USA > Iowa > O'Brien County > Past and present of O'Brien and Osceola counties, Iowa, Vol. II > Part 57
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GEORGE W. HARRIS.
The life of the successful business man, though filled to repletion with activity and incident, presents fewer salient features to excite the interest of the general reader than the man whose place in the public eye has been won through political or military achievement. But to acquire distinction or great prosperity in the business pursuits which give to the country its finan- cial strength and credit. requires ability of as high, if not higher, order than that which leads to victory at the polls or on the field of battle. This will be readily appreciated by all who tread the busy thoroughfares of trade. Eminent business talent is composed of a combination of high mental and moral attributes. It is not simply energy and industry ; there must be sound judgment. breadth of capacity, rapidity of thought, justice and firmness, the foresight to perceive the course of the drifting tides of business and the will and ability to control them. In addition to all this, the successful busi- ness man possesses a collection of minor but important qualities to regulate the details of the pursuit which engages attention. The subject of this re- view affords an exemplification of this talent, and, notwithstanding the limited field of his operations, he has achieved a reputation which places him among the successful financiers of this section of the state.
George W. Harris, cashier of the Farmers State Bank of Paullina. O'Brien county, lowa, was born in 1875 at Primghar. O'Brien county, the son of Stephen and Lydia ( Gault ) Harris. Stephen, the father, was born on December 6. 1842, in Brunswick, Maine. At the beginning of the Civil War his sympathies were with the Union and in this cause he enlisted at Sackett's Harbor, New York, in 1862. being a member of Company L. Twentieth New York Cavalry. Throughout his enlistment he served as orderly on General Grant's staff, but saw no active service. After being mustered out of service at the close of the war, he came westward, settling in O'Brien county. This was in 1869, when pioneer conditions very largely prevailed throughout this section. Being a man of good education and great native ability, he im-
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mediately took his place among the foremost citizens of the community and the year following his arrival here he was elected county superintendent of schools, serving for two years. He also served as clerk of the county courts during. the years 1871 and 1872 and was county treasurer during 1876 and 1877. Upon his first arrival in the county he homesteaded a claim in Grant township, later moving to Primghar, where the immediate subject of this sketch was born, and some time after became a citizen of Paullina. Upon first coming to Paullina he engaged in the restaurant business and also dealt in real estate and in 1884 he and George Hakeman opened up a banking busi- ness, which venture was highly successful and has developed into the present organization known as the Farmers State Bank of Paullina, Iowa. Mr. Harris remained in the bank, serving as its cashier, until the time of his death in 1899. He was also actively interested in all the affairs of the county and was one of the most influential men of his day, doing much to bring about a satisfactory state of affairs in this section along financial as well as other lines. His death occurred on September 29th, of the year above mentioned. Mr. Harris was twice married, first in 1870 to Lydia Gault. who bore him two children. The elder is Charles S., a publisher and editor, located at Coleridge, Nebraska, and the younger is George W., the immediate subject of this sketch, who was but a very small child at the time of his . mother's death. Mr. Harris chose as his second wife Ida Belle Rerick and to that union were born five children, all of whom are living with the excep- tion of one.
George W. Harris received his elementary education in the schools of Paullina, later attending the high school at that place, and when but sixteen years old he entered the banking establishment of his father in the capacity of bookkeeper. With that institution he has remained ever since and. through his excellent business judgment and ability, the business has grown with the locality and has kept abreast of the times. George Harris has prospered financially .. Besides being a stockholder of the bank in question, he also owns two hundred and forty acres of land in Union township, O'Brien county, as well as a section in Huron, South Dakota. In Paullina he owns the commodious residence which he occupies, as well as five lots. He is a worthy son of his father, possessing that parent's unusual ability as well as genial disposition. While winning his way along material lines, he has also bore in mind that higher tribute of confidence and esteem of one's fellow- men and this he possesses in a most gratifying degree. In politics he is allied with the Democratic party and is now serving his city as treasurer of the school board, also in the capacity of city councilman and treasurer of
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the city fire department. In the discharge of the duties from time to time devolving upon him as a citizen who is willing to work for the welfare of his home town. he meets with the approval of all. as he ever bears in mind the highest good to the largest number possible.
In 1900 Mr. Harris was united in marriage with Bird H. Raw, daughter of George Raw, and to their union four children were born. One little son. Kenneth, passed from this life on August 29, 1913 : the others yet with them are Herschel G., Dudley R. and G. Winston. The family are identified with the Methodist Episcopal church, being active and consistent members of the same. Mr. Harris's fraternal affiliation is with the time-honored order of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and he is also a member of the body of Yeomen. Mr. Harris is intensely practical in everything he does, and therein lies the great secret of his success. He is a splendid example of the virile. progressive man who believes in doing well whatever is worth doing at all : a man of broad mind, keen discernment and sound judgment .. Personally, he is genial and unassuming, easily approached and in this country, where he has spent his entire life, he is widely known and held in highest regard by all.
W. H. NOEHREN.
One of the many worthy German citizens of Osceola county. Iowa, who has made this their permanent home is W. H. Noehren. the manager of the creamery station at Ocheyedan. In common with thousands of other men from his country, he believed that in the West was to be found not only more and greater pleasures of living, but better opportunities for making money and acquiring a comfortable competence for old age. Coming here with his parents when a babe in arms, he has grown up with the country and has never had any desire to forsake his adopted country and return to his fatherland.
WV. H. Noehren was born in Germany. January 31, 1852, and is the son of William and Sophia (Seehausen) Noehren. In March. 1852, his parents came to America and located in Lake county, Indiana, where they lived until the death of the father. William Noehren showed his devotion to his adopted country at the opening of the Civil War, when he enlisted in Company I, Twentieth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served for three full years. He fought in some of the greatest battles of the war, among which were Gettysburg and all the battles which were fought by
W. H. NOEHREN AND FAMILY
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Grant in his march from Washington to Richmond in 1864 and 1865. par- ticipated in all the battles which were fought in the Wilderness and went through the trying siege of Petersburg. He was among those who had the honor of marching through the streets of Richmond, the capital of the Southern Confederacy. When the Civil War was over he returned to Lake county and lived upon a farm until his death. The mother moved to Chicago in 1893 upon the marriage of her son, William, whose history is here portrayed. William Noehren and wife were the parents of six children : Henry, of Buffalo, New York; Mrs. Sophia Wilke, of Union, Illinois; Mrs. Minnie Klemme, of Chicago, Illinois; Mrs. Dora Blume, of Chicago; Mrs. Louisa Draper, of Arlington Heights, Illinois, and W. H., with whom this narrative deals.
W. H. Noehren received his education in Lake county, Indiana, and re- mained upon the home farm until 1884. Upon his marriage in 1873 he took charge of his father's farm and operated it until he came to Osceola county in 1884. Upon coming to Osceola county he purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, in Horton township, for ten dollars an acre and lived on this until 1902. That year he moved to Ocheyedan and became interested in the hardware and implement business. Four years later he dis- posed of this and engaged in the creamery business at Ocheyedan and now has charge of the Hanford Produce Company station. He is a successful business man and has been instrumental in increasing the business of the creamery of which he is now the manager. He has always taken an im- portant part in the civic affairs of his county and while living in Horton township was president of the township board for nineteen years. The Democratic party nominated him for the position of county supervisor and he was subsequently elected to that important office for a three-year term. While holding this office he advocated every measure which he felt would benefit his county in any way.
Mr. Noehren was married in 1873 to Mary Heisterberg, who died in 1904, leaving eight children: Mrs. Mary Trusty, of Ochevedan, whose husband is a barber; Henry, of Billings county, North Dakota; William, of Fostoria. Iowa: Fred, a bookkeeper in the bank of Ocheyedan; Mrs. Carol Ohlendorf, of Billings county, North Dakota; Harry, of North Dakota; Edward, of Ocheyedan, and Edna L., a teacher in Superior, Iowa.
Mr. Noehren and his family are all members of the German Lutheran church and have always contributed generously of their means to its support.
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He is a man of genial temperament and accommodating in disposition and has many friends among those who know him. He stands high in the circles in which he moves in his community, since he is a man of proper principles, honest and public spirited.
JAMES CONN.
So many of the substantial citizens of O'Brien county have come to us from the verdant hills of the beautiful Emerald isle that the observer wonders why these gentlemen so readily win their way to affluence in this country of ours. It is no doubt partly due to the fact that the fight for life is more difficult in the congested counties of their native country, and the strenuous effort to advance is inbred from infancy : but to this tireless energy is added the ability to think quickly and well, which is the most marked characteristic of a true son of Erin.
.Among these gentlemen who have joined the ranks of the prominent citizens of O'Brien county. James Conn is worthy of honorable mention. He was born in Down, Ireland, in the year 1867. the son of Alexander Conn, also a native of that country. The father was born in 1838 and spent his childhood and youth upon the farm of his father in his native county. In the year 1864 he was married to Martha Dixon, and to them were born two children, Sarah, now Mrs. McCauley, a resident of Osceola, lowa, and James, of O'Brien county.
The subject of this sketch spent his boyhood on the farm of his father, but at the age of twenty-five years he emigrated to America and came directly to the broad prairies of O'Brien county. Here he was enabled to obtain employment on a farm by the month, and for six years he labored in this manner. In the year 1898, however, he attained his ambition to launch into business for himself, renting a tract of three hundred and twenty acres of land which he found in Union township. Here for eleven years he toiled diligently, early and late, cultivating the soil and causing the earth to bring forth bountiful harvests for him, laughing at disappointments and hoping always for the better things in view. On October 31, 1902, was solemnized his marriage to Jennie Moorehead, a daughter of George Moorehead, of Paullina. Henceforth he labored with higher ambitions, having in view a homestead of his own and a competence for himself and his family. His faithful wife lent aid and encouragement in all these ambitions, and in 1909
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he was enabled to purchase for himself the old homestead of William John- son, of Highland township, consisting of one hundred and sixty acres of land, all under cultivation. Since that time many improvements have been added and about three thousand dollars in money has been spent in improve- ments of various kinds, while he has given without stint of his own strength and time to the end that his family might for the future enjoy a beautiful home.
Seven children have come to bless this home, all of whom are now under the parental roof. a happy family indeed. These are Harrold, Esther, Wes- ley. Alice. Denton, Helen and Russell.
Mr. Conn is in all things a progressive man, intelligent and broad minded, interested in movements for the improvement of his surroundings, physically and morally.
When the new Independent party was organized, he was soon enlisted in this cause and has since adhered to these principles. He is an active mem- ber of the Presbyterian church of Paullina. First and always, he is a loyal American citizen, but he is also true to the traditions of the country of his birth and in sympathy with her every movement and maintains his member- ship in the order of Orangemen. Mr. Conn is truly a "self made man," owing his success to his own efforts and his wife's able assistance, and, being a comparatively young man, there is every probability that he will continue to rise, as energy such as his will allow of no standing still and no retro- gression.
WILLIAM HARKER.
William Harker was born at New Diggings, LaFayette county, Wis- consin, on July 29. 1849. Here he spent his youth and until seventeen years of age. securing a good general education. In 1866 he removed to New Jefferson. Iowa, where he remained only a short time. From here he went to Missouri Valley where he made his first venture in the early days of that city in the mercantile business, in which he was successful. Here he was married to Elizabeth Vyce in 1870. She was an aunt of Arthur Vyce, re- siding in Sanborn for many years and who assisted in Mr. Harper's bank. In successful merchandising he had at the early age of twenty-three accu- mulated a sufficient capital to embark in his greater destined business, that of banking, and established one of the very early banks at Ida Grove, to which place he removed in the latter year. Here again he was successful
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for ten years, in the meantime taking into partnership J. L. Greene. In ad- dition to banking at Ida Grove they conducted a set of abstracts of titre as an adjunct to the large loan, land and banking business in which they at once engaged. They were indeed a strong business team, and early discovered the coming price and values of Iowa lands and profited largely by their good judgment. These ten years at Ida Grove developed these land enhancement ideas with them and which they foresaw would be duplicated in O'Brien county, to which they came in latter part of 1881, and at once commenced making large purchases of the then wild prairie lands. Their Ida county experience practically made success a certainty in O'Brien. They at once started, or rather bought out, the bank of Lane & Longshore, or the Isaac W. Daggett Bank. This bank was conducted as the O'Brien County Bank, often known as Harker & Greene's bank. Several years later he purchased the interests of J. L. Greene and organized the First National Bank of San- born, with himself as president, which position he held until his death, May 26, 1895, at West Baden Springs, at which place he was taking treatment.
William Harker was one of those men who carried with him in his every movement of body and spoken word an idea and sentiment of the sub- stantial and successful. His every business transaction represented some- thing. The writer once heard the remark made of him, which impressed him as truly measuring the man, "that Mr. Harker couldn't be anything but successful, because he would deal in nothing questionable." He was prominent in politics, and proud that he was a Democrat. He was in poli- tics as in business, insisting that his party should stand for a fixed policy worthy of being followed. As illustrating this idea that he always stood for something, on one occasion Mr. Harker asked the question in the court house what the politics of a certain candidate was, and on being informed that the party was independent and had no politics, retorted that the candi- date must have some politics and be somewhere. Mr. Harker was strong and loyal in his friendships and business obligations. He selected only the reliable for friends. For many years in business in Sanborn, he was a strong right arm in business interests with Ezra M. Brady, Jonathan A. Stocum, J. R. Brady, J. H. Daly and others. The last business transaction of Mr. Harker was to sign up for the writer the complete final report in the settle- ment of the large estate of his stanch friend, J. A. Stocun. Just as he signed same the writer bade him good bye as he started to West Baden, which proved to be to his death. Like unto the making of that report, his whole business was in effect a prepared business or that which could be made
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complete. His career was indeed a brilliant one, for even new O'Brien county, his death occurring at the early age of only forty-six years. He ac- cumulated a large fortune for this early age, in a pioneer period, though death claimed him in the prime and before the full fruitage of his grand business qualities for the public good were ready to be ended.
GEORGE MCKENNA.
In past ages the history of a country was comprised chiefly in the record of its wars and conquests. Today history is largely a record of commercial activity and those whose names are foremost in the annals of the nation are those who have become leaders in business circles. The conquests now made are those of mind over matter, and the victor is he who can most successfully establish, control and operate commercial interests. Mr. McKenna is one of those men whose lives have been an essential part of the history of O'Brien county. Tireless energy, keen perception, honesty of purpose, genius for devising and executing the right thing in the right place and time are the chief characteristics of the man. These, combined with every day common sense and guided by strong will power, are the concomitants which insure success in any undertaking.
George McKenna, a real estate and loan agent of Sheldon, Iowa, was born in Watertown, Wisconsin, in 1862, his birthday falling upon the natal day of the Father of our country. He is the son of P. J. and Mary (Dougherty) MeKenna, both of whom were natives of Ireland, and both of whom came from their native land to this country in their youth and mar- ried in America. They moved from Watertown, Wisconsin, to Adair county. Iowa. in 1875, where the father died in 1896. The mother then came to O'Brien county and lived with her son, George, until her death oc- curred in 1909. There were five children born to Mr. and Mrs. P. J. Mc- Kenna, of whom three are living. Thomas, who resides in Kansas City: Mrs. T. E. Mench, who lives in Montana, and George, with whom this history deals.
George McKenna received his elementary education in the schools of Wisconsin and Adair county, lowa, and came to O'Brien county in 1884. He settled on the northeast quarter of section II in Carroll township (dis- puted land), where he resided until 1889 when he went back to Adair county where he remained until 1896, when the courts handed down a decision which
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confirmed his title to the land, and he renewed his homestead filing and moved back on the land, where he resided until 1905, at which time he rented out his farm and came to Sheldon, where he engaged in the real estate and insur- ance business. He is the owner of four hundred and ninety acres of good Iowa land, also lands in North Dakota, Montana and Canada. Mr. Mc- Kenna is normally a Republican in politics, but voted for Woodrow Wilson in 1912. He is an earnest member of the Catholic church and contributes of his means to its support. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus, a fraternal organization composed of Catholics. Mr. McKenna has been a hard working man all of his life and because of his integrity and upright life, he has gained the confidence of all of those with whom he has been associated.
N. I. HUGHES.
There is, in every county, a class of men who have spent many years within its borders, and who form the solid, responsible element of its citizen- ship. To this class belong men who toil, but who work with sound judgment and business acumen, acquiring for themselves and their families a compe- tence, while adding, by their very stability, to the dignity and responsibility of the community at large. It is of such a man we wish to speak in this sketch.
I. N. Hughes, one of O'Brien county's prominent and well known farmers, was born in 1859 in Story county, Iowa, his father being Thomas Hughes, a native of Greene county, Pennsylvania. The elder Mr. Hughes was born in 1808 and spent his childhood and youth in the Keystone state. While a young man he emigrated to Knox county, Ohio, then to Putnam county, Indiana, where he continued the vocation learned in his native state, the pursuit of agriculture. In the year 1854, hearing of the wonderful opportunities for the pioneer in the state of Iowa, he journeyed westward and settled in Story county, purchasing a tract of land in that location for the sum of one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre. This he cleared, at the cost of infinite labor, and finally erected a grist mill on Skunk river. The product of the mill was freighted via wagon to Davenport, Iowa, a slow and expensive means of transportation. In this environment he was brought into close association with the Indians, of whom there were many and who learned to respect him highly. That their friendship was reciprocated is proven by the fact that he gave them many sacks of the flour which he
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ground. His wife. formerly Eleanor Strawn, was a never-failing source of help and encouragement to him in his labors, and to her faithfulness is due much of his success in life.
Nine children came to this worthy couple, as follows: Ruth, whom (leath claimed when about twenty-three years old, in Story county, Iowa; John died at Ruthven. Iowa: Agnes, now Mrs. Dodds, the wife of a retired farmer of Sioux Rapids, lowa: Richard, whose death occurred at Marshall- town, Iowa. three years ago; Elizabeth and Thomas, who were called from hence in infancy and were buried in Indiana; William, whose death occurred in Kelley, Iowa : Mary, now Mrs. Brown, whose home is in Nebraska ; Ellis, who is buried at Primghar; Ulysses, whose death occurred in Story county ; and the subject of our immediate sketch.
N. I. Hughes spent his boyhood and youth upon his father's farm, assisting him in the various labors of the place, and when he arrived at mature years his father deeded to him a tract of eighty acres, a part of the old home- stead. This he cultivated and improved, his mother, in later years, looking after the duties of the household, of which she was the faithful mistress for twenty-one years. He diligently cultivated and improved the place until a favorable opportunity occurred to dispose of it and reinvest profitably. In the year 1896 he was married to May Miller, a daughter of George Miller. of Steuben, New York. In 1905 he brought his family to O'Brien county, investing in a quarter section of land, for which he paid sixty-five dollars per acre. This land has now increased in value until it is worth several times the original price, and the improvements he has made have also materially added to its value. Now he is the possessor of a beautiful homestead, and the evidences of his industry are so apparent that the observer may know at a glance it is the abiding place of a man of sterling worth. He is justly proud of the quality of the live stock which he breeds, and this branch of his profession has proved exceedingly profitable. Percheron horses are his specialty, he having some splendid animals, and he was also at one time widely known as a very successful breeder of sheep, of which he had a large herd.
Three children have come to brighten the home of Mr. and Mrs. Hughes, but the youngest son, George, was taken from their midst in infancy by the call of the Grim Reaper. Their daughter, Ruth, and son Clark, are both students at the present time in the Primghar high school.
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