USA > Iowa > Woodbury County > Sioux City > Past and present of Sioux City and Woodbury County, Iowa > Part 38
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CHARLES H. BAKER.
Charles H. Baker, who is engaged in farm- ing and stock-raising in West Fork township, was born on the 1st of March, 1852, at Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, on the home farm of his parents, Elbert J. and Amelia ( Huntley) Baker. The paternal grandfather was Joe Baker and the maternal grandfather was Will Huntley, of the state of New York. Elbert J. Baker was born in Canada and is a farmer and stock-raiser. Unto him and his wife were born seven chil- dren, five sons and two daughters: Frank, who is now engaged in farming at Sergeant Bluff and is married; Edward, who is engaged in dealing in live stock; Alice, deceased; Nel- lie, the wife of Albert Iverson, of Luton, Iowa; Elbert, who is engaged in farming at Sergeant Bluff and is also married : Charles, of this re- view; and Levi, who was graduated from the high school at the age of sixteen years.
Charles Il. Baker was reared in the usual manner of farm lads, attending the public schools and when not engaged with the duties of the schoolroom assisting in the labor of field and meadow. He has always engaged in general farming and stock-raising and he now operates one hundred and sixty acres of rich and arable land. His farm is well improved and the fields are under a high state of culti- vation, and in all his work he is progressive, practical and enterprising.
On the 11th of March, 1903, Mr. Baker was united in marriage to Miss Sylvia Phillips, a
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daughter of Mrs. Alice Phillips, of Sergeant Bluff, Iowa. Mrs. Baker was educated in the public schools there and like her husband is a member of the high school. Both are well known in the portion of the county in which they reside and have a large cirele of warm friends. Their marriage has been blessed with one son, Gordon, born on the 25th of February, 1904. In his political views Mr. Baker is a Republican and fraternally he is connected with the Modern Woodmen of America. He possesses excellent business and executive abil- ity, directed by intelligence and sound jndg- ment, and as he is blessed with good health there is every reason to believe that his life work will be crowned with a very desirable measure of success.
JOIIN HENRY STRIEF.
John Henry Strief, who is an operator of a linotype machine in the office of the Sioux City Tribune, has a wide acquaintance through- out the state in connection with his work in behalf of the labor unions and he is now the secretary and treasurer of the Iowa State Fed- eration of Labor. He has always resided in the Mississippi valley, his birth having oe- curred in Galena, Illinois, in 1865. His fa- ther, Henry Strief, was born in the city of Glarus, Canton Glarus, Switzerland, in 1839, and in 1846 was brought to the United States by his parents, the family home being estab- lished in Galena, Illinois. He became a steam- boat captain on the Mississippi river and estab- lished his home in Dubuque, Iowa, where his death occurred December 26, 1866, when he was but twenty-seven years of age. He wedded Mary McDonald, who was born in Dubuque, in 1842, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene MeDonald. Her parents came from Ireland in 1839, settling at Dubuque. After the death of Henry Strief his widow married Herman Sauer, and by that marriage had two children.
Her death occurred in Chicago, Illinois, in September, 1875, when she was thirty-three years of age.
J. H. Strief, the only child of his mother's first marriage, acquired his preliminary educa- tion in the public schools of Chicago, to which city his mother had removed, and later he lived with an unele in Dubuque, where he also attended the public schools and afterward con- tinned his studies in the public schools of Lemars, Iowa. At the age of fourteen years he went into the office of the Lemars Sentinel in the capacity of office boy or "devil," remain- ing there for about four years, during which time he was promoted step by step and gained a practical knowledge of the trade. At the age of eighteen years he established the Times, at Kingsley, Plymouth county, Iowa, and in this journalistie venture met with success. After six months he sold his paper at a good profit and returned to Lemars, where he established the Lemars World. This he also sold after a short time, and in the fall of 1884 he came to Sioux City and entered the office of the Sioux City Tribune as a compositor at the ease. He has since been connected with the paper, eover- ing a period of twenty years, and when lin- otype composing machines were installed he was given charge of one of these.
Mr. Strief was married in the fall of 1884 to Miss Helena Bastian, a daughter of Joseph and Jane Bastian. She was born in England, in October, 1866, although her parents had been residents of this country some years prior to that time, her mother, however, being in England on a visit at the time of the birth of her daughter. Her father is a miner and both parents are members of the Episcopal church. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Strief have been born two sons, Harry Joseph, born August 21, 1889, and Arthur Edward, born February 27, 1904. Mrs. Strief belongs to the Congrega- tional church and he attends its services. His fraternal relationship is with the Odd Fellows, the Elks and the Modern Woodmen of Amer-
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ica, and in polities he is independent. He has ester, Minnesota, where he spent three years, always been a stanch advocate of labor unions and when but a boy joined the typographical union. He has since labored for the upbuild- ing and welfare of these organizations formed to advance the interests of the working man, and in May, 1901, at the annual convention held in Sioux City, he was elected secretary- treasurer of the Iowa State Federation of Labor and has since been three times re-elected, first at Cedar Rapids and afterward at Daven- port, and the third time at Marshalltown. He represented the Sioux City Union at the con- vention of the International Typographical Union, held at Chicago in 1893, and he is now a delegate to the city central body here. He has made a close study of labor problems and conditions and believes most firmly that the in- terests of the laboring man are best protected through organized effort.
FRANK E. WALCOTT.
Frank E. Walcott, deceased, was a travel- ing salesman for thirty-four years and for ser- eral years was identified with business inter- ests in Sioux City, where he located in 1888. He was born in Natick, Massachusetts, Novem- ber 2, 1847, his parents being George and Cordelia (Davis) Walcott, both of whom were natives of the same state and always made their home in Natick, where the father conducted business as a large wholesale manufacturer.
In the place of his nativity Frank E. Wal- cott acquired his early education and after- ward attended Fort Edward Institute in New York state, where he enjoyed good educational privileges. In 1868 he went to Chicago, where he accepted a position as commercial traveler and was thus identified with wholesale grocery houses of that city for many years. He trav- eled for several different firms of Chicago, selling nothing but groceries, and he resided in that city until 1877, when he removed to Roch-
making that place his headquarters, although he was still connected with Chicago wholesale houses. He afterward left the road for a few years and in November, 1880, he came to the west, settling in North Dakota, where he purchased three hundred and twenty acres of land and there founded the town of Walcott, giving eighty aeres for the town site. He was there made postmaster, also filled the office of justice of the peace and other local official positions. At the same time he superintended his farming interests and he made his home at. Walcott for six years, but was not very suc- cessful there. He then returned east for eigh- teen months. In 1888 he came to Sioux City, where he embarked in the commission business as a wholesale dealer in fruit, his store being located on Pearl street. He conducted this for two years and then again went upon the road as traveling representative for the wholesale grocery firm of Shenkberg & Company, of Sioux City, his territory being largely in the vicinity of this place.
Mr. Walcott was married in the east to Miss Kittie Huestis, a native of Yonkers, N. Y. and a daughter of William and D. T. Huestis, both of whom were natives of the Empire state and there spent their entire lives. The father lived retired during his later years. Two children were born unto Mr. and Mrs. Walcott: F. Mendell, who married Harriett Renschling and resides in St. Paul, Minnesota, where Mr. Wal- cott has a good position with the New York Life Insurance Company ; and Harry E., who is living with his mother and occupies a good position in Sioux City in the freight depart- ment of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railroad Company.
On the 16th of September, 1901, Frank E. Walcott was called to his final rest and his re- mains were interred in the Logan Park ceme- tery. He was taken suddenly ill at Fonda at six o'clock and died at midnight. Rev. F. Newhall White, pastor of the First Congrega-
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tional church, conducted the funeral service Iowa, and for two years he was connected with and paid high tribute to the character of Mr. Walcott. One of the pioneer traveling men of the west, he traveled in this section of the country when there were few railroads and as the years went by and the circle of his ac- quaintance was extended the circle of his friendship also broadened. In politics he had been a stanch Republican who took an active interest in the work of the party, believing firmly in its principles yet never seeking office as a reward for party fealty. He belonged to the Masonic fraternity in Chicago and both he and his wife were members of the First Congregational church of Sioux City. He was well known to the business men of this place, and a genial manner, cordial disposition and many sterling traits of character made him popular with his large circle of friends. In 1891 he removed to the suburb of Morning- side, where Mrs. Walcott owns a nice resi- dence at No. 1403 Fifth avenue, where she and her son reside. They are well known here and occupy an enviable position in social cir- cles of this attractive residence district of the county seat. Mr. Walcott was most devoted to his family. His home was his paradise and he was a most loving husband and affectionate father, doing everything in his power to en- hance the happiness of his wife and son.
DR. HAMILTON M. STEWART.
Dr. Hamilton M. Stewart, proprietor of The Stewart Institute of Healing, was born at MeEleveys Fort, Huntington county, Penn- sylvania, March 3, 1852, his parents being Samnel F. and Mary R. (Scott) Stewart. The father, a contractor and builder, was born in 1825 and died in 1902 at the age of seventy- seven years.
Dr. Stewart, after attending the public schools until he had acquired a good English education, first worked at the cooper's trade. He was thirteen years of age when he came to
farming interests in Johnson county, this state. In 1867 he went to Red Oak, Iowa, where he was employed as a teamster, engaged most of the time in freighting between Red Oak and Council Bluffs. His next employment was with the railroad surveyors then engaged in surveying the line of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy road through from Afton, Iowa, to Council Bluffs. This job being finished he again took a teamster's position with the rail- road grading contractors. When the road was completed and train service begun he took a position as brakeman on a construction train on the western division of the road. Tiring of this line of work he in 1871 entered the employ of Webster Eaton, publisher, and served an apprenticeship of three years at the print- er's trade, afterward working as a journeyman printer until in 1878, when he embarked in the printing business on his own account, and for a few months was a partner in the Red Oak Express. He sold his interest in this pa- per and afterward engaged only in the job printing business. In the winter of 1879-80 he went to Audubon, Andubon county, Iowa, where for one year he was employed on the Audubon Advocate, afterward becoming sole editor and publisher. In 1883 he sold his inter- est in the Audubon Advocate and removed to Wellington, Kansas, where he accepted the po- sition of foreman on the Sumner County Press, acting in that capacity for one year. In 1885 he purchased an interest in a Democratic pa- per, the Summer County Standard, and edited it until 1887, when he severed his connection with journalistic interests by selling his paper, and turned his attention to the real-estate busi- ness. His hope of rapidly acquiring a compe- tence in that way, however, proved a chimera, for he lost all when the "land bubble" burst, and he had to make a new start in the business world.
In 1888 Dr. Stewart removed to Cherryvale, Kansas, where he was again engaged in the
Or Hamilton IM Stewart
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printing business for about three months, when cure can be effected through harmonious work- he moved to Coffeyville, Kansas, where he es- ing with the methods nature has provided. tablished and edited the Coffeyville Eagle, a Democratie paper. A year later he disposed of
In 1874 Dr. Stewart was married in Red Oak, Iowa, to Miss Eliabeth L. Davis, a daugh- the paper and went to Joplin, Missouri. In ter of Samuel Davis, a farmer. They had four 1889 he was mining editor on the Joplin Her- ald and in 1890 he purchased an interest in a job-printing office, which he conducted for a time and then sold. He next entered the em- ploy of R. S. Peele & Company, publishers of Chicago, for whom he handled the Encyclope- dia Britannica. In 1894 he returned to the job-printing business in Kansas City, Missouri, but after a year of such employment he again went upon the road for the Maxwell Summer- ville Publishing Company of Philadelphia, with whom he remained until 1896, then for two years he engaged in fraternal life insurance work with headquarters in Kansas City, Mis- souri. children : Elva May, the wife of W. H. James, of Wayne county, Nebraska; Nellie Maud, wife of Joe E. Cain, of St. Louis, Missouri ; Mary Margaret, who passed out in 1882, and Daisy Myrtle, wife of Frank Moore, also of St. Louis, Missouri. Dr. Stewart lost his first wife in 1884 and afterward married Miss M. Cleora Crawford, of Wellington, Kansas. During their residence in Sioux City they have gained many friends. Since 1893 Dr. Stew- art has been a socialist, his political views be- ing the result of close study of the conditions of the times and the questions and issues of the day. He belongs to the Psychiropathic So- ciety of Iowa and is a close student along the lines of his profession, carrying his investiga- tions far and wide so as to make his efforts as effective as possible in the performance of his professional duties.
In 1898 Dr. Stewart became deeply inter- ested in magnetic healing and took up the study of the science under Professor S. A. Welt- mer, of Nevada, Missouri. After graduating and receiving his diploma from the American School of Magnetic Healing, he traveled for several years as a representative of the pro- fession and in 1901 he came to Sioux City, where he established The Stewart Institute of Healing, having a pleasant and commodious suite of rooms in the Swasey Building, at the corner of Fourth and Jennings streets. He is undoubtedly one of the ablest healers by vital magnetism and psychopathic force in this coun- try, and has been particularly successful in treating chronic diseases, healing ninety-seven per cent. He has received testimonials from various parts of the country from those he has healed, and patients come to him from many states, receiving from him almost instant re- lief from suffering and in almost every case he is enabled to bring about a perfect cure. Without the use of medicine, his methods, which are based upon the laws of nature, have proved that drugs are unnecessary and that
WILLIAM KRUDWIG.
William Krudwig, of Sioux City, who mani- fested his loyalty to his adopted land by valiant service in the Union Army in the Civil war, and who for many years was numbered among the enterprising agriculturists of northwestern Iowa, was born in Prussia, Germany, Janu- ary 20, 1840. His parents, Joseph and Cath- erine (Schiffer) Krudwig, arrived in the United States on the Sth of January, 1855, and the father was employed as a farm hand until his early death, which occurred in 1856. ITis wife survived him for many years and died in Butler county, Kansas, in 1875.
William Krudwig attended the public schools of the fatherland, and when fifteen years of age he came to the United States with his parents. He worked as a farm hand and
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at general labor in Galena, Illinois, until the but they have legally adopted a daughter, Mande.
spring of 1858, when he came to Sioux City. Here he entered the employ of James Booge and remained with him until he joined the Union Army. On the 12th of April, 1861, he became a naturalized citizen of the United States, and on the 15th of November of the same year he offered his services in defense of the Union cause, becoming a member of Com- pany I, Seventh Iowa Cavalry, with which he remained until honorably discharged at the close of his three years' term of enlistment, November 23, 1864. He afterward re-enlisted in Company B, Fourth Regiment of United States Veteran Volunteers, on the 25th of Feb- ruary, 1865, and was discharged on the 26th of February, 1866. No native born son of America can show a record of more faithful service and unfaltering loyalty, and he de- serves all the honor and gratitude which is due the brave boys in blue whose efforts preserved the Union. He was stationed at Washington, D. C., at the time of the assassination of President Lincoln.
After receiving his discharge Mr. Krudwig returned to Woodbury county and secured a homestead claim in Plymouth county of one hundred and sixty acres, which he proved up and continued to cultivate until 1899, when he put aside agricultural pursuits and removed to Sioux City, where he has since lived a re- tired life. He always carried on general farm- ing and was quite successful in his work of tilling the soil, securing good crops which he sold at a profit on the city market.
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On the 27th of September, 1865, Mr. Krud- wig married Miss Sophronia Lane, of Colum- bus, Ohio, who died January 9, 1884, after a happy married life of about nineteen years. On the 16th of April, 1884, Mr. Krudwig wedded Eliza L. Case. By his first wife he had one child, Emma, who was born October 20, 1866, and married Adam Strohnier, a farmer, by whom she has one child, a daughter. There are no children by the second marriage,
Mr. Krudwig is a member of General Han- cock Post, No. 22, G. A. R., and enjoys meet- ing with old army comrades and recalling scenes of the tented field, the campfires and the battles of the south. In politics he is a stanch Republican and he served as a school director in Plymouth county for twelve years. The success which he achieved as a farmer now enabled him to live a retired life and he has a pleasant home in Sioux City, where he has also gained many friends. He can remember when the county seat was a small village, giv- ing little promise of almost phenomenal de- velopment, and he feels justly proud of what has been accomplished through the progressive- ness and enterprise of the citizens of north- western Iowa, with whom he justly deserves to be classed.
LOUIS DACE LETELLIER.
Louis Dace Letellier, who is now living re- tired in Sioux City, is one of the pioneer resi- dents of northwestern Iowa. He came here when the Indians were more numerous than the white settlers and when every evidence of fron- tier life was to be seen. For miles around stretched the unbroken prairies and the forests which bordered the streams were as yet unent. The rivers were unbridged and only here and there were to be seen the cabins of pioneer resi- dents who had come to found homes in the western district and were laying the founda- tion not only for their own success, but also for the present and future prosperity and prog- ress of this part of the state.
Mr. Letellier was born in Beaumont, Belle- chase county, Canada, March 19, 1827. His parents, Charles and Marie Charlotte (Martin) Letellier, were natives of St. Ambroise Charlesburg, Canada, and the father died in 1854. The subject of this review acquired his
MRS. LOUIS D. LETELLIER.
LOUIS D. LETELLIER.
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edneation in the public schools of Canada and in 1842, when fifteen years of age, began learn- ing the cabinet-maker's trade. He was appren- tieed to serve for a term of five years. He was to receive no compensation for his labors lur- ing the first two years, but during the last three years was to receive his board. On the 28th of June, 1845, the suburb of St. John, Can ada, was wiped out by fire. There were four- teen hundred and twenty-eight houses destroyed and the cabinet shop in which Mr. Letellier was working was also consumed by the flames. It contained his clothing save that which he wore and he was left entirely destitute. He was afterward employed in a shipyard for a short time and later he went to New York city, where he worked at his trade for a brief period. Later he removed to Buffalo, New York, where he was employed for two years as a carpenter, and subsequently he sought a home in the middle west, going to Detroit, Michigan, where he assisted in building the steamer May- flower. He was afterward in Chicago for two years and then went to St. Louis, where he was ill for about a year with fever. When he had sufficiently recovered he entered the employ of the Pierre Chautau Fur Company and was sent up the Missouri river. He landed at Fort Pierre, South Dakota, where he eontin- ned for two years and in 1852 he went to Fort Benton and thence to Fort Union. In the spring of 1854 he was at Fort Berthold, where he erected a building in which to keep stoek. He then returned to St. Louis and afterward went on a visit to his parents in Canada. In the summer of 1854, however, he again arrived in St. Louis, where he bought horses, wagons and traps and with these started northward again, arriving in Sioux City in the month of October. He there made his home for a time with Mr. Leonais. His partner was Clement Lamareaux and together they purchased a horse from the Indians and began hunting and trapping in the northwest. They proceeded to the present site of Smithland, but being afraid
of the Indians, who were continually menacing the white settlers, they returned to Sioux City and there they erected a log barn, in which to keep their horses so that the Indians would not drive them off. On Christmas day of 1854 Mr. Letellier took possession of his elaim, known as Middle Sioux City. It was about this time that Dr. Cook and his brother arrived in northwestern Iowa. They all went across the river into Nebraska in order to secure tim- ber, which was to be found there in greater abundance than on the Sioux City side of the stream. This timber the party divided among themselves. Through the winter Mr. Letellier engaged in cutting logs which he brought across the ice to Sioux City and in 1855 he built his cabin and planted a erop of eorn, but the black- birds ate all of his erop. Dr. Cook and Mr. Chandler laid ont Sioux City and with its early development Mr. Letellier was actively connected. In the summer of 1855 he sold his claim for two thousand dollars and bought a third of the Bedard elaim, now known as East Sioux City. This land Mr. LeTellier laid out in town lots which he plaeed upon the mar- ket and from the sale of it he realized a very desirable ineome.
In 1856 Mr. Letellier received a letter from home telling him that a former sweetheart of his was soon to be married. He had thought that she had been married at a previous date. Resolving that he would make her his bride if possible, though the snow lay sixteen or eighteen inehes npon the ground, he started at once for Canada and arrived in time. They plighted their troth and on the 1st of April, 1857, they were married. The lady, Miss Emily Matilda Audrey, was a daughter of Charles Audrey. The day following their mar- riage they started for Sioux City, where they arrived on the 2d of May, taking up their abode in the little village. In 1860, as times were very hard, Mr. Letellier entered the employ of Theophilus Brougiere, who sent him up north to trade with the Indians. In 1863,
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however, he returned to Sioux City, erected a county, where they followed the occupation of building on Pearl street and established a sa- loon and boarding house. That fall both he and his wife were taken ill and on the 10th of December, 1863, she died. Mr. Letellier con- tinued to conduct the business for a time and then removed to his present home at No. 1414 Dace street.
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