USA > Iowa > Clayton County > Portrait and biographical record of Dubuque, Jones and Clayton counties, Iowa. Containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 50
USA > Iowa > Dubuque County > Portrait and biographical record of Dubuque, Jones and Clayton counties, Iowa. Containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 50
USA > Iowa > Jones County > Portrait and biographical record of Dubuque, Jones and Clayton counties, Iowa. Containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 50
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In 1849 our subjeet returned to Connectieut, and in July of the same year was united in marriage with Miss Charlotte E. Borrows, a daughter of Seth and Anna (Stark) Borrows, all natives of Conneet- icut. Hle brought his bride to share his new home in the far west, and for five happy years she was the partner of his joys and sorrows. Then death came and claimed her for his own. She passed away in 1864, leaving a husband but no children to mourn her loss. Judge Crary was married the second time in April, 1864, to Miss Agnethe Thov son, a native of Norway, and to them have been born eleven children, nine of whom are living: Lucy E., William H., Fredrick, George H., Amy S., Alice, John Elisha, Isaac A. and Arthur E.
In a few years after settling in Iowa our subject had accumulated ten hundred and forty acres of wild land, and now has seven hundred and sixty
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aeres under a high state of eultivation. In his early manhood the Judge did all the work of im- proving his farm. In 1889 he erected the beauti- ful residence he now occupies. It is the finest building in the township. Formerly the principal product of the farm was wheat, but for a number of years the Judge has given his attention to stoek- raising, and at the present time is extensively en- gaged in that line of industry. He has a number of fine horses, imported eattle, sheep and liogs. Our subject is the oldest settler in Farmersburg Township, and is an excellent farmer, highly re- speeted by all who have the honor of his acquaint- anee.
Politically Judge Crary is a Republican, but be- fore the organization of that party he was a stal wart Whig. He was elected County Judge in 1857 and served as such until 1860. In the fall of 1871 he was elected to the State Senate, serving four years. He was a member of the Committee on Ways and Means during the whole of his term. Fraternally he is a member of the Masonie order at Farmers- burg. He has always been Secretary of the district in which he lives.
H ENRY DWIGHT SMITH. The following is a brief sketeh of the eareer of Mr. Smith, a retired farmer living in Monticello. His present substantial position has been reached entirely through his own perseveranee, and his life shows what can be aeeomplished by a person with courage and enlightened views. He was born in Salem, Mass., September 23, 1818, and is the son of George K. and Mary (Davis) Smith natives re- spectively of the above place in Massachusetts, and Bloomfield, N. J.
The father of our subjeet was a sea captain, having trade between the United States and Brazil, which oceupation he followed from 1800 to 1812, and again from 1816 to 1825, when he removed with his family to Utica, N. Y., and thence, in 1850, came to Dubuque County, this state. In
1856 we find him settled in Jones County, this state, in Monticello Township, where he carried on farm pursuits, and where his death occurred May 8, 1868. His good wife departed this life December 17, 1860. She was the daughter of Cor- nelius Davis, a resident of Bloomfield, N. J.
Henry D., of this sketch, was the eldest of three sons and seven daughters born to his parents, of whom six survive; two died young. He aecom- panied his parents on their removal to Utica, N. Y., where he attended the select schools. After com- pleting his education, he taught two terms of winter school in that eounty, spending his sum- mers on his father's farm. In the year 1857 he came west, locating in Bowen's Prairie, Monti- cello Township, where he owned and cultivated a traet of land and lived until the year 1870. That year he moved onto a quarter-section in Montieello Township, joining the city on the west, which was in a wild state; by mueh hard work on his part he improved and placed it under excel- lent tillage, and by a proper rotation of erops gained a good ineome from the soil. He, low- ever, made a specialty of dairy farming, having on his estate from twenty-five to thirty good milch cows, and sold the milk to the ereamery. He was Surveyor of Jones County in 1862-63, and lias been Notary Public from that time to the present.
Mr. Smith was married, in 1840, to Miss Harriet Lavaneha, daughter of John D. Campbell. She was born in Paris, N. Y., and by her union with our subjeet became the mother of six ehildren, of whom Harriet Mary died in her twentieth year; Douglass Henry is a farmer; Laura Campbell is deceased; Dwight Stewart died July 26, 1889; and Sarah Louisa married A. L. Seward, and makes her home in the state of Washington. One son died in infaney.
Mr. Smith is an ardent Prohibitionist, and was sent as a delegate of his party to the National Prohibition Convention at Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1892, and the State Convention held in Des Moines June 27, 1894. He is Secretary of the Jones County Institute, and deals occasionally in real estate, being the possessor of considerable prop- erty in Monticello. Mrs. Smith departed this life
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August 14, 1890, on the farm near the city. She was a devoted member of the Congregational Church, and active in all good works. He has been reporter for the signal service of the United States since 1882. He is very pronouneed in all his views, and his adviee is often sought on ocea- sions of great importance. He was a supporter of the Liberty party in 1844, of the Free-Soil party in 1848 and 1852, then the Republican until 1872, and took a mugwump position until 1880, since which time he has aeted with the Prohibitionists. He attended the meeting at Utiea, N. Y., where the Free-Soil party was born in 1848.
OHN ANDEREGG, a retired farmer who now makes his home in Guttenberg, has been for over forty years identified with the develop- ment and progress of Clayton County; when he first set eyes upon it, it was a wild uneulti- vated piece of prairie, sparsely settled and having but little promise of the great future before it. By his assistance and that of the many worthy pio- neers who located here in the early '50s, thereafter devoting their energies to its improvement and cultivation, it has come to be known as one of the best and most fertile counties in the sisterhood of the state.
Samuel Anderegg, father of our subject, was born in Switzerland, where he lived until after his marriage, and then started for America, becoming a resident of Indiana, in which state his death oe- eurred in 1873. His wife, who before her marriage was Barbara Hoobler, was also a native of Switzer- land and departed this life in Ohio. Their son, John, was born June 12, 1824, in the land of the Alps, and until reaching liis majority, resided in that picturesque and far-famed country. It was his privilege to receive a good general sehool edu- cation, and by his studies as well as from friends
he learned of the advantages afforded to the na- tive and adopted sons of America, and early made up his mind he would journey to the western part of the United States. On May 16, 1845, after a tedious journey on the ocean he landed in New York City, and from there went to Ohio, where lie continued to reside for eight years. In 1853, as we have previously related, he became one of the pioneers of Clayton County, settling on a farm in Jefferson Township, near where the village of Gut- tenberg now stands.
August 3, 1862, Mr. Anderegg volunteered his services in the defense of his adopted country, donning the blue and enlisting as a member of Company D, Twenty-seventh Iowa Infantry. For meritorious and valiant service he was promoted from the ranks to be Seeond, and subsequently .First Lieutenant. With his regiment he partici- pated in many important engagements and battles, among them, Little Roek and Memphis, afterward being sent on the Red River Expedition. In 1864 he was inustered out at Memphis, Tenn., receiving an honorable discharge. Returning to Clayton County he continued for some twenty years longer to operate his valuable farm, which he carried on until 1884, when he retired from its arduous duties. He has just sold his farm of two hundred and ten acres of good farm land, all of which is under fine cultivation, and well improved witli substantial farm buildings, fenees, ete., to his son, Charles G.
In 1846, the year after his arrival in America, Mr. Anderegg married Miss Magdalena Menger, who was a native of Germany. To them were born five sons and three daughters, John, Lizzie, William, Charles G., Julius, Lydia, Emma and Herman F. The devoted wife and mother, who for nearly forty years had been the trusted and faithful companion and helpmate of Mr. Anderegg, was called from this life in 1884, leaving many friends to mourn her loss. The present wife of our subjeet was formerly Louise Frieze, and their marriage was celebrated in 1884. Of this union has been born one ehild, Mattie by name.
In publie and local affairs, Mr. Anderegg has always been interested, taking his share, and doing all in his power to advance the best interests of the community. The boys in blue have ever oc-
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cupied a warm place in his heart, and he is a char- ter member and one of the founders of Hasen Deu- fel Post No. 146, G. A. R. Politically, he votes with the Republican party.
B H. LUECK. For about forty years the subject of this record has been a resident of Guttenberg and active in its business affairs. A public spirited man, he has done his share toward the upbuilding and prosperity of the place in which for some three decades he has suc- cessfully conducted an extensive and lucrative trade in lumber and building material, furnishing supplies in his line for most of the buildings erected in this town and the adjoining townships.
Mr. Lueck comes of hardy and thrifty Ger- man stock, to whom, perhaps more than to any others, is due the condition of prosperity in which Clayton County finds itself to-day, as they devel- oped the land from the wild prairie, making for- tile farms and founding enterprising villages herc and there. The birth of our subject occurred in Ger- many in 1824, and his father, B. Lueck, dicd in the Fatherland, of which he too was a native. The boyhood and youth of our subject were passed in Germany, where he received a good cducation in his mother tongue. On arriving at a suitable age, in accordance with the laws of his land, he entered the German army, where he remained for six years, and during that tune participated in three battles, doing valiant service.
It was in 1853, when nearly thirty years of age, that Mr. Lueck decided that he would come to the United States, believing that the opportu- nities herc afforded for advancement and the ac- quisition of a fortune were greater than in his own land. After long wecks spent upon the bosom of the deep in the slow sailing-vessel of the period, he arrived at New Orleans, from which he pro- ceeded by way of the Mississippi and the Ohio to Cincinnati, where he remained for about two years. In 1855 he came to Guttenberg, and worked at
various lines of business whereby he could obtain a livelihood for eleven years. Being very indus- trious and frugal in his manner of life, le regular- ly laid aside a portion of his wages, in time acquiring a neat little sum, which he invested in the lumber business in 1866, embarking in trade for himself. Since that time he has steadily ad- vanced, and now numbers many regular custom- ers who were won to him by his uniform honesty and truthfulness and by his unfailing courtesy. All kinds of lumber used in the construction of houses, barns, fences, etc., he keeps regularly in stock, and sells at the lowest market prices.
In 1858 our subject was married to Miss Anna Eilers, whose birth also occurred in the Fatherland, and who survived her marriage but two years. The present wife of our subject, also born in the Father- land, was before her marriage Miss Mary Albers. Their union was blessed with eight children, but only three of the number yet survive. Those liv- ing are John, Henry and Joseph, and they, with their parents, are members of, and regular attend- ants on, the services of the Catholic Church of this city. Since becoming a naturalized citizen of the United States, Mr. Lueck has voted for the nom- inees of the Democratic party. Like every true patriot, he is interested in the welfare of the Government and in the cause of education, and holds that his own private and personal interests are secondary to the general and public good.
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ENRY OELKE. Among the more promi- nent citizens well known and respected in the business circles of Farmersburg, Clayton County, Iowa, may be found the subject of this biography, who holds the office of Post- master, and is also a wealthy merchant of Farmers- burg. He was born at Hanover, Germany. Sep- tember 10, 1844. His father, William Oelke, was a native of the same country, and was born there February 26, 1818. He followed the trade of a carpenter for quite a number of years, then later
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went to farming. He was married at Hanover to Miss Elizabeth Wilruth, who was born there in 1817. They emigrated to America in the year 1851, and located in Farmersburg Township on section 16, remaining on it for about six or seven months, when they removed to Read Township, where they remained for seven or eight years. Again moving to Farmersburg Township they pur- chased a piece of land on section 28, on which they lived. This land at the time of its purchase was a wild and uncultivated prairie, but to-day it may be seen vastly improved and bearing an abundant harvest. In 1869 they settled in Garna- villo Township, purchasing there a piece of im- proved property, on which he resided until about the year 1880, when he moved to Garnavillo and remained until his death, which occurred on the 15th of August, 1888. He was a Demo- crat in politics, and was well posted on all matters both of local and national importance. He need never regret liaving emigrated to this country, although at times the prospect seemed dark and uninviting, for he has with his untiring persever- ance and hard labor acquired a competency for his family. They were the parents of four chil- dren, all of whom are living. They are as follows: William H .; Henry, our subject; August and Ber- tha. William H. served his country in the late war. The father now peacefully sleeps under the green sod and the weeping willows of Garna- villo Cemetery.
The subject of this sketchi was a mere child when he came to this country, and remembers nothing more than the time spent on the ocean, which was fourteen weeks and three days. He attended the public schools of Clayton County, and also the German school at Garnavillo. When twenty-three years of age he was compelled to seek his fort- une, and, having been reared on a farm, be de- cided to follow that vocation. In the spring of 1874, he removed to the village of Garnavillo, and engaged in teaming and farming there for thirteen years, when he came to the town of Farmersburg in the year 1887 and bought out the merchandise business of H. Knudson; he has since remodeled the building and increased the stock, which now is estimated at from $12,000 to
$16,000. He carries a general line of merchandise and is interested also in a lumber and grain busi- ness.
In 1867 he was united in marriage with Miss Eliza B. Sehelermann, who is a native of Germany and came to this country about the year 1852. Mr. and Mrs. Oelke were the parents of seven chil- dren, five of whom are living, and are as follows: Christ, Henry, Edwin, Arnold and Katie. The parents are both valued members of the Lutheran Church.
Socially, Mr. Oelke is a member of the Masonic order and also of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. In politics he is a stanch Democrat, and takes an active part in all issues, both local and national. He was Postmaster during Cleve- lands' first term, and was again appointed to that position in 1893. Mr. Oclke is the Treasurer of the School Board.
N TAMING OF IOWA. The great-grand- mother of Judge Oliver W. Crary was a
Brewster and one of her family camc west · and settled in Pennsylvania in an early day. In 1832 a descendant of the Brewster family went to Connecticut to see the oid ancestral home. He told many wonderful Indian stories to our subject, then a mere lad, and often amused "grown up" people as well as the children. This Mr. Brewster had been rearcd by a Shawnec Indian squaw and was familiar witlı the Indian language.
One of the stories related by Mr. Brewster de- scribed the naming of the state of Iowa. The story was told him by an old Indian squaw, who claimed to be a descendant of a French priest and a beautiful Indian maiden. She told of the early hunting expeditions of the Spanish, who were ac- companied by a French priest and the Indians. The former were looking for gold and the Indians conducted them through the woods. While pass- ing along, the whites would frequently cast their cycs on the ground and their guides would say to
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each other: "See them cye the way." Afterwards that name was given to the Iowa River, and it was called "Eye the Way" for a long time, but it was finally shortened to Iowa.
They went up into Wisconsin and some of the party stopped at the mouth of the Wisconsin River and the remainder went forward to explore. They were to build fires to indicate the position of the party, and when the signal indicated that the party was returning, a number of canoes loaded with old men, women and children went to meet them. When they returned they told how great numbers of northern Indians had come down upon them, but upon the approach of the exploring party with their guns the Indians became frightened and fled after some were slain. The creek on which the battle occurred was filled with blood and has since been known as "Bloody Run." The priest, one servant and the beautiful young squaw were all that were saved; the others were all drowned in ascending the rapids of the river. The French priest made his permanent home among the Indi- ans and married the pretty squaw. Mr. Brewster escaped from the Indians and went to Kaskaskia, Ill.
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H AAKEN THORESEN. The Norwegian residents of the United States are among the most thrifty and prosperous citizens of our agricultural communities, and the subject of this notice is not an exception to the example furnished by his countrymen. Though his home has been in America for only about twenty-three years, he has not only acquired a knowledge of the English language, but has also gained a fair idea of the history and present political status of the nation. In the discharge of his duties as a citizen he is liberal-spirited and capable, and Clay- ton County has no citizen more upright than he.
At present a resident of section 11, Wagner Township, our subject was born in Tolgens, Oster- dalm, Norway, May 30, 1848. He is the son of Thore and Oleven (Backen) Thoresen, natives of
the same place as himself, and still residents of the Old Country. He is the next to the youngest of seven children, of whom the others are, Carrie and Oleven, who are still living in Norway; Thore, who came to this country three years be- fore our subject, and after residing in Clayton County, Iowa, for a short time went to Chippewa County, Minn., where he died; Margaret and Helena, who reside in Norway; and Annie, who died at the age of two years.
Amid the scenes of his birthplace our subject attained a sturdy manhood, well fitted by nature and training for a responsible position in the business world. He established domestic ties on the 25th of December, 1869, when occurred his marriage to Miss Carrie Seaman Gielton. They continued to reside in Norway for two years after their marriage and then, in the spring of 1871, bought two tickets for $120 direct to McGregor, Iowa. Taking passage from the home port, they crossed the Atlantic and after an uneventful voy- age landed in Quebec, Canada, on the 5th of June, 1871. The next day they came to McGregor and from there to Wagner Township, where for three years Mr. Thoresen worked in the employ of others. During the first year he occupied a rented house near Monona, and for the three ensuing ycars resided on section 2, Wagner Township, where he built a house for his family.
The first purchase made by Mr. Thoresen in Clayton County consisted of forty acres near the above-mentioned farm. Cultivating this tract for four years, he then sold the property to J. J. Henke. In 1878 he bought forty acres comprising a portion of his present farm, which at that time was heavily timbered. He went to work with a will and it was not long before the land was cleared and placed under cultivation. A substan- tial house was also erected and other improve- ments added. Seven years after settling here he bought an adjoining forty-acre tract, afterward an eighty-acre piece of property and still later added another eighty-acre tract. At the present time he is the owner of two hundred and forty acres, comprising one of the best farms in Wagner Township. Here he engages in raising the various cereals and also makes a special feature of raising
WILLIAM S. SCOTT.
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
good grades of cattle, hogs and other stock. For the last seven years he has engaged in raising to- bacco, in which he has been very successful.
The family of Mr. Thoresen consists of seven children, and they have also lost one child, Peter, who was born on the home farm August 17, 1881, and was the youngest of the household circle. The others arc, Ole, who was born in Norway, May 17, 1869; Elena, born January 16, 1871, also in Nor- way; Tauler, Hilda, Carrie, Samuel and Eli, all of whom were born in Clayton County. The family attends the Lutheran Church near the homestead, of which Mr. and Mrs. Thoresen arc members. In politics he is a staneh Republican, and is always ready to advocate party principles and measures.
WILLIAM S. SCOTT, a retired fariner of Monona Township, Clayton County, is one of the pioneers of this locality, where he cast his lot just forty years ago. Ile improved and cultivated several farms, and has been an ex- tensive land owner. A native of the Green Moun- tain State, he was born in Grand Isle County, Oc- tober 24, 1824, being a son of John Scott. The latter was born in Spencertown, Columbia County, N. Y., March 12, 1784, and was a farmer by oceupa- tion, his death occurring in his seventy-sixth year. IIis father, Henry, was born in 1763 in the same county, and shouldered a musket during the Revolutionary War, serving under Gencral Sulli- van. The great-grandfather of W. S. Scott, whosc given name was Cornelius, was likewise born in the Empire State, and was one of the pioneers of the locality in which he resided, being of German and English origin.
On attaining man's estate, John Scott, the father of our subject, wedded Sally Cochran, who was born in Vermont, as was also her father, Thomas Cochran. The latter, who was of Irish descent, was a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and his father, Robert, was also a native of Ver- mont. After the marriage of Mr. and Mrs Scott,
they started their life together on a farm in Grand Isle County, where they continucd to live until 1846. They then became residents of Clayton County, where the father continued to live until his death, August 3, 1861. His wife died in 1850, and subsequently he was again married. By his first union he had two children, Selecta and Chris- tina, both deceased, and by his second marriage he had six children, who grew to maturity.
William S. Scott remained with his father until the spring after he had attained his majority, when he started for Clayton County, Iowa, and walked from Chicago to Dubuque. His first summer in this locality was spent in Garnavillo Township, where he worked by the day, receiving seventy-five cents for his services in the harvest field, and in the winter received from fifty to seventy-five cents for split- ting rails. In the fall of 1846 he enlisted in Captain Parker's Cavalry, for the Mexican War, and for his faithful services at that time is now drawing a pen- sion. On his return he was foreman of construction on the Ogdensburg Railroad for two years.
July 29, 1848, Mr. Scott married Luana Harvey, daughter of Hon. David Harvey, who at one time was a member of the Legislature. Mrs. Scott was born May 8, 1828, and was the elder of two chil- dren. She was reared to womanhood on her fath- er's farm, receiving an excellent cducation. At her death, December 4, 1893, she left two children, four others having previously passed away. Julia E. is the wife of A. Ernst, a merchant of Luana, and they have two children, namely: Minnie, who is the wife of Eli Bunnell, of Willoughby, Ohio, and Lloyd Scott, who is at home. John T. was graduated with high honors from the State Univer- sity in the Class of '75. On the 9th of November following he was drowned at Grant City, Sac County, Iowa. Had he lived until the 30th of the same month he would have been twenty-one years of age. Ida May became the wife of Dr. Thomas M. Moore, of Willoughby, Ohio. William R. died in his eleventh ycar, and two children died in infancy.
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