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 59
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Mr. MeCray served his school district as Director for many years, and helped work the school to so high a grade, that it was recognized as the best public school in the county outside of Mt. Pleas-
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ant. He was told by the County Superintendent that no one outside of the city of Mt. Pleasant took more interest in, or understood better the work- ings of the public schools, than he did.
Mr. McCray is a self-made man, whose sueeess in life is due to his own efforts, assisted by those of his wife. He takes great interest in all educational affairs, having a good education himself, and has tried to give his children such. Ile is a man of more than ordinary literary ability, has written many articles on prohibition, and is a member of the Henry County Institute of Science. Among the older citizens of the county, especially, he is well known, and deservedly bears a high reputation. Passionately fond of home, with children obedient and wife affectionate and true, his home life has been a very happy one.
R EV. DEWITT CLINTON HOWARD, Rec- tor of St. Michael's Episcopal Church, Mt. Pleasant, lowa, was born in Belmont County, Ohio, Aug. 22, 1825. The family are of English origin and were among the earliest settlers of North Carolina, where they became Quakers through the influence and teachings of the cele- brated George Fox. The great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch was Bartholomew Howard, a planter near Beaufort, N. C. Ilis son, Horton Howard, was a large slave-owner, but being sincere in the Friends' belief, of which sect he was an eminent preacher, emancipated all his slaves and removed to Ohio. Ile had been educated to the profession of a physician and had become eminent in it. Ile adopted the Thompsonian system of practice, in which, however, he discovered serious defects, and became in effect one of the founders of the Eclectic system, publishing a work entitled " Howard's Improved System of Botanic Medi- cine," which became a standard in that branch of the medical profession. Hle died in Ohio. Ilis son Henry, father of Dewitt Clinton, was born in North Carolina, June 13, 1792, and was the eldest of the family, and a young man when his parents removed to the North. He was originally a
farmer, but after his father's death took charge of the large botanic drug-store which the latter had established at Columbus, Ohio, carrying it on until his decease, which took place Aug. 30, 1840. Henry Howard was a reader and a student, and a man of more than ordinary information. He took much interest in public affairs. He was a leading Whig in his district, but never held any office except that of Justice of the Peace. In his religious views lie was liberal, being practically a Universalist. An honorable, upright man, he had the esteem of the community in which he lived. His wife, Elizabeth Wilson, was a native of Loudoun County, Va., born May 15, 1794, and died in 1870, aged seventy-six years. Her father, Robert Wilson, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and lived to be over one hundred years old. He settled in Ohio in an early day. Henry Howard and wife had thirteen children, of whom the following four are now living: Quincy is a resident of Belmont County, Ohio, now over seventy-five years of age: Cyrus is a civil engineer and contractor at Pittsburgh, Pa .; Robert W. is a resident of Brown County, Ind., and Dewitt C., our subject. The latter was educated in the Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio. He received his early religious training among the Hicksite Quakers. Abont 1811 he united with the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, and for ten years, from 1850, served as a minister of that denomination. In 1865 he severed his connection with the Meth- odist Church and united with the Episcopal Church, under Bishop Whitehouse, of Illinois. He was ordained and assigned to the parish of Elgin, Ill .. where he served one year. He then went East and served as Rector at Tiflin and Monroeville, Ohio. From there he went to St. John's Church, Pitts- burgh, Pa. He came to Mt. Pleasant in the winter of 1876-77, and served four months as Rector of St. Michael's Church, his present charge, and in the spring of 1877 accepted a call from the parish of Bloomington, IN., where he served two years. then returned to Iowa, and served four years as Rector of the parish of Oskaloosa. He resigned that posi- tion on account of impaired health, and accepted his present charge at Mt. Pleasant, where his duties were lighter, and entered upon the discharge of the same Dec. 1, 1883.
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Mr. Howard has been twice married; first at Newark, Ohio, May 1, 1851, to Miss Christiana Rankin, daughter of James Rankin. Mrs. How- ard was born at Newark, Ohio, July 21, 1827. Six children blessed their union, of whom only three are living : Snowden R., born Aug. 14, 1854, died Sept. 10, 1855; Lizzie Ella, born July 11, 1856, died Jan. 22, 1863; Charles Crews, born Oct. 22, 1858, died Jan. 18, 1863; James Henry, born Aug. 20, 1861, is a homesteader in Thomas County, Kan .; Clinton Woodbury, born Aug. 25, 1864, has just graduated from the law school of the State Univer- sity of Michigan, and is in the office of Woolson & Babb, of Mt. Pleasant; Frederick Kendal is in his last year of a regular course at Griswold College, Davenport, Iowa. Mr. Howard lost his wife in 1874, her death occurring at Lima, Ohio, November 13 of that year. Ile was married again, June 6, 1876, at St. John's Church, Pittsburgh, Pa., by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Kerfoot, to Miss Emma MeClure, daughter of James McClure, of Pittsburgh, Pa. Mrs. Howard was born and married in the same house in that city. Since locating in Mt. Pleasant, Mr. Howard has won the respect and love of his congregation by his sincere interest in the welfare of the church and people, and his consistent Chris- tian life and character have given him the respect of all who know him. He has been a member of the Masonic fraternity since 1849, and has affiliated with Jerusalem Commandery No. 7, K. T., of Mt. Pleasant.
E DWARD S. HOWARD, Assistant Cashier of the National State Bank, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, was born in McKean County, Pa., Nov. 19, 1853, and is a son of David C. and Mary M. (Free- man) Howard. The family were originally settlers of Connecticut, whence Eliphalet M., grandfather of our subject, removed to Watertown, N. Y., and from there to MeKean County, Pa., which was then a wilderness. There he lived until his death in 1876, in his eighty-second year. His wife, Mar- tha Ilines, is still living, and was eighty-eight years of age Jan. 1, 1888. Of their seven children three are yet living: Mary A. Il., wife of William
Totten, of Sargent, Mckean Co., Pa .; Daniel W., a farmer near the same place, and Emma J., widow of Charles B. Gillis, formerly of Mt. Pleasant, where she now resides. David C., father of Edward S., was born near Watertown, Jefferson Co., N. Y.,- Dec. 13, 1825, and was quite young when his par- ents removed to Pennsylvania, and thereafter lived all of his life in MeKean County, dying at Sargent Oct. 16, 1862. He was elected County Commis- sioner in 1861, and was one of the Commissioners sent to Harrisburg to arrange about the pay of the celebrated "Bucktail" regiment. He returned from that trip sick and died shortly thereafter, at the time stated. Ile took considerable interest in public affairs, in which he was well posted, and was a man of integrity, who had the respect of people who knew him. He was married at Smethport, McKean County, Oct. 19, 1848, to Mary M., daugh- ter of Brewster Freeman, of that place, where she was born April 15, 1829. IIer father was born in Connecticut, but the family were originally from Massachusetts. Mr. and Mrs. Howard had four children, two of whom, Frank and Fannie, died in childhood. Emma, a daughter, lives in Mt. Pleas- ant with her brother Edward S., as does her mother.
Our subject lived in the place of his birth until ten years old, when he came to Mt. Pleasant with his aunt, Mrs. Emma J. Gillis, his father having died the year previous. He there received a good edu- cation, and after leaving school worked in a news- paper office for a year, and in September, 1872, was offered a position as assistant bookkeeper in the bank where he now is. Faithful service brought promotion, and he was raised to the position of bookkeeper, and subsequently was made Assistant Cashier. Mr. Howard has attained considerable prominence in the Masonic fraternity, which he joined in 1881. Ile is a member of Mt. Pleasant Lodge No. 8, A. F. & A. M., in which he has passed all the ehairs, and is now serving his second term as W. M .; he is also Secretary of Henry Chapter No. 8, R. A. M., and a Worthy Sir Knight of Jeru- alem Commandery No. 7. K. T., of which he is Recorder. He is also a member of the Presyte- rian Churchi, of which he is one of the Trustees. In polities he is a supporter of the Democratic party, by whom he has twice been nominated for Clerk of
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the Courts, and ran largely ahead of his ticket, but the Republican majority was too large to be over- come. For four years he has been City Treasurer. Mr. Howard is unmarried, and is a young man of unblemished character and high reputation.
E DWARD HOCHREITER is a prominent farmer residing on section 9, Scott Town- ship, on the original homestead. Dec. 5, 1851, he, the eldest son of Bartholomew llochreiter, was born. He was reared and educated in this county and is one of the few men of his years who is yet in possession and residing npon a part of the lands which have descended unentailed to the chil- dren of a pioneer, who braved all the vicissitudes of a new country to make a home for his family in the great Northwest.
Our subject was not sitting idly by while the vir- gin soil was being put under cultivation, but in his early years aided largely in the work. As he grew to manhood he became noted as a prince of good fellows, and no social gathering was considered complete without his presence. Possessed of a fine voice and ever ready to entertain with vocal musie, he achieved quite a reputation as a comic vocalist, and many of the old citizens and young ones too, relate with glee how "Ed" used to favor thein with productions "rich, rare and racy." Lit- erary societies were his especial pride, and in the furtherance of the benefits to be derived from that source, he was one of the most important factors. Although a man of mature years now, he is still as fond of amusement as in the old-time days, when his witty repartee and good humor made him the center of all the gatherings for social pleasure in the neighborhood.
The marriage of Mr. Hochreiter to Miss Julia Felgar was an event of considerable importance in the neighborhood, he thus becoming a part of the more solid element in society. She was a daughter of Samuel and Lucretia (Trout) Felgar, who emi- grated from Westmoreland County, Pa., at an early date in the history of this county. They settled near Trenton upon a farm at least forty years ago, and remained upon the same farm until their death,
which occurred in 1887. Samnel Felgar died June 1, and his wife intended to make her home with Mr. Hochreiter, but she, too, sickened and died August 2. She reached her seventy-fifth and he his eightieth year. Both were highly respected people. They had nine children : Catherine married Peter Black, and resides in Champaign County, Ohio; Margaret is the wife of John Marquis, of Clarke County, Iowa ; Elizabeth is the wife of Washington Mullen, one of the best known and most influential men of Scott Township; Mary wedded William Morehouse, of Trenton Township; John, deceased, married Jane Evans, who had for her second husband Ilamilton Brewington ; Samuel resides in Trenton Township; Henry died in 1863; Jaeoh died in infancy; and Julia, wife of our subject.
The marriage of Edward Hochreiter was cele- brated Dec. 5, 1872, the same day that he became of age, Rev. Bradrick, a Methodist Episcopal min- ister, performing the ceremony at the home of the bride in Trenton Township. They have two chil- dren -- Vernie M., a daughter of fourteen, and John, who died in infancy. In 1877 the young couple moved into a handsome country residence, erected by Mr. Hochreiter, exactly opposite the spot upon which he was born, and here they live amid happi- ness and plenty. Mr. Hochreiter is a successful farmer, and since his boyhood the attractive village of Winfield has been platted, has grown to respect- able dimensions, and three railroads pass within sight of his home, one of which erosses a part of the original homestead. We gladly give this gen- tleman and his family a place in the history of his native county.
oto.
ON. II. D. WALKER, Grand Keeper of the Records and Seal of the Knights of Pythias since 1874, and a member of the order since 1870, is engaged in the general insur- ance business, on the south side of the Public Square in Mt. Pleasant. Ile was born near Cham- bersburg, Pa., Oct. 16, 1831, his parents being William and Mary (Houghtelin) Walker. The father of William Walker was born in Ireland, and came to this country with his parents in his youth,
Hos.Walker
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LICEAL
ASTON, F
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the family settling near Carlisle, Pa., at an early day. His mother was born on the Island of Man- hattan, N. Y., and was the daughter of Ilolland parents. William Walker was born in Franklin County, Pa., and learned the trade of shoemaking at Carlisle, in that State. carrying it on for many years in the borough of Newville, Cumberland Co., Pa. Ile finally gave up the business, and bought a farm in the adjoining county of Adams, on which he lived until his death in 1854. His wife came to Mt. Pleasant, Henry Co., lowa, after her husband's deeease, and lived with her son II. D. until the time of her demise, in 1878, at the ripe age of eighty-four years. Both were strict mem- bers of the United Presbyterian Church, and highly respected in the community where they resided. The subject of this sketch, II. D. Walker, was reared on a farm on the site of the battle of Get- tysburg. When eighteen years of age he began an apprenticeship to the plasterer's trade, which he mas- tered, and traveled, working as a journeyman in several States, in Ohio, Indiana, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee and Texas, until the autumn of 1854, when he located at Piqua, Miami Co., Ohio, where he was married, March 13, 1856, to Miss Isabella Redman, daughter of David and Esther Redman. Mrs. Walker was born at Cherrytown, l'a. Four children were born to them, all of whom except the youngest are living : Charles D. is married to Mamie Hobart, and is a plasterer by trade, residing at Mt. Pleasant; Minnie B. is the wife of II. B. Adams, of Aurora, Ill. ; llattie M. is the wife of H. J. DeLau- benfels, a civil engineer of Mt. Pleasant, lowa; William B., the youngest, died Feb. 14, 1886, aged twenty years and three months.
Mr. Walker has been for years prominently iden- tified with the I. O. O. F. and Knights of Pythias, being initiated into the former in Piqua Lodge No. 8, under the Grand Jurisdiction of Ohio. Ile emigrated to Iowa in October, 1856, and located at Mt. Pleasant, where he has since resided. On coming to Mt. Pleasant he deposited his with- drawal card with Henry Lodge No. 10, I. O. O. F. After filling all the minor offices in the lodge, he beeame a Past Grand Master in 1860, and was eleeted Grand Master of the State in 1873. He be- eame a Patriarch by uniting with Industry Encamp-
ment No. 18, at its institution in October, 1857, and was promoted to the Chair of Grand Patriarch in 1869. In 1870, having become much interested in the rapidly growing order of the Knights of Pythias, he joined with twenty-five others in a peti- tion to the Supreme Lodge of the world for a dis- pensation to organize Eastern Star Lodge No. 6, K. of P., at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, and was thereafter unanimously elected the first Chancellor Commander. Ile became a Past Chancellor on July 1, 1870, and in the year 1872 was duly elected a representative to the Grand Lodge, and at the session of that body at Burlington, Iowa, July 9 and 10, fol- lowing, he was elected and duly installed Grand Vice Chancellor, and served in such capacity till Jan. 29, 1873, on which day he was elected Grand Chancellor and served one year. During his ad- ministration of the office the interests of the order were materially advaneed. The ability and zeal displayed by him won for him a reputation that resulted in his election to the responsible position of Grand Keeper of Records and Seal of this jurisdiction. IIe was elected in 1871 to that office, and has been re-elected at each succeeding eleetion to this date, covering a period of fourteen years. Lately his salary has been increased so that he can devote his attention almost exclusively to the interests of the order. In his relations to these two great charitable institutions Mr. Walker has borne a conspicuous part, and has developed peeul- iar ability as an administrative officer, that has won for him the title of the "Model Knight." Mr. Walker is a Republican in polities, and has voted with that party since its organization.
On the adjoining page will be found the portrait of Mr. Walker, which will be regarded with great gratification by his many friends.
E NOCII GRAVES, Mt. Pleasant, one of the pioneer settlers of Henry County, lowa, was born in Bedford County, Pa., of which place his parents, Joseph and Elizabeth (Stillwell) Graves, were also natives. He was one of a family of eight children, of whom he is now the only surviving one. Joseph Graves was a farmer by occupation,
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and during the time of the Revolutionary War nobly served in his father's place. In politics he was a Jackson Democrat, and an active worker for his party.
The subject of this sketch received his education in a log school-house, with its huge fireplace, greased paper windows, puncheon floor and seats, while his books consisted of a Testament and spel- ler. Ile was only able to attend school in the win- ter, as all boys in those days had to work on the farm in the summer after they were large enough to plow. In the year 1827, Mr. Graves went to Butler County, Ohio, where, in 1829, he was married to Miss Mary Spencer, who was born in 1812, in Westmoreland County, l'a. Remaining in Ohio till 1845, he came to lowa, which was then but a Territory, coming by water part of the way, and completing the journey with teams to Henry County, locating in Wayne Township. At this time the county was very thinly settled, there being only twelve voters in the township, five of whom were Democrats and seven Whigs. Mr. Graves took a claim and developed a fine farm in the wil- derness.
Mr. and Mrs. Graves have had a family of thir- teen children, five of whom are living : Gideon now resides in California; Washington is a resident of Red Oak, lowa; William, of Hayes County, Neb .; Margaret, the wife of John Crawford, of Wayne Township; Eliza, the wife of W. K. llerbert, of Mt. Pleasant. They had one son among those who so gallantly defended their country during the late war. He was wounded by a piece of shell at Pitts- burg Landing. He served through the war and was discharged, but died in Kansas from disease contracted by exposure while in the service.
Mr. Graves has always taken an active interest in educational and church work, and together with his wife, has long been earnestly laboring in the vineyard of the Master. They have been members of the Methodist Episcopal Church for fifty years, three years of which time Mr. Graves has been a Class-Leader. Ile is a zealous Republican, and has held the office of Constable for three years.
Mr. and Mrs. Graves have long been residents of this county, and have witnessed its growth almost from the beginning. They have seen the progress
which civilization has made and have taken an act- ive part in this same progress. They have helped to mold its present form, till it ranks among the first of the counties which make up the great State of Iowa, and have gained their competency by in- dustry and economy. Many a time has Mr. Graves been compelled to shoulder his rifle and kill the deer or turkey which furnished their next meal. It thus appears how they have toiled to make a start in life, and have made many sacrifices, yet by these very sacrifices they can now the more fully appreciate their comfortable surroundings, and have the satisfaction of a home honestly won, a compe- teney fairly gained. They removed to Mt. Pleas- ant in 1872, since which time Mr. Graves has lived a retired life.
AVID F. JONES, editor and proprietor of the Salem News, an independent weekly journal, was born in Upper Middletown, Fayette Co., Pa., Dec. 23, 1839, and is the son of Edward and Hannah (Woodward) Jones. Ile was educated at George's Creek Academy, Smithfield, Pa., and served an apprenticeship to the printer's trade in the office of the Genius of Liberty of Uniontown, l'a. Ile was subsequently employed at various times on the different journals published in Pittsburgh, Pa. In the spring of 1882 he emi- grated to Illinois and spent several months at Nakomis, whenee on Jan. 1, 1883, he came to Salem, in this county, and purchased the paper he now owns, which is a seven-column folio, established in September, 1880, by H. Armstrong, who subse- quently sold it to W. S. Withrow, from whom it was purchased by Mr. Jones. The paper is inde- pendent in politics, newsy and well printed, and has a circulation of over 800 copies weekly. The office is well equipped for job work and is doing a good business.
Mr. Jones was married at Uniontown, Pa., May 10, 1866, to Sarah C., daughter of Mr. B. Collier. She was born in Johnstown, Pa. Ten children were born of their union, of whom five died in childhood. The five living are-Albert C., Will- iam F., Robert F., George Rex and Walter R.
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Those who died were named Mary B., Allen, Charles, John P. and Laura B.
Mr. Jones is an energetic, practical printer, and is building up a fine business. The Salem News is one of the most popular local papers of Henry County.
OHN HULINGS, one of the enterprising farmers and stock-raisers of Henry County, residing on section 32, Center Township, was born Nov. 18, 1818, in Crawford County,
Pa. His parents were Mareus Ilulings, a native of Pennsylvania, born Jan. 7, 1791, and Sally (Myers) Hulings, born May 12, 1792, also a native of Penn- sylvania. Ilis paternal grandfather, John Hulings, born Feb. 14, 1767, was among the first, if not the very first, who made a trip up the Alleghany River in a boat. He married Agnes Bell, by whom he had six children-Marcus, Polly, Mercer, Michael, James and Seely. Marcus Hulings and Sally Myers were married in Pennsylvania, and were the par- ents of ten children, nine of whom grew to man and womanhood : Agnes, wife of Frederick Stein- brook, of Lee County, Ill .; Thomas, of Pennsyl- vania; John, of this sketch; ,Jefferson, deceased ; Alfred, of Armstrong County, Pa .; Marens, en- gaged in the oil business at Oil City, Pa .; Rebecca, wife of Allen Barnabee, a resident of Armstrong County, Pa .; Sarah, wife of Thomas Armstrong; Seth, of Clarion County, Pa. Mr. Ilulings served during the War of 1812, and was at Erie when the victorious Commodore Perry arrived. In 1813, Mr. Hulings with his family emigrated to Arm- strong County, Pa., where he remained until his death, which was caused by being run over by the cars, he not hearing their approach on account of deafness. Mrs. Ilulings has also gone to join hier husband in that better land. He was a member of the Universalist Church, and his wife of the Ger- man Lutheran.
The subject of this sketch was reared in Arm- strong County, Pa., attending the subscription school or the log school-house, with no floor, seats of slabs, a slab or pins driven into the wall serving for a writing-desk, and with its greased paper win-
dows. John Hulings was first married in Arm- strong County, Pa., on the 17th of April, 1843, to Miss Elizabeth A. Templeton, born in Armstrong County, Pa., Nov. 12, 1825. By this union there were five children: Sarah, born July 19, 1844, died April 2, 1860; Thomas, born June 12, 1846, died March 26, 1860; Albert, born June 12, 1849, died March 30, 1860; Clara, born Nov. 5, 1851, died March 4, 1860. All of these children died of diphtheria. Seth S., born Dec. 25, 1853, was the only one who survived the disease. Ile now resides in Adams County, Neb., and is the husband of Mary Hudson. In April, 1856, Mr. Hulings came by water to Burlington and from thence to Henry County with teams. It was very muddy and he had to pay $13 for a team with which to move his family that short distance, and the mud being so deep at one time they had to pry the wagon out with rails. Ile settled in Center Township, where he worked at his trade as carpenter, his first work being the building of a ferry-boat. Ile worked at his trade for some time and then took charge of a ferry-boat that was known as llulings Ferry.
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