Portrait and biographical album of Henry County, Iowa, containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 45

Author: Acme Publishing Company, Chicago
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Chicago, Acme Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 702


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 45


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when he enlisted. He was wounded at the battle of Spottsylvania Court-House, Va., May 12, 1864, by bullets and bucksbot in his left lower leg, and was confined to the hospital from May 14 to Sept. I, 1864, when he was mustered out, receiving an honorable discharge. On his return from the army he attended school, with a view of fitting him- self for college, but circumstances prevented the consummation of his plans, and he engaged in teaching school. In 1869 he became connected with the Dixmont (Pa.) Ilospital for the Insane, and continued there till 1874, when he took a two- years course of lectures at the medical department of the Western Reserve University, of Cleveland, Ohio. He was employed at the Danville Hospital for the Insane, from Feb. 24, 1876, until 1882, when he engaged at the Morristown (N. J.) Asylum for the Insane, till 1884, when he accepted the posi- tion of private secretary to William McKinney, of Brooklyn, N. Y., and in March, 1885, was appointed to his present position at the Iowa State Hospital for the Insane, at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.


Mr. Dillon is an efficient and faithful officer, and is held in high esteem by all with whom he is con- nected. Politically, he is a Republican. He is a member of McFarland Post No. 20, G. A. R., of the IIarlan Camp of the Sons of Veterans, Mt. Pleasant, and a Knight Templar Mason, a member of Mt. Pleasant Lodge No. 8, A. F. & A. M., of Henry Chapter No. 8, R. A. M., and of Jerusalem Commandery No. 20, K. T., all of Mt. Pleasant.


W ;INFIELD SCOTT DOVER, editor and pro- prietor of the New London Sun, a weekly six-column folio, independent in politics, established April 30, 1887, and issued every Satur- day, was born in New London Township, Henry County, Aug. 26, 1854, and is the son of Solomon H. and Matilda (Davis) Dover. He was educated at the New London Academy, and began teaching school when only seventeen years old, has taught eight years in IHenry County, and four in Southern Kansas. He first went to Kansas in 1874, and remained two years, returned to New London, and again went to Kansas in 1884, and remained till


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1886, when he returned to New London, and in the spring of 1887 established the Sun.


Mr. Dover was married at New London, to Miss Jennie New, daughter of John New. Mrs. Dover was born in Des Moines County, Iowa, and died Feb. 28, 1884, leaving three children, a daughter, Gay, born June 25, 1875, and two sons, Jeffie and Ralph, the elder born June 15, 1878, and the younger Nov. 11, 1880. Mr. Dover is a Repub- lican in politics.


ATTHIAS PAXTON, residing in Rome, Henry Co., Iowa, carries on a shop for general repairing in that village. He was born in Stark County, Ohio, .July 21, 1837, and is the son of John and Elizabeth (Farley ) Pax- ton, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Pennsylvania. JJohn Paxton was a carpenter by trade, and in 1842 emigrated to Wayne County, III., with his family, remaining four years, and then removed to Dayton, Ohio, residing in that city until 1849, working at his trade. He then removed to Ft. Dependence, Henry Co., Ohio, and from there to Lafayette, Ind., where he lived until he came to Henry County, in the fall of 1851. He first located at Mt. Pleasant, residing there for a year, and then purchased a farm near Rome, where he lived until the breaking out of the Rebellion, when he enlisted in the 37th lowa Volunteer In- fantry, serving until the close of the war, when he returned home and spent the remainder of his life upon his farm, with the exception of a short time spent in Illinois and Southern Missouri. His death occurred April 22, 1872, at the age of sixty-six years. Politically. John Paxton was a Demo- crat. His widow still survives. and resides in Rome, at the advanced age of seventy-eight. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. To this worthy couple were born seven chil- dren, two of whom died in infancy, and the others growing to man and womanhood, namely: Jared, now in Appanoose County, Iowa, engaged in mill- ing; Matthias, our subject; William M. was a soldier in the late war, serving as a member of


the 4th lowa Cavalry, and afterward of the 19th lowa Infantry, and is now residing in Rome; Ursulina, wife of John Cole, died in 1878, and Elizabeth, now residing in Georgia, is the wife of Isaac Archibald, a soldier in the late war, who is now engaged in farming.


Matthias Paxton received his education in the common schools. He enlisted in the army for the Union, serving as a member of Company G, 11th Iowa Volunteer Infantry. Ile was mustered in Sept. 16, 1861, prior to which he and his father were with Col. Moore in Missouri, for a month. He served until April 15, 1865, and participated in the battles of Shiloh, Corinth, the siege of Vicks- burg, Kennesaw Mountain, Nick Jack and Atlanta, where he was captured and taken to the loath- some Andersonville Prison, and from there to Florence, S. C .; thence to Goldsboro, S. C., and from there to Wilmington, and then back to Golds- boro again. Being hard pressed by the Union forces, the rebels were foreed with their captives into a swamp, where they had to remain three days. They were then taken to Neuse River Bridge, where they were exchanged. Mr. Paxton having been a captive from July 22, 1861, to March 3, 1865. He was discharged April 15, 1865, at Clin- ton, Iowa. After his discharge he returned home, but was in poor health for some time after in con- sequence of ill treatment while a prisoner.


In 1865 he commenced learning the trade of a wagon-maker, serving an apprenticeship for a year. Ile then worked as a journeyman until 1867, when he engaged with the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company as a bridge carpenter. Ile made rapid progress in this work, in four months taking charge of a division from Burlington to Frederick, and in less than a year's time he took charge of a bridge gang; this he continued until December, 1872, having commenced as a common hand. Ile was compelled to quit this business on account of ill-health, and has since lived in Rome, and carries on a job shop. doing general repairing in wood work. He is also agent for the Ray Plow Company of Burlington and George Haw Imple- ment Company of Ottumwa, and Nolton's mower and reaper of Rockford, Ill., and for the Buckeye pump, P. P. Mast & Co., of Peoria, agents; and


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also of the Barbed Wire Fence Company, of Burlington.


Mr. Paxton was married, Dec. 7, 1865, to Chris- tina C. Anderson, a native of Sweden, and a daughter of Peter and Sophia (Skendle) Anderson. Mrs. Paxton was born in 1849, and came to Amer- ica with her parents when she was but five years old, and settled in Jefferson County, lowa, where they lived for a few years, and later came to Henry County, Iowa. Her father was a carpenter by trade, but engaged in farming after coming to America. Ile died in Henry County in 1860. Her mother is still living, in Tippecanoe Township, at the age of fifty-seven, and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was a member of the Lutheran Church. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Paxton has been blessed with three children : Elmer E. died in 1872, at the age of four years and four months; Nellie Rosmie died Nov. 18, 1869, when six months old ; May is now attending school. Mr. and Mrs. Paxton are members of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, and he is also a member of Robert Crawford Post, G. A. R. Politically he is a stalwart Republican. Ile has been Mayor of Rome for a year, and for years was a member of the Council, and at present is a member of the Board of Trustees. He owns a neat residence and shop in Rome. Ile is a self-made man, having commenced life a poor boy, and much honor is due him for the care and attention he has given to his parents, having contributed to their support since he was old enough to labor. He is a man well known and universally respeeted by the people of Tippecanoe Township and Henry County.


H. FARR, a farmer residing on section 12, Scott Township, Henry Co., Iowa, was born in Chittenden County, Vt., July 31, 1818, and is the son of Joel and Eunice (Higgins) Farr, the former a native of Vermont and the latter of Eastham, Mass. Mr. Farr comes from old Rev- olutionary stoek, his maternal grandfather being a soldier in that war, was taken a prisoner and car-


ried to England. His paternal grandfather was a native of Vermont and a farmer throughout his life. Joel Farr, the father of our subject, was a shoemaker by trade, but during the latter part of his life was engaged in tilling the soil. He volunteered as a soldier during the War of 1812, but the war closed before he reached the field. He died Aug. 26, 1854, aged fifty-eight years. His wife survived him and came to this county with her son, HI. H. Farr, and here died Oct. 29, 1871, in her eightieth year. She and her husband were both members of the Christian Church.


The boyhood days of our subject were spent on the farm. Ile left home at the age of sixteen, working as a farm hand and buying his time of his father. He continued farm work until Sept. 19, 1841, when he was united in marriage with Elmira Sherman, a native of Chittenden County, Vt., born April 3, 1816. She is a daughter of Simeon and Lucretia (Stewart) Sherman, the father born in New Hampshire and the mother in Worcester County, Mass. Her father departed this life in Huntington, Vt., Feb. 10, 1864, at the age of eighty- five years. His wife survived him until March 24, 1872, dying when seventy-four years and ten months old. She was a Baptist.


After his marriage Mr. Farr purchased sixty acres of land in the Green Mountain State, and there they resided until 1856, at which time the family removed to Henry County, Iowa. Here he bought seventy acres of timber land in Baltimore Township, making many improvements upon this farm. At the end of four years he sold that and purchased 120 acres on section 12, Scott Township, his present home. This land was in a raw state but he made many improvements, and now has a fine farm and comfortable home. Seven children blessed the union of I. H. Farr and Elmira Sherman. All except the youngest child were born in Vermont. Ransom J. and Eliza J. are still at home with their parents; Ellen, wife of W. II. Wise, of Winfield; Henry, who died in infancy ; Josephine, at home ; Alice L. died at the age of seventeen years ; George E., the youngest child, was born July 4, 1860, in Winfield. Mr. and Mrs. Farr are both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Politically, he is a Republican. He and his good wife have lived in


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this county since 1856, and as citizens, neighbors and friends, none stand higher.


R. J. Farr, residing on section 12, Scott Township, Henry Co., Iowa, was born Nov. 26, 1844, in Chittenden County, Vt. He was married, Oct. 13, 1870, to Anna Sherman, a native of Illinois, and a daughter of Jacob and Mary (Roundtree) Sher- man. Missouri was the birthplace of her parents. Two children have graced the union of Mr. and Mrs. Farr : Ella May, born April 21, 1872, is attend- ing school at Winfield, and Henry Merton, born Dec. 6, 1876. Mr. Farr is one of the prominent young farmers of Henry County. He owns eighty acres of land in Scott Township, and has held sev- eral township offices. He advocates the principles of the Republican party and has always affiliated with that body. Mrs. Farr was taken from her happy home on carth. May 3, 1876, when twenty - nine years of age. She was a member of the Bap- tist Church, and Mr. Farr belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church.


E DWARD NIXON, a retired farmer and merchant of Mt. Pleasant, lowa, was born in Washington County, Ohio, June 3, 1815, and is the son of William and Elizabeth (Ste- phenson) Nixon. His father was previously mar- ried, and had eight children by that marriage. His mother was also previously married, and had nine children by her first marriage. Four children were born of the latter marriage, making the united family number twenty-one. Edward Nixon was the third child of the last marriage, and he and, possibly, two sisters, are all that are now left of the twenty-one. His father was a native of Bed- ford County, Pa .; his mother was born in Del- aware. Mr. Nixon spent his youth on his father's farm, and when sixteen years of age was bound out to learn the trade of a tailor, at which he served an apprenticeship of nearly five years, and then moved to Guyandotte, Va., with his employer, when he was twenty-one years of age. There he was mar- ried, April 2, 1810, to Miss Mary A. Phelps, daugh- ter of Samuel Phelps, of Massachusetts. Six chil- dren were born of this union, four sons and two


daughters, one of whom died in infancy. Edward Herbert, born May 26, 1812, enlisted in the late war in January, 1863. in the 9th lowa Infantry, Company A, and served till the close of the war. He then went to Poughkeepsie, N. Y., and took a regular course in Eastman's Business College, and graduated in 1866. He married Miss Kate Stewart, of Walla Walla, Wash. Ter., and is now Deputy Postmaster at that place, and is largely interested in ranching in Whitman County, where he has nearly 500 acres of land. lle has three children, two girls and a boy-Stella, Laura and Edward S.


His second child by his first marriage is Mary Virginia, wife of Hugh Cozier, residing in Canaan Township, Henry County. She has three children, one boy and two girls-Caddie A., Mary F. and John Edward. Mr. Nixon's third child, Thomas, died when eighteen months of age. The fourth, Samuel Edwin, is now a prominent physician of Burlington, łowa. He married Miss Lucy Wilcox ; they have one child, a son, George Edward, aged six years. The fifth child, Sarah, is single, and is engaged in teaching school in Washington Ter- ritory. The sixth child, William A., is a farmer of Northwestern Idaho, and is single. Mr. Nixon lost his first wife by death in September, 1863, and was married again in June, 1865, to Miss Hepsibah Phelps, a sister of his first wife. She was born in Medford, Mass.


Mr. Nixon followed the tailoring business till 1851, when, foreseeing the Civil War, he decided to remove his family northward, and he came to lowa by team, being one month upon the road. He removed to Jackson County, and improved a farm there, where he resided until the spring of 1865. He then sold out and moved to Danville, Des Moines County, where he was engaged in the mercantile business until January, 1867. Ile then moved to Henry County, and purchased a farm in Canaan Township, which was then quite new; and he was engaged at farming there until the fall of 1886, when he came to Mt. Pleasant, and retired from active work. He has a handsome and com- modious residence in the southern part of the city.


Mr. Nixon served four years as a Justice of the Peace in Jackson County, and ten years in Canaan Township, Henry County, and has held other local


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offices. In polities, in his early life he was a Whig. and he has been a Republican since the organiza- tion of that party. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which denon- ination he has been a member for fifty-five years. He is a genial, bright, intelligent gentleman, ripe with the experience of seventy-two years' inter- course with the world.


M OSES PERO is a farmer and stock-raiser, residing on section 12, Jackson Township. Although of French descent he was born in Vermont in 1825, and is a son of Francis and Louisa (D'Uno) Pero, who emigrated to Massa- chusetts, and engaged in farming and other pursuits until their removal to Center Square, New York State. There the father died in his one hundred and fifth year. His widow yet resides there, and is now past ninety years of age. She is the mother of nine children: Francis, Gilbert, Jerry, Eliza and Clara, deceased ; and Oliver, Moses, James and Ma- tilda, living. All except Matilda and Jerry were married. Moses and Oliver were both married in New York State, and came together to Iowa, in 1868, settling in Henry County. Oliver wedded Julia Hope, who bore children, and after her death he was married in this county to Mrs. Mahala Kicheon, who has borne no heirs to the last husband. They reside on the Lowell road, in Baltimore Township. Our subject wedded Miss Euniee Me- uard, born in Canada, a daughter of Francis and Florence (Miller) Menard. The grandparents of Mrs. Pero were both born in the old country, he in Germany, and she in France. Francis and Florence Menard were the parents of tive children, all of whom were born in Canada, viz: Sophia, Eunice, Ehzabeth, Aurelia, Philomena and Francis. The two latter died in infancy, and the father when Mrs. Pero was but five years of age. The mother remained during her lifetime in Canada. The four eldest daughters are all living and married. Aurelia is a resident of West Virginia, and the wife of Horatio Peabody. When Eunice Menard was seventeen years of age she made a visit to New York State, and while there met Mr. Pero, with


whom the acquaintance was formed which culmi- nated in marriage, Ang. 5, 1853. J. W. Byrn, J. P., officiating. The young couple began their mar- ried life with bright prospects, in the city of Troy, N. Y. Mr. Pero purchased a sawmill soon after- ward in Constantia, Oswego County, to which place they removed, and this he operated for several years. Children eame to grace their home, five stalwart sons and two daughters, all born in New York State, except the youngest daughter. They are named Oliver, Moses, George, Horatio, Nelson, Emma and Louisa.


The family removed from Oswego County, N. Y., to Henry County, lowa, in 1868, and from that date they have been regarded as among the best families of the township in which they reside. Mr. Pero purchased his farm in 1870, and is com- fortably situated. The eldest daughter, Emma, has taken a classical course at Howe's Academy, in Mt. Pleasant, and intends taking up teaching as a pro- fession. The sous have been educated in the public schools, and the historian has met no family in which the evidences of birth and breeding are more marked than in the Pero family. The family circle is unbroken either by death or marriage, and in one of the cosiest little homes the greatest unity pre- vails. Music, literature and good taste make their home a miniature paradise, and as a family who have prestige in their neighborhood we welcome them to a place among their neighbors and friends.


ERRY FRANK is a dealer in drugs, gro- ceries, boots, shoes and notions, an early settler of Henry County, and a prominent business man of New London. He was born in the town of Busti, Chautauqua Co., N. Y., Sept. 23, 1825. His parents were John and Eliza- beth (Devendorf) Frank. His father was born in Ilerkimer County, N. Y., Jan. 1, 1791, of German parentage. Ile was a tauner and currier by trade, and settled in Chautauqua County in 1809. His parents were born in Germany, and came to America in their youth, prior to the war of the Revolution. Ilis mother and her twin sister were captured while girls by the Indians, and held cap-


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tive four years. Their close resemblance to each other and their beauty made them objects of euri- osity to their captors, and they were the only ones spared out of their party. Perry's mother was born in New York, May 10, 1795, and died April 14, 1865, but a few months prior to her husband's death, which occurred August 6 of the same year.


Our subject learned the trade of tanner and eur- rier and shoemaker with his father, at which he worked in his native State till 1857, when he emi- grated to Iowa, and located at New London, Henry County, November 17 of that year. He engaged in the shoemaker's business, and in 1860 opened a grocery in connection with his shoe store, and in 1865 added drugs to his stock. He has now been in business in this place continuously for twenty-seven years. Mr. Frank was married in his native town, Jan. 6, 1847, to Miss Mary E. Stoddard, a daughter of the Rev. Ira C. Stoddard. Mrs. Frank was born in the town of Eden, Erie Co., N. Y., Nov. 19, 1826. Her parents were from Brattleboro, Vt., and were of English descent. Mr. and Mrs. Frank have one child living, a son, Clement S., who was born Nov. 8, 1847, and is now residing in Valley County, Neb. They have lost one child, Arabella Laroo, who was born April 21, 1851, and died Dec. 4, 1871. Mr. and Mrs. Frank and their son are members of the Baptist Church. Mr. Frank is a Republican in politics, a thorough business man, affable and courteous, always prompt, and is classed as one of the reliable men of New London.


telegraph operator of the Narrow Gauge; Sarah and Jessie complete the family. The Cline and Park families were both early settlers in this part of the State, and for thirty-five years their names have been familiar to the people of Washington County. Mrs. Park was born near Ilarrisburg. Pa., and Abraham Park near Cireleville, Ohio. Abraham Park. Sr .. the grandsire of Mrs. Davies, was born in Virginia, and his wife, who was Martha Thomp- son, in the same State, where they were also mar- ried.


The young couple of whom we write came di- rectly to the old Davies homestead, and to both has come a heritage of wealth and kindliness of dispo- sition. Their marriage has been graced by the birth of one daughter, Katie, born July 15. 1886. We thus continue the history of the Davies family, who have been for so many years most favorably known in Jefferson Township, and we leave this. the youngest representative, in one of the cosiest of homes, surrounded by his pleasant family.


ISS MENO TROPE, Lady Supervisor of the State Hospital for the Insane at MIt. Pleasant, lowa, has occupied that position since October, 1869, and has been an em- ploye of that institution since 1867, covering a period in all of twenty-one years to this date. Dur- ing this long time of service Miss Trope has seldom been absent, and never for more than ten days at any one time. She was born in Prussia, and came to America when six years of age, in company with her parents and elder sister, and a brother younger than herself. The family settled in Gasconade County, Mo., within a year from their arrival in the New World, where they hoped to build up a home for themselves, but both parents were stricken with disease and died, leaving the three orphans in com- parative poverty to tight the battle of life as best they could. They had no relatives in this country, and were separated to be cared for among strangers. Miss Trope came to lowa in the fall of 1854, and made her home at Wapello, Louisa County, where she resided until 1867, when she came to Mt. Pleas-


OHN DAVIES, a farmer, residing on section 1, Jefferson Township, Henry Co., lowa, was born in Wales in 1819, the youngest son of the Davies family, and his education was received in Iowa after the family came to this county. He was married, in 1883, to Miss Ada V. Park, daughter of Abraham T. and Amanda (Cline) Park, who came from Ohio, and were married in Washington County, lowa. They yet reside in Brighton, and in that county five children were born to them: four are living: Ada V., wife of our subject; Mary, wife of Edward Fox, the agent and I ant to become an attendant at the lowa State Hos-


PUBLIC LIBRARY


ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDE N FOUNDATIONS.


Truly yours P & Tiffany


8.6. Tiffany


THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY


AS. CP, L'INOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS.


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pital for the Insane. Two years and two months later she was appointed to the position she now holds. Miss Trope never knew what became of her sister. Her brother, she learned, went as a soklier in the late war, and died at St. Louis soon after his return,


Miss Trope has been, with one or two exceptions, longer identified with the management of the hos- pital than any other person. She is a woman pecul- iarly fitted for her work. Possessing good executive ability, she knows how the affairs under her control should be conducted, and she has the tact, energy and courage to carry through successfully the many arduous, difficult, and sometimes dangerous, duties devolving upon her. The hospital is a model of neatness and order, not excelled even by the pro- verbiał neatness and system of a well regulated naval frigate. The patients under her charge seem orderly and as contented and happy as their unfortunate mental condition will admit.


ALMER C. TIFFANY, one of the pioneers of Ilenry County, was born in Sturbridge, Worcester Co., Mass., April 7, 1809, and is a son of Jonathan and Experience (Cham- berlain) Tiffany. The latter was a daughter of Deacon Edmund Chamberlain, a prominent mem- ber of the Baptist Church in that locality. Mr. Tiffany was a mechanic, and also quite a good musician, IIc was a plain, straightforward man, of a social, genial disposition, and endeavored to give his children the best obtainable education, be- lieving that to be the best inheritance he could leave to them. Mrs. Tiffany was a woman of domestic habits, a faithful wife and devoted mother. Both were sincere Christians, and had the respect of all the people who knew them. Mr. Tiffany died Dec. 12, 1865, and his wife July 31, 1861. They were the parents of seven children, as follows: Palmer C .; Edwin D., a resident of Hartford, Conn., whose first wife, Esther Cooper, died May 3, 1837; his second wife, Julia Campbell, died March 9, 1886. Lucien also lives in Hartford ; Elizabeth K., who was married to Franklin D. Hall, died Nov. 11, 1862, and her husband Jan. 13, 1857; Mary died




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