USA > Iowa > Henry County > Portrait and biographical album of Henry County, Iowa, containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county > Part 41
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84
W ILLIAM MULLEN, a farmer residing on section 24, Scott Township, Henry Co., Jowa, was born in Ohio, perhaps in Adams County, in 1832, and is a son of John and Elizabeth J. (Harbaug) Mullen. John Mullen was born in Pennsylvania of Irish parentage, and after attaining manhood went to Hamilton County, Ind., where he worked at his trade of mason. After a residence of some time in that county he formed the acquaint- ance of Miss llarbaug, a daughter of Philip Ilar- baug. a farmer of that county, and about 1830 their nuptials were celebrated. John was of a roving disposition, and being master of a good trade remained only a few months in any locality until after the birth of his son, our subject, and the death of his young wife a few months later. At that time he resided in Shawneetown, Ill., and one year later removed to Hamilton County, Ind., pur- chasing a traet of woodland. which he settled per- manently upon, and after making it a farm in its fullest sense, resided upon it during the remainder of his life. reaching the ripe age of seventy-three years. Ile married for his second wife Rachel llarbang, a sister of his first wife, and ten children were born-Philip, Elizabeth, John. Mary A., Cor- dilla, Thomas. Bernard, Martin, Sarah (deceased),
and Maggie. All have grown to man and woman- hood since our subjeet left the home of his boy- hood, and have since married. The second wife and some of her children yet remain in Hamilton County on the old homestead, which was hallowed by their births, their marriages, and the prosperity and happiness which followed in the wake of a well- spent life.
At the age of twenty our subjeet left his home in Indiana, eame direet to this State, and made his way later to Wayne County, where he pre-empted a half section of land, then returned to Des Moines County and began work by the month. Mr. Mul- len was united in marriage, Feb. 15, 1855, with Catherine Brennan, a daughter of Thomas and Bridget (Donahue) Brennan. That couple were natives of Westmeath County, Ireland, emigrating to America in 1845, settling in Des Moines County upon lands which Thomas had purchased. Eight children were born in Ireland, all of whom came to this county with them: Ester. wife of James Mullen : Mary, wife of Bernard Mullen; Adelia, wife of Joseph Warren; Margaret, who wedded Emanuel Daugherty; Catherine, wife of our sub- ject; James wedded May Murphy; Thomas, hus- band of Annie Lyon; Michael, also married, and Patrick, who died in childhood. The parents lived a long and useful life upon their Des Moines County farm, and died respected alike by the good people who knew them. Both were ardent Catho- lies and were aids in organizing the first Catholic Church in their neighborhood, the Dodgeville Church.
After the wedding was celebrated by Father Reffee and his blessing pronounced upon the young couple, Mr. Mullen and his wife began their domes- tic life upon a farm in Louisa County. Later he sold his Wayne County land, purchasing a farm in Des Moines County near the village of Yar- month. Upon this they lived a number of years and then came to Henry County, Mr. Mullen hav- ing purchased a fine farm upon which he now re- sides. llere he has grown popular and wealthy and now lives at his ease. Eight children have gladdened their home, all living except one who died in infancy : Francis, Charles, John, Maggie; Mollie, now the wife of Fluke Conden, a prominent
369
HENRY COUNTY.
young farmer of Henry County ; Justin and Will- iam, and William deceased. All the children ex- cept John are yet under the paternal roof, where peace, plenty and happiness reign. Both the par- ents are members of the Catholic Church at Mt. Pleasant, and the children were reared in that faith.
Two hundred broad acres pay tribute to the good management of Mr. Mullen, who is rightly consid- ered one of the enterprising farmers of Southeastern Iowa, and his family enjoy a worthy and enviable place in the society in which they move. We wel- come the history of the Mullen family to these pages and point to William Mullen as an example of a self-made man.
ENRY AMBLER, who was for many years a leading member of the bar of llenry County, has now retired from the active practice of his profession, devoting his time and attention mainly to his large real-estate and other interests in Omaha, but retaining his resi- dence in Mt. Pleasant, where he and his family are highly esteemed. He is of English aneestry and was born in 1821. His early life was spent in Alle- gheny County, Pa. ; he studied law and was admit- ted to the bar in 1848, and praetieed in Southeastern Ohio, residing in Salem. He has been a resident of Henry County since 1856, and was actively engaged in the practice of his profession until 1885. In 1862 he was admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court of the United States, and was as successful in his praetiee before that court as in the State courts. For a number of years he was Professor of Law in the Iowa Wesleyan University. His family consists of his wife, Louisa P. Ambler (formerly Phillips), and their children-Nellie Ambler Campbell, Fan- nie Ambler Iligley, Jane Ambler, Pauline Ambler (deceased), Glaucus S. Ambler and Louie Ambler Janes.
OHN A. THOMAS has been engineer at the lowa State Hospital for the Insane, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, since November, 1862, now covering a period of twenty-five years. He was born in Coshocton County, Ohio, Jan. 27, 1835,
and is the son of John and Mary (Baker) Thomas. His father was born in Bedford County, Pa., in 1801, and was of Scotch and German descent. His mother was also born in the same county, of Ger- man parentage. His father was a merchant and farmer, and politically was a Free-Soil Democrat and an ardent Abolitionist. John A. lost his mother when he was ten years of age. lle learned the machinist's trade at Shanesville, Tusearawas Co., Ohio, and in 1848, when only sixteen years of age. started overland to California. Ile crossed the plains, which at that time were infested by hostile Indians, spent six years in California as a miner and mechanie, then went to South America, where he ran a flouring-mill for two years on a salary of $2,000 a year. From there he sailed to the Sand- wich Islands, spent some time at Honolulu and other points on the Islands, going from there to Puget Sound, Vancouver's Island and Alaska. Return- ing from British America to California. he helped to organize the Republican party in that State in 1856, and then returned to the States that year, via Panama and New York. Coming direct to Iowa, he located in Jefferson County, Lockridge Town- ship. where he built and operated a flouring-mill. Ile was there chosen Captain of Militia, and on the breaking out of the late war was offered a Cap- tain's commission by Attorney General Baker, of Iowa. lle entered the service with his company in Missouri, under Gen. Fremont, in 1862, serving directly under Col. Moore. Ile was back and forth to Missouri as he was required during the first year of the war. Never formally accepting his commis- sion, he served as Captain just the same. Capt. Thomas came to the State Hospital at Mt. Pleasant, as engineer, Dec. 18, 1863, and for nearly twenty- five years has served in that capacity. Ile is a first- class mechanie, understands his business thoroughly, and possesses the perfeet confidence of the State Board of Managers and of his superior officers. Under his judicious management thie engines and machinery have been operated with the greatest economy and safety.
Mr. Thomas was married in Salem, Henry County, June 2, 1856, to Miss Lettie Kendall. Mrs. Thomas was but fifteen years of age at the time of her mar- riage. She was born in Indiana and came with her
370
HENRY COUNTY.
=
parents to Henry County, Iowa, when but four years of age. Four children were born to them, two sons and two daughters: Stephen, the eldest, born March 2, 1860, died in infancy; Martha 1. was born Sept. 30, 1866, and is the wife of Louis Schultz, a farmer of Trenton Township, Henry Co., lowa; she has a family of three children, two boys and a girl-Lily, Jesse and Harry. George W. was born at Mt. Pleasant, Nov. 5, 1863; he is an engineer at the Keteham Mills of this place. Jesse l'. is the foreman of the laundry department of the lowa State Hospital for the Insane at Mt. Pleasant ; he possesses marked artis- tic talent which, if cultivated, may prove a source of great pleasure to himself and friends. Mr. Thomas and his wife are Methodists. He is liberal in his political views, and is a member in good standing of Mystic Lodge No. 55, 1. O. O. F., and also a member of the K. of L.
AMES AA. THROOP, editor of the Mt. Pleas- ant Free Press, was born Dec. 7, 1835, in Hamilton, Madison Co., N. Y., of which vil- lage his parents were also natives. Ilis ances- tors were of English origin, but for several genera- tions had been natives of America, first residents of Connecticut, but afterward of New York State. On the paternal side they were of the Throop-Masons, and on the maternal of the Goldsmith-Miners, all well-known residents of the Eastern States. When James A. was an infant of three months old he was, with his sister Cordelia, taken by his grandmother to rear, his mother having died. His sister is now Mrs. C. T. Cole, of Mt. Pleasant. Ilis grandmother afterward removed to Chenango County, N. Y., where James A. was reared and where he attended the common schools until he was sixteen years old, when he began a regular college course at Madison University, in Hamilton, N. Y. He was designed for the ministry, but on account of delicate health that intention was abandoned, and he worked on a farm, attended and tanght school until 1855, when at the earnest solicitation of his sister, then a popu- lar teacher at Henry, Marshall Co., Ill., he came West. llis father had died six years before this,
in 1849, at the then small eity of Chicago. He was with his sister at the time of her marriage to Rev. W. R. Cole, in Henry, III., in December, 1856, and came with them, at that time, to Mt. Pleasant, where he has ever since lived. In 1857 Mr. Throop was engaged by Messrs. J. W. & R. S. Cole as collector and book-keeper, and in the fall of that year re- turned to Chenango County, N. Y., and in the spring of 1858 was married to Miss Rowena Beebe. at MeDonough, in that State. In May of that year he brought his wife to Mt. Pleasant, and began keeping house in the old "Octagon," well remem- bered as one of the landmarks of that city, but after one change finally settled down in his present home.
In 1859 Mr. Throop had an interest in the busi- ness of Messrs. Cole Brothers, under the firm name of Cole, Throop & Co .. the firm establishing at Greencastle, Ind., in 1862, a pump factory. These they sold in this and other States in connection with lightning rods. In the spring of 1865 Mr. Throop sold his interest to Cole Brothers, and con- tinned the business of selling lightning rods and pumps, taking his uncle. D. D. W. C. Throop, as a partner in 1868, and Solomon Wait in 1869, when hardware was added to the business. In January, 1872, Mr. Throop sold out his business, and in June of that year, in company with Edwin Van Cise, bought the Mt. Pleasant Free Press, which was conducted under their management until 1877. sinee which time it has been conducted solely by him, Mr. Throop giving his entire time and ener- gies to its business and management. The result of his care and excellent judgment in the conduct of its affairs is apparent in the splendid property into which the concern has grown, and the wide influ- ence it has acquired in the couneils of the Demo- cratie party in Henry and adjoining counties. He has greatly extended the business of the otliee and has established agents not only in many parts of lowa, but in other of the Western States. Though not taking personally a very active part in public affairs, Mr. Throop has served seven years on the School Board of Mt. Pleasant, and one term in its City Council.
Mr. and Mrs Throop are the parents of eight children, of whom five are now living, viz: Joseph (., Horace L., Thomas D., Addison J. and Bessie
371
HENRY COUNTY.
C. The three eldest are at present employed with their father in the Free Press office. In his relig- ious views Mr. Throop has from his youth been a believer in the doctrines of the Universalists. In politics he was until 1872 a Republican, but in the Greeley campaign of that year joined the ranks of the Democracy, with which party he has since been identified. Personally he is a genial gentleman, an upright man and a good citizen.
C HARLES WIIITE, residing on section 17, Center Township, one of the pioneer set- tlers of Henry County, was born in Ohio, in 1844, and when but an infant came with his parents, George and Mary (Kuany) White, to Henry County. They were natives of Germany, but emigrated to America in 1842. Here in this eounty the boyhood days of Charles were passed, and here he received his education in the common schools. IIe formed a matrimonial alliance with Miss Lizzie Strawn, who was a native of Connecticut. By this union there were five children: Willie, Estella, Victor, Annie and an infant. In the spring of 1880 Mr. White located on his present farm in Center Township, one mile west of Mt. Pleasant; on this farm he built an elegant residence, which cost $1,300. His farm of 113 acres is valued at $50 per acre. Mr. White is a friend to education, and has given all his children good educational advantages. He has lived in this county all his life. and is a very suc- cessful farmer and stock-raiser. Having lived here from childhood he has been largely identified with the interests of both township and county, and many are the changes and improvements he has witnessed and helped to bring about.
G EORGE OLINGER, JR., is a farmer residing Off section 31, Wayne Township, Ilenry Co., Iowa. One of the best known families of this eounty was that of George Olinger, Sr., who was a native of Tennessee. Ilis father, Jacob Olinger, was a native of Pennsylvania, was married in that State, and removed to Sullivan County,
Tenn. In that State the death of these grandpar- ents probably occurred. George Olinger, Sr., went to Hamilton County, III., a single man, but was mar- ried to Martha Taylor, in White County, a daugh- ter of Samuel and Sarah ( Weaver) Taylor. The death of Sarah Taylor, mother of Mrs. Martha Olinger, occurred in Illinois, and her husband mar- ried for his second wife Miss Frankie Gohlson, and in 1842 they came to this county, and yet reside in Trenton Township. Samuel Taylor is in his eighty- fourth year. After Mr. Olinger was married, he en- gaged in farming for some time in Ilamilton County, Ill., and there the two eldest children were born : HIenry, who wedded Elizal eth Lozier, and John, the husband of Ilelen Miller. In 1841, with his family, Mr. Olinger came overland to this county and pur- chased the claim upon which our subject now lives, and here, for many years, he and his wife resided, growing wealthy and honored as time passed. The first house was built of logs, and occupied the site of the present farm residence. In an early day the clapboard roof and puncheon floor were common and even a dirt floor was not uncommon. In the first cabin were born : Samuel, now deceased; our subject; Phobe, wife of Milton Connor; Lincoln and Lee, twins. Mary, Ellen and Amanda were also born in Iowa, but in the city of Davenport, the family having resided there for a few years prior to their removal to this county. All of these chil- dren grew to maturity in this county, and all except Lincoln and Ellen were here married to well-known citizens. Lincoln married Mabel Whitman, and resides near Hastings, Neb. ; Sarah wedded William Palmer; Mary became the wife of James Richard- son : Ellen died unmarried, and Amanda wedded Simon Lozier.
Our subject is in charge of the original home- stead. The father died Jan. 14, 1884, near Ilast- ings, Neb. The mother makes her home with her children, who are all owners of good farms. The wedding of George Olinger, Jr., was celebrated March 22, 1877, Miss Belle Marshall becoming his wife. Esquire MeClure, the oldest Justice of the Peace of Henry County, performed the ceremony. The parents of Mrs. Olinger, George and Sarah (Eveland) Marshall, are yet living ; the father is in his seventy-sixth year, and the mother in her fifty-
372
HENRY COUNTY.
seventh. To them were born eleven children : John married Amanda Meeker: Mary is the wife of Iliram Crow; JJane, now deceased, was the wife of Spencer Cox; Martha wedded William Taylor; Belle is the wife of our subject; Elizabeth is the wife of William Jones; the others are Griffith D., Ilattie L. and Ellsworth, all unmarried. The deceased are Maggie Il. and James E.
Since their marriage, Mr. Olinger and his wife have resided in both Kansas and Nebraska. They have had four children, but one has been taken to that better land above: James W .; Fred E., de- ceased : Don L., and Otis D., who was born upon the grandfather's home in Wayne Township. The family is a representative one of Wayne Township, and a deserved place is given them in this PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM of Henry County.
C OURTLAND W. MILNER, one of the prom- inent and enterprising farmers, residing on seetion 25, Tippecanoe Township, Henry County, is a native of Miami County, Ohio, born March 6, 1839. His parents were Jehu T. and Harriet (Millspaugh) Milner, the father a native of Philadelphia, Pa., though of Welsh parentage, and the mother a native of New York. They were among the pioneer settlers of Miami County, Ohio, and there they reared a family of eleven children, who with the exception of two are all now living, namely : Theodore ; Courtland, our subject; Samuel L., a merchant of Hastings, Neb .; Leander, who died at Hastings at the age of thirty-five; William is residing on a farm near Blue Hill, Neb. ; Thomas, residing in Seattle, Wash. Ter .. is a civil engineer and Superintendent of the Western Division of the Northern Pacific Railroad; Owen is residing in Red Cloud, Neb. : Harvey was a merchant of Hast- ings, Neb., and died in that city in April, 1887; Franklin is residing in Mexico: Alta is now Mrs. Kershner, of Nebraska, and Harriet is the wife of William Fittz, now of Lincoln, Neb.
Courtland Milner, our subject, was reared upon the home farm, receiving his education at the com- mon schools. He left his home, which was then in Van Buren County, Iowa, and at the age of twenty- 1
one went to Missouri, engaging as boss on a con- struction train of the Hannibal & St. Joe Railroad, continuing in this work until the breaking out of the Civil War. At the President's call for troops to put down the Rebellion, he enlisted in the Mis- souri State Militia, June 21, 1861, but deserted in November of the same year. Going to Keokuk, he enlisted in the 17th Iowa Infantry, serving until Au- gust, 1865. He was in the following battles : Siege of Corinth, Inka Mills, second battle of Corinth, Oct. 4, 1862; Tallahoochie, siege of Vicksburg ; Jackson, Miss. ; Champion Hills, Missionary Ridge, and the whole of the Atlanta campaign. At Tilton, Ga., Mr. Milner was captured with the entire regiment by the troops of the rebel General, Hood, while guard- ing a railroad. Ile was, however, at the time act- ing as hospital steward. The next morning after being captured he was recaptured by the Major of his regiment. Only sixty of the regiment were re- captured, however, the rest being sent to Anderson- ville. Those left acted as provost guard to Logan's headquarters until mustered out of service on the 25th of July, 1865, at Louisville, Ky., he being then Sergeant of Company I. On returning to the pur- suits of peace, Mr. Milner came to Henry County, lowa, working in the mill at Oakland until March 12, 1866. He then went back to Missouri, where he was employed as foreman on construction of the Northern Missouri Railroad until the spring of 1867; then returning to this county, he again engaged in the mill in Oakland, which work he continued until the spring of 1868.
On the 24th of December, 1868, the marriage of Courtland Milner and Mary C. Lazenby was cele- brated. She is a native of Henry County, and a daughter of Benjamin J. and Edith A. (Sanderson) Lazenby, the father a native of Virginia, and the mother of Kentucky, and of whom a sketch appears elsewhere. Mr. and Mrs. Milner have been the parents of six children: Mabel, now engaged as teacher in Oakland, Iowa, was educated at Howe's Academy in Mt. Pleasant; Elsa Maud and Orson E. reside at home : Sarah 1. is attending school, while Ernest and Ruth Josephine are still inmates of the parental home, Mr. Milner is a member of Adam Kimple Post, G. A. R. Politically, he endor-es the principles of the Union Labor party, by whom he
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENOX AND TID N FOUNDATIONS
الأسي وط
375
HENRY COUNTY.
was nominated for Sheriff in 1887, and endorsed by the Democrats, running ahead of the general ticket. He has held various township offices and is at pres- ent a member of the Board of Trustees and of the School Board, which office he has held for four years. Mr. Milner is one of the well-to-do farmers of Tippecanoe Township, his farm of 103 acres be- ing one of the best cultivated in that part of the county. Ilis hard labor, economy and honesty have gained him all that he has, and one cannot but give him the esteem and confidence due to such a man. As an upright man and good citizen he stands high in the community.
C 11. SMITII, General Manager of the Western Wheel Seraper Company, the most import- ant manufacturing institution of Mt. Pleas- ant. was born in Hamilton County, Ohio, Nov. 26, 1842, and came to Mt. Pleasant. Iowa, with his parents, David and Hannah Smith, in 1853. Mr. Smith was educated in the city schools, and enlist- ing in September, 1862. in Company C, of the 4th lowa Cavalry, and continued in the service until the elose of the war. He was captured by the rebels at Grenada, Miss., Aug. 18, 1863, escaped and reached. the Union lines at La Grange, Tenn., August 27. He participated in the siege of Vicksburg, during which time he took part in numerous engagements with the rebel cavalry. He also took part in the raid on Memphis, and was with Wilson's expedition in Alabama and Georgia. during which he took part in the battles at Selma, Ala .. and Columbus. Ga., the latter being the last battle of the war. He was promoted to the position of Second Lientenant, and received an honorable discharge in August, 1865, having given three years of faithful service to the defense of the Union. On his return from the war he became a resident of Burlington, Iowa, returning to Mt. Pleasant in 1878, and engaging in the construction of the Atchison. Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad. It was while he was on this work that he introduced the wheel scrapers, and demonstrated their practical use. This experiment led to the establishment of the factory at Mt. Pleasant, of which he is the
efficient manager, and of which an account is given below.
Mr. Smith was united in marriage at Burlington, Iowa, May 26, 1874, to Miss Selma C. Teuscher. Mrs. Smith was born in Farmington, Iowa. They have three children, all daughters-Stella May, Edna Louise and an infant. Mr. Smith is a Repub- lican in politics, and is Commander of MeFarland Post No. 20, G. A. R. He is enthusiastic in the canse of the Grand Army. and has done much to place McFarland Post upon its present prosperous footing. He is a stirring business man, and the marked success of the Wheel Scraper Company is due to his energetic and judicious management.
On an adjoining page we give a faithful portrait of this truly representative business man of Mt. Pleasant, to whom is due much of its prosperity, in the employment of much of its skilled labor, and in the distribution of large sums of money in pay- ment thereof.
0-
The Western Wheel Seraper Company was incor- porated in 1877, and the business was begun that year at Mt. Pleasant on a small scale, but four men being employed, the intention then being to manu- facture only for their own stockholders, who were in the contracting business, and needed the articles in their own work. In 1878 the making of road and grading plows was begun, and the business gradually increased. The practical value of the wheel scrapers especially being fully demonstrated, many other contractors wanted to share in the bene_ fits to be derived from their use, and the demand for them was so urgent and persistent that the com- pany decided to enlarge their works, and put them on the market, selling to all who wanted to buy. Thus was begun the industry which to-day is so potent a factor in the growth and prosperity of Mt. Pleasant, giving employment to hundreds of its workmen, and supplying the means of comfortable support for hundreds of its families, and adding yearly largely to the valuation of the city.
In 1880 the company added to their manufacture the Improved Drag Scraper, which they now make in large numbers. Extending their operations still farther, in 1884 they began the manufacture of the Moore Road Grader, a machine for grading and lev-
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.