Alexander Gilkinson. He was reared in Ireland and came to this country in the bloom of youth and with no other asset than his strong hands and willing heart, and won success in agricultural pursuits in this county, not only made a comfortable com- petence for himself and family, but also took a prominent part in the civic affairs of his township, having served in many different official capacities during the course of his busy life.
Alexander Gilkinson was born in Ireland in 1850 and died in Sibley, Sep- tember 10, 1909. He grew to manhood in the land of his birth and there
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received a very meager education. When nineteen years of age he came to this country and first settled in Grant county, Wisconsin, where he was employed for five years by a live stock shipper. In 1875 he came to Osceola county, Iowa, and homesteaded on section 48, in Goewey township. He built a small house and started to improve the farm at the time the grass- hoppers were swarming this section of the state. In 1878 he returned to Wisconsin and married, bringing his wife back with him to the homestead in this county. They continued to reside in this small house for the first fifteen years of their life in the county and then built a much larger and more convenient dwelling. The original homestead contained one hun- dred and sixty acres and to this he added more land so that at the time of his death he owned one of the finest farms in the township. His widow still owns the old homestead farm and keeps it in a fine state of repair, so that it at all times it presents a very attractive appearance.
Mr. Gilkinson was married in 1878 to Helen Thornton. She was born June 6, 1855, in Scotland and came with her parents. John and Anna (Mc- Donald) Thornton, to this country when she was only eighteen months of age. Her parents settled in Grant county, Wisconsin, where they are still living at an advanced age. Her father was born August 3, 1823, and is now ninety-one years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Gilkinson reared a family of three children: Pearl, the wife of George Kraft, a merchant and postmaster at Melvin, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Kraft have two children. Edna Myrtle and Elsie Ellen. Roy N .. the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Gilkinson, lives at Des Moines, Iowa. The third child is Mrs. Freda Townsend, of Murdo. South Dakota. She has one daughter, Margaret May.
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