USA > Iowa > O'Brien County > Past and present of O'Brien and Osceola counties, Iowa, Vol. II > Part 59
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ANDREW VAN SANT RANDALL.
Among the pioneers of Osceola county who have contributed in no small measure to the prosperity of the county is Andrew V. Randall, who is now living a retired life at Ocheyedan in this county. Particular interest attaches to his history from the fact that he has a distinguished war record, a record which covers more than three years in that memorable struggle. The past thirty-eight years of his life have been spent in Osceola county and in that
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time he has gone through all the experiences incident to the development of a pioneer county and taken his full share in bringing Osceola county to its present condition of prosperity.
Andrew V. Randall was born at Attleboro, now Langhorne, Bucks county. Pennsylvania, on April 10, 1842. of Scotch-Irish ancestry on the paternal side. The paternal home was only seven miles from Penn's Manor, the original home of William Penn, who came to this country in 1685. His parents were Isaac and Jane (Titus) (Van Sant) Randall, his mother being of Holland descent. She was a cousin of ex-Governor Van Sant's father. Isaac Randall was a stone mason by trade and helped build the Hicksite Quaker church at Attleboro, Pennsylvania, as well as the Orthodox Quaker church at the same place. Isaac Randall died when his son, Andrew, was only six years of age and the mother died when Andrew was sixteen.
Andrew Randall went to live with one of his uncles in Pennsylvania after the death of his father and when a mere lad was an apprentice to a blacksmith to learn that trade. He received a meager education in the sub- scription schools of his state and early in life learned to make his own way. His first money was obtained by gathering hickory nuts in the mountains of his native state and selling them in the city of Philadelphia. He was only nineteen years of age when the Civil War came on and was one of the thott- sands of Pennsylvania youths who volunteered their services for the defense of the flag.
Mr. Randall enlisted on September 12. 1861, in Company K, One Hun- dred and Fourth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He served until September 30, 1864. He then re-enlisted in Company A, Third Regi- ment United States Veteran Volunteers, and was assigned to Hancock's corps. He was mustered in as a private and later served as a noncommissioned officer during the Peninsular campaign in Virginia in 1862. He participated in the battles of Warwick, Yorktown, Williamsburg, Dispatch Station, Bottom's Bridge, Seven Pines, Fair Oaks and the seven-days' fighting which ended at Malvern Hill. All of these battles were fought while McClellan was trying to take Richmond in the summer of 1862. Among the later battles in which he participated was the siege of Charleston, Fort Wagoner, John's Island. James Island in Florida and numerous minor engagements. He served with the famous "Swamp Angel," the cannon which has such an illustrious history during the Civil War. After his second enlistment he was stationed at Philadelphia, Washington and Fort Snelling, Minnesota. He was finally dis- charged February 17, 1866. During his last year in the service his company was detailed to assist in the guarding and subsequent execution of the Indians
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guilty of the Minnesota massacre of 1862. Among these Indians were Medicine Bottle, or Wak-au-zan-zan, and Little Six, or Shakopee. He now has pieces of the rope that was used in their execution.
Immediately after receiving his mustering-out papers from the govern- ment he located in Bigelow, Minnesota. In May. 1876, he homesteaded in Rock county, Minnesota, but surrendered his land during the terrible grass- hopper days which touched that portion of the state with terrible severity. He then worked at his trade as a blacksmith for a time and in 1879 he re- ceived a homestead in Harton township, Osceola county, Iowa. He had some difficulty in establishing his claim to the land and had to go through a contest in order to secure undisputed possession .. After coming to Iowa he blacksmithed for a time, then went on a farm in Osceola county, where he lived until 1886, after which he moved to Ocheyedan and shortly afterwards received appointment as postmaster of that place. He erected a corner build- ing in that town, which is now occupied by a hotel. He served as postmaster for four years and in 1894 was reappointed and served for another four- year period. Since moving to Ocheyedan he has been engaged in various kinds of business and has at times been manager of the hotel, auctioneering and at other times bought and sold live stock. He owns a nice home with six and a quarter acres in Ocheyedan, for which he paid one hundred dollars an acre. He sold his farm in 1893 and purchased an apple farm in Missouri with six thousand trees.
Mr. Randall was married October 13. 1866, to Mary N. Smith, of Bucks county, Pennsylvania. To this union have been born five children : Allie V., born in Gardenville, Pennsylvania. November 20, 1868, and now the wife of E. O. Manville, of Ocheyedan ; Hannah M., born May 31, 1871, and now the wife of B. D. Dravis, of Marshalltown, Iowa: John H., born March 14, 1873, and now a resident of Ocheyedan ; Solomon E. S., born March 18, 1879, a resident of Bigelow. Minnesota; Emma M., born November 20, 1868. in Pennsylvania and now the wife of Albert D. Moreland, of Larch- wood, Iowa. Mr. Randall has thirteen grandchildren.
Mr. Randall has always been a stanch Democrat; was one of the seven- teen Democrats in Osceola county when he came here and, unlike many Democrats of that period, he was a strong abolitionist, a fact which may be attributed to his Pennsylvania training. Fraternally, he is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Grand Army of the Republic. Religiously, he was born of Quaker parentage, reared as a Presbyterian and now attends all of the churches of his city. Mr. Randall has lived a busy and useful life. In every position
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he has occupied he has acquitted himself with credit, and has a host of friends and acquaintances in this county who honor him for his distinguished and useful life.
CHARLES AMOS BABCOCK.
( Written by "Bab" himself. )
In the first place I was born. That great event took place at Janesville. Wisconsin, May 18, 1855. I don't know any good reason why I was born. but for some inscrutable design of Providence I was, and have been living ever since. Don't know much about my ancestry, and care less: but have no doubt that way back at the beginning of the human race upon the earth. some two hundred thousand years ago, they started and have evolved down to date, pretty much the same as all other folks. Never knew or heard of any Babcock doing anything especially mean nor anything worthy of special note.
My paternal grandfather was of Scotch descent and my paternal grand- mother of Holland descent, and my maternal grandparents were regular "Vermont Yankees." Grandfather and grandmother Babcock went from New York to Ohio when that was "way out west." and helped build, and for years were members of the Mormon church at Kirtland, Ohio; but when Jo- seph Smith, the "Prophet" of the Mormon faith, had his "revelation" for plurality of wives, they "got their eyes open" to the fact that said "revela- tion" was merely man-made ( like all other so-called "revelations"), and so they renounced the Mormon faith and about 1858 took up a government homestead in Fayette county, Iowa. Here they lived until 1869, when they went to live with a son at New Hampton. Iowa, and there died at ripe ages.
My father, Comfort Elias, being in business at Janesville, Wisconsin, there married my mother. Katherine Emerson, in 1852, and no better woman in every way ever lived. She had twelve children, eight boys and four girls. and seven of the boys and three of the girls are still living, all in lowa, except three boys who are in Arkansas. My father was a rover and, like myself, a financial failure. Went from Wisconsin to Kansas, and in the fall of 1860 to Fayette county, Iowa, and the rest of his life lived in many different places in eastern Iowa, moving so much that no two of us children were born in the same house, and he and mother finally died at New Hampton. Iowa.
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He was a red-hot Abolitionist and to him John Brown was one of the greatest men and martyrs. Consequently. he was always an ardent Re- publican, and I was taught to believe that all a Democrat needed to be a veritable devil was horns. He twice enlisted for the Civil War and was once drafted, but, owing to physical defects, was rejected, but was bound to go to the war in some capacity and therefore served three years with the army as a blacksmith. He was home on furlough at the time of Lin- coln's assassination, and I saw him lick a Copperhead so badly for attempt- ing to hurrah because of said assassination that he did not get out of bed for three weeks. Father had him licked before he got the hurrah out.
At the age of fourteen I went to shift for myself and up to that time my time was spent in the pursuit of knowledge in the common country schools of eastern Iowa, and in the pursuit of muskrats along the Turkey and "Wapsie" rivers. I never attended any but a country school except four months at a town school. Taught school in Iowa and Nebraska and Kansas from 1873 to 1882, reading law in the meantime, and pettifogging some in justices' courts. Went to Humboldt county, Iowa, in the spring of 1881 and was admitted to the bar on Washington's birthday in 1882, by the district court of said county. The chief qualification to be admitted to the bar in those days was a box of good cigars for the committee the court appointed to examine the applicant, and I had the cigars ready. Was the first county at- torney of Humboldt county, serving for the years of 1887, 1888, 1889 and 1890.
In 1883 one AAgnes Garfield, of Wisconsin, was teaching music at Hum- bolt, and, unfortunately for her, took me in as one of her scholars, and we were married at her home at Jefferson, Wisconsin, Thanksgiving. 1884. She is undoubtedly the only woman on earth that would ever have lived with me any length of time without applying for a divorce, and I think the fact that I could be my own lawyer is the only reason she has not applied for one.
Went from Humboldt to Sanborn, O'Brien county, in the spring of 1891. and moved to Sheldon, in said county, in April, 1913. Was county attor- ney of O'Brien county for the years of 1897 and 1898. Never held any office except as above stated, for I was never hypocrite enough to be very popular. While living at Sanborn I was the most patriotic citizen the town had, for when it was desired to elect a certain man to any town office I, out of pure patriotism, would run against him, and that would make his elec- tion sure. Have never been a success financially or professionally worthy of any note, but have somehow managed to make a living for myself and
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family and keep out of the penitentiary, being only an ordinary everyday plug lawyer, doing the best I can for my clients, but often blundering. Some like me and some don't, but i think it is safe to say that those who do out- number those who don't and that is some satisfaction. I am quite a "liter- ary cuss," and I think I can probably quote as much prose and poetry as any other lawyer in Iowa, having a good deal more useless than useful knowledge.
We have three children, Reed, twenty-six, Frances, twenty-three, and Philip, fourteen, and so far we are satisfied with them. In religion my wife and I are Unitarians and the only creed of the Unitarian church is "good character," though the central idea of the Unitarian faith is "One God." We know that all orthodox or evangelical churches consider us as "infidels," but that doesn't worry us any, for the history of the world conclusively shows that to the persons called "infidels" the human race owes all its rights and liberties that are worth having. In the true meaning of the word, an "infidel" is simply one who does not believe as does the one who calls him such. In the opinion of those who crucified him, the man Jesus was the greatest "infidel" who had lived up to that time and that is why they crucified him. But I must quit along this line or this sketch will wind up in a long sermon.
In conclusion, I was a fool to have anything to do with this history, for it is gotten up with only two real objects in view -- first the money in it for the publishers, and second to give those who have made a success of life an opportunity to tell what great persons they are, and as I am unfor- tunately not of that class nothing ought to have been said about me herein. But I suppose I yielded to help along the matter because of the truth ex- pressed by Lord Byron in the following lines :
" 'Tis certainly fine to see one's name in print, A book's a book, although there's nothing in't."
CHARLES E. IHLE.
The record of the life of Charles E. Ihle is one of unremitting industry and consequent achievement. He was born in Germany in the year 1848, and was the son of Carl G. L. Ihle, a German harness-maker. This latter gentleman's birth occurred in the year 1814 and his entire life was spent in the country of his birth. In 1847 he was united in marriage to Anna M. Hanson, whose birth occurred in 1819. Six children were born to this
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couple, all of whom are now deceased save the subject of this record. In the year 1884 the wife and mother was called to her final rest, and two years later the father followed.
In the year 1872 Charles E. Ihle left his native country and sailed for American shores, finding his way directly to the city of Chicago. Here. amid the clamor of the metropolis, he waged his battle in a new country. He soon obtained employment as a day laborer, but, hearing of the larger opportunities for the worker in the state farther west, he made his way to Scott county, Iowa, and for three years labored in this locality as a farm hand. While here, he met and was united in marriage to Anna McAfee, a resident of that county, and henceforth ambition soared and he aspired to a home of his own. About this time also, he moved to Cherokee county and rented a farm for himself and here he labored assiduously, toiling gladly and living thriftily for the sake of the future for himself and little family.
In the year 1880 Mr. Ihle purchased eighty acres of unbroken land in Union township. O'Brien county, which he immediately set about to in- prove and render habitable. The ground was soon under cultivation, build- ings were erected for the shelter of the family and housing of stock, farm implements and produce. Soon more land was added to the original tract, and eventually a homestead, comprising two hundred eighty acres of land and bearing ten thousand dollars worth of improvements, became their home. Mr. Ihle is also a shareholder in the Farmers Elevator Company of Paullina and is recognized as one of the influential citizens of the township.
Eight children have come to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ihle, now located as follows: Charles, who graduated from the Paullina high school and later attended medical college in Iowa City, is now a practicing physician in Cleghorn, lowa; Clara, now Mrs. Powers, a graduate of the Paullina high school, is a resident of Grant township; Albert is now a successful farmer of O'Brien county and Merton, farming also, is located in Colorado; Golda, a high school graduate, is now at home and Walter is also beneath the parental roof. Myrtle and an infant child were taken from the family circle by the Grim Reaper.
Politically. Mr. Ihle is an adherent of the principles promulgated by Jefferson and consistently votes the Democratic ticket. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church, where he is widely acquainted and highly respected. Fraternally, he is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Order of Yoemen, both of Paullina. The high esteem in which he is held by his fellow men is evidenced by the fact that he was selected for fifteen years as treasurer of the school board, a position of
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responsibility. Progressive in all things, he has taken an abiding interest in the forwarding of all movements for the improvement of the school system in his locality and for the general uplift of the community. Genial in man- ner, though unassuming, hospitable and kindly, he invites the respect and confidence of his associates and acquaintances.
W. M. ROTH.
One of the institutions which is necessary in every town of any size in the country is a bank. It has been said that there are two assets which every bank must have, namely, money on the part of its stockholders and confidence on the part of its depositors. Confidence is absolutely necessary for the success of a bank, or, as a matter of fact. for the success of any business in this country. Confidence is another name for credit or faith, and in no place is it more essential thian in the banking profession. The fact that the Bank of Ocheyedan, of which W. M. Roth is cashier, has won the confidence of the people is evidence that it is managed by men of honor and integrity.
The Bank of Ocheyedan was organized in 1892 by John and James Porter. of Reinbeck, lowa. Mr. Roth has been connected with the bank since February. 1899, starting as assistant cashier and being later, 1905, ad- vanced to the position of cashier. The officers of the bank at the present time are as follows: Mrs. Rebecca Porter, the widow of John Porter, pres- ident ; James Porter, vice-president ; W. M. Roth, cashier ; Charles Morton. assistant cashier. The capital and surplus of the bank is fifty thousand dol- lars, with deposits of three hundred thousand dollars. The responsibility of the bank exceeds one million dollars. It owns a fine brick block which was built in 1901. The banking room contains modern and up-to-date fixtures and is well equipped to do all kinds of banking business. James Porter owns and controls three other banks in addition to the one at Ocheyedan, namely, the State Bank of Reinbeck, Farmers Savings Bank of Morrison, Iowa, and the First National Bank of Ellsworth, Minnesota. Mr. Porter is the owner of several lumber yards and has large real estate interests in Iowa, Minnesota, California and Canada. He has ten thousand acres at the present time under cultivation in Canada. He has been a successful business man and is now rated as a millionaire. He and his father, John Porter, operated together for many years until his father's death in California in April, 1912. At the present time James Porter lives in Minneapolis.
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W. M. Roth, the present cashier of the Bank of Ocheyedan, was born March 19, 1874. in Deep River. Iowa, and is the son of Peter and Margaret ( Miller) Roth, who were born, reared and married in Germany. When they came to this country they first settled in New York. Later they moved to Ohio and finally permanently settled in Poweshiek county, Iowa, where they lived the remainder of their days, the father dying in 1895 and the mother in 1904. Peter Roth and wife were the parents of ten children, nine of whom are living: Mrs. Christina Hoag, of Deep River, Iowa; Mrs. Eliza- beth Fisher, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa : Mrs. Mary Merrick, of Guernsey, Iowa; George. of Cedar Rapids, Iowa: Peter, of Thornburg, lowa: Charles, of Ocheyedan, Iowa: Mrs. Minnie Brockman, of Cedar Rapids: Margaret. of Deep River, lowa, and W. M., whose life history is here briefly delineated. Four generations of the family have been reared in lowa and all of the ten children grew to maturity and are now occupying responsible positions in life. His son. Henry, died at the age of thirty-six in this state.
W. M. Roth was reared on the farm and educated in the district schools and in the Deep River high school. When a young man he clerked in his father's store at Deep River and later was employed in a merchandise store owned and operated by James Porter. He has been in the employ of Mr. Porter for the past seventeen years and came to Ocheyedan at his solicitation to take the position of assistant cashier in his bank in February. 1899.
Mr. Roth has marked business ability and in addition to his interests in the bank he owns four hundred and eighty acres of land in Osceola county. as well as land in Minnesota and Canada. He does a large real estate busi- ness and handles thousands of acres of land in Canada, Minnesota and Jowa every year. He has a large, well-improved farm adjoining Ocheyedan which he purchased some years ago for sixty-two dollars and a half an aere and has refused two hundred dollars an acre for it. He has always taken an active part in the civic affairs of his community and as a member of the Republican party has taken an active part in political affairs. He has served as city clerk and is at the present time a member of the city council of Ochevedan.
Mr. Roth was married October 17. 1900, to Lena B. Grier, of Des Moines. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Grier, who formerly resided near Deep River, lowa. Mr. and Mrs. Roth are the parents of two sons and one daughter, Dale G., James Harold and Evelyn Belle. Fraternally. Mr. Roth is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, while he and his wife are both members of the Order of the Eastern Star. He is also a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. He and his wife are loyal
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members of the Methodist Episcopal church and subscribe liberally to the support of that denomination. Mr. Roth is a man of influence in his com- munity and a man's influence is measured by the good he does. With this as a standard it is safe to say that Mr. Roth has been a very important factor in the upbuilding of his locality. He is still in the prime of life and has many years of usefulness before him.
JOHN MACOMB, JR.
The subject of this review, although a native of the beautiful Emerald Isle, is at heart a thorough American, and has found in this country the opportunities for acquiring a competence which appeal to the man of energy and aggressiveness.
John MaComb, Jr., was born in Belfast, Ireland, in the year 1873. His father, John S. MaComb, whose birth occurred in the year 1850, was a tea merchant in that place ; but he was ambitious and sought for himself and his family greater opportunities than those afforded in the home country. Hence, in 1874, he emigrated to America, locating near the city of Pittsburgh, and here he engaged in the pursuit of agriculture. In 1878 he moved, with his family, to the prairie lands of Iowa, locating in Benton county, where he re- mained until 1889. At that time he was enabled to purchase a tract of land in O'Brien county and, appreciating the advantages of this location, he has since remained in this locality. Here he labored, cultivating the land and improving the homestead until 1911, when he retired from active labor and brought his family to Paullina, here to enjoy an "age of ease" amidst the fruits of his earlier years of toil. In the year 1872, while still in his native country, he was united in marriage to Eliza Jane McCauley, and to them were born eight children.
The childhood and youth of John MaComb, Jr., were spent upon his father's farm, and here he learned the principles of successful agriculture. Until he reached maturity he assisted his father in the various activities of the place, and it was not until he reached the age of twenty-six years that he left the parental roof. At this time, in the year 1899, his marriage to Nettie Countermine was solemnized. This lady is a native of Linn county, lowa, and was born in 1874; and their first home was established on a farm which he rented. Since that time he has labored energetically and successfully, and that he has been successful in his chosen vocation is shown by the fact
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that he has purchased three hundred and twenty acres of land in Manitoba, Canada. He is at this time farming his father's land, a tract of two hun- dred twenty acres near Paullina. One of the most profitable branches of his establishment is the breeding of fine live stock, in which he takes great pride.
Seven children have come to brighten the home of Mr. and Mrs. MaComb, all of whom are happily enjoying the protection of the parental roof. These are: William John, Helen May, Florence Marian, Gladys Margaret, Robert Wendall, Ida Marie and Elizabeth Isabell.
Politically, Mr. MaComb votes the Republican ticket. He and his family are attendants of the Presbyterian church, where he and Mrs. MaComb have their membership. He is not interested in fraternal affairs, preferring to devote his energies to his home and those movements which tend directly toward the improvement of conditions for the young people of the com- munity. He is at this time a member of the board of school directors, in which capacity he has served with fidelity, to his own credit and that of the people whom he serves.
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